ONTARIO, Ore. (AP) -- An Oregon National Guard unit has been chosen to field the newest version of the Army's main battle tank.

The 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment will be among the first Guard units in the nation to receive the new M1A2 with a system enhancement package, officials said.

Lt. Col. Kevin Sheehy, 3rd Battalion commander, said the decision to deliver the newest tank to a Guard unit sends a message about the level of readiness.

The 3rd Battalion consists of citizen-soldier units from Redmond, The Dalles, Hood River, Hermiston, Woodburn, Pendleton, La Grande, Baker City and Ontario.

"The Army is not likely to give a National Guard unit this tank unless they have confidence in our ability to use it," Sheehy said. "It is kind of a validation."

The M1A2 is the latest version of the Abrams tank, and it carries a number of high-tech upgrades to its gunnery sight system along with other critical improvements.

"This is the best tank in the world," Sheehy said

The commander of the 3rd Battalion's Charlie Company, Capt. Seth Musgrove, agreed the new tank pushes the Eastern Oregon unit into a whole new category.

"We will basically be one of four tank companies in the entire National Guard to have the M1A2" with the enhancement package, Musgrove said.

Sheehy said the 3rd Battalion would receive the tank before most other Guard units and even some Army units.

"We will be better equipped than some active duty units," he said.

Sheehy and Musgrove said gunnery performance during summer training in Idaho was a key reason the 3rd Battalion was selected to field the new tank.

Sheehy called it "a report card to the Pentagon."

Now the unit will focus on additional training. The advanced systems will require at least 45 to 60 days.