Ukraine - M1 Abrams
Ukraine will soon be able to use decommissioned Australian Abrams tanks in the war against Russia. The Sydney Morning Herald reported this 22 September 2024. According to the publication, the Australian government, together with the US administration of President Joe Biden, is working on a plan to send American-made Abrams M1A1 tanks to Ukraine. At the same time, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles says, “There are a number of possibilities we are discussing with the Ukrainian government.” Government sources reported that Marles is studying how to ship the tanks in compliance with US defense export regulations. Previously, Australia had ruled out providing this equipment to Kyiv.
In July 2024, Australia decommissioned 59 Abrams M1A1 tanks, which had never been used in combat and are now being replaced with newer models. Purchased for $550 million in 2004, these combat vehicles are equipped with cannons and machine guns. Former senior Australian defense official Michael Shoebridge commented: “These tanks are still in good condition. The Ukrainians are fighting a war for national survival, so we must get them there as quickly as possible.” Earlier, Ukraine officially requested Australia to join the US, UK, Poland, and Germany in providing tanks to defend against Russian aggression.
Australia will soon transfer 49 of its M1A1 Abrams tanks out of 59 currently in storage to Ukraine – ABC News Australia reported16 October 2024. The delivery will be carried out as part of a $245 million military aid package, and US permission to re-export the tanks has already been received. The publication writes that the Australian Abrams are in good condition and only a few of them will require repairs before being sent to Ukraine.
Recall that the Australian army was armed with tanks in the M1A1 AIM SA Abrams modification . In general, they are similar to the Abrams already in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, previously supplied by the US, and are also not equipped with uranium armor in the front. Considering the loss of more than half of the Abrams supplied by the US, the tanks transferred from Australia will allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces not only to compensate for the loss, but also to significantly increase the total number of these tanks on the battlefield.
Ukraine has lost two thirds of its US-supplied Abrams M1 main battle tanks in the space of only half a year, Military Watch Magazine reported. The outlet said in an article on 21 Augus 2024 that, according to its estimates, “close to 20” out of 31 tanks provided to Kiev by Washington have already been destroyed by Russian forces. The latest Abrams was blown up in Russia’s Kursk Region, Military Watch Magazine said, based on videos uploaded by Russian Telegram channels. It appears to be the first American tank lost by Ukraine during its ongoing incursion into internationally recognized Russian territory, it added.
The M1 in question had “a significantly improved” explosive reactive armor, as Ukraine took steps to increase the protection of the US-made tanks, “particularly after they took heavy losses in their first engagements with Russian forces in February-April 2024,” the report read. However, the Abrams still could not withstand a projectile from a handheld anti-tank missile system, likely a Kornet, with which it had reportedly been hit, it stressed.
Military Watch reminded subscribers that Ukrainian troops operating the M1s had previously complained to Western media about “technical issues, including vulnerability of electronic components to condensation, as well as their vulnerability to Russian fire.” The outlet described the Abrams, the German Leopard 2, the British Challenger 2 and the Soviet era T-80 tanks as “the scarcest tank classes in Ukrainian service.” But it also pointed out that, while Kiev expects a replacement for its destroyed Leopards from the EU nations, “there have been few indications that the US could make further deliveries of Abrams tanks.”
It appeared that 1 of the 31 M1A1 Abrams Tanks sent to Ukraine by the US was damaged [not destroyed] by Russian Forces. The 26 February 2024 video does not show the tank being hit. Looks like the Ammo Blow Off panels functioned correctly and the engine deck is damaged. The crew lived. The so-called blowout panels of the American car are visible in the footage. The idea of the technology is to divert the blast wave, thanks to which the Ukrainian crew could be saved. The low-armor fuel tanks on top of the rear deck makes the Abrams vulnerable in a drone-heavy environment, especially when deployed as a lone tank into an hot area as a stopgap.
The Russian information segment distributed a photo of a damaged Abrams M1A1 tank, which is in service with the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Apparently, the tank took part in the fighting in the Avdeevsky direction. The footage was published on February 26 in the Mash Telegram channel. It is reported that the tank was allegedly hit by an FPV drone.
The technology is used in Western models of Leopard 2 and Abrams M1 tanks. The idea is that if ammunition is placed in the turret of a combat vehicle and anti-tank ammunition hits it, the ejection panels knock out the roof of the compartment with the ammunition, thereby diverting the blast wave away from the crew. And to avoid high temperatures from combustion, an additional partition made of heat-resistant materials was installed.
An Abrams tank was first seen near the village of Berdychi, west of Avdiivka a few days ago. The tank was operating seemingly alone, without proper support. Not clear if this is the same one. Tanks should be used in groups covering each other. On 23 February, 2024 soldiers of the 47th Mechanized Brigade showed the combat use of their M1A1 SA Abrams tanks in the Avdiivka direction. The corresponding video was released by the press service of the brigade. “And while Russian invaders are trying to understand where Abrams tanks are, tankers of the 47th Mechanized Brigade have been “dismantling” Russian invaders and their equipment for molecules for more than a month,” the Brigade said.
"And while the Russian occupiers are trying to figure out where the Abrams tanks are, tankers of the 47th separate mechanized brigade have been dissecting the Russian invaders and their equipment for more than a month", the brigade said in a statement. "It is very durable in battle, because all ammunition is located outside the tower in a special rear niche. In case of damage, the energy of the explosion goes up. And powerful multi-layer armor makes Abrams one of the most protected tanks in the world," the 47th brigade wrote.
In the video, there is shown the presence of ARAT ERA protection on combat vehicles. As Militarnyi previously reported in January the SA tanks of Armed Forces of Ukraine had been equipped with an Abrams Reactive Armor (ARAT-1) protection. The United States-supplied M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks in a special SA (situational awareness) version were “sparkled” without additional elements of armor protection. ARAT ERA is included in the Tank Urban Survival Kit (TUSK), which was actively used by American tankers during the Iraq campaign.
The Russian Armed Forces destroyed the third Abrams tank on the battlefield. This happened west of Avdeevka near the village of Berdychi. Social networks reported this on 03 March 2024. The tank was stopped by a grenade launcher shot at its chassis, then a T-72 fired at it from closed positions, after which it was finally finished off with a Ghoul drone. A tracked mine clearing vehicle based on the Abrams chassis was also destroyed.
On the Ukrainian battlefield it did not live up to its characteristics. The heavy-duty tank is definitely not suitable for winter use. Its rubber track covers reduce noise, but slip on snowy and icy roads, and the tank loses power when driving over hilly terrain in icy conditions. ??????? ?????? ?? https://military.pravda.ru/1962425-abrams/ The M1 hull was designed before high elongation rods and top attack were common and thus relied on a distinctive extremely sloped upper front plate [UFP] for effective protection, but nowadays that's inefficient compared to a more conventional front hull layout.
American Abrams tanks are in Ukraine and are preparing to reinforce the brigades. The President announced this 25 September 2023 on Telegram following the results of a meeting on the synchronization of the main security areas, Ukrinform reports. According to Zelensky, there is good news from Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. "Abrams tanks are already in Ukraine and are preparing to reinforce our brigades. I am grateful to the allies for fulfilling the agreements! We are looking for new contracts, expanding the geography of supply," Zelensky noted. During their meeting at the White House on 21 September 2023, US President Joe Biden told Zelensky that the first Abrams M1s will be arriving in Ukraine “next week.”
“The Abrams tanks are some serious weapons,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted, while talking to journalists. He then cited President Vladimir Putin, who, according to his spokesman, said that other Western-made tanks were “readily burning.” “These will burn too,” Peskov added. The Wall Street Journal reported "Ukrainian officials acknowledge that, four months into the offensive, the vehicles are unlikely to significantly alter the shape of the war”.
A tank like the Abrams was created for a slightly different war with the goal of destroying Soviet armored vehicles from a position or in head-on collisions. The Ukrainian battlefield is a cocktail of continuous minefields, the dominance of drones with attack helicopters and the dominance of artillery, where the tactics of using heavy armor differ significantly from the ideas of the end of the last century. These samples do not contain secret uranium armor, modern thermal imagers and night sights, as well as information equipment.
US-supplied Abrams tanks should only be deployed by Kiev in specific breakthrough operations, or they will be quickly destroyed by Russian forces, Kirill Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ukrainian military, said 22 September 2023. Ukraine is “looking forward” to receiving the 31 Abrams M1 main battle tanks that Washington promised to provide in January, Budanov said in an interview with the War Zone website.
However, the spy chief warned that if the American armor is deployed “on the front line and just in a combined arms fight, they will not live very long on the battlefield” with Russia. In order to make the best use of the tanks, Kiev should only engage them in “very specific, well-crafted” breakthrough operations, he said.
The wide use of artillery and mines by both Russian and Ukrainian forces has “reduced the possibility of using armored equipment in practically all of the main directions to the minimum,” Budanov explained. “If we just deploy some battalion tank group into the battlefield somewhere, just as soon as it gets under the range of artillery it will get hit,” he said. According to the spy chief, this is the reason, why “currently, all main instances of fighting are done on foot without using any materiel.”
The Ukrainian Armed Forces may receive the first 10 of 31 US M1 Abrams tanks in mid-September 2023. This was reported on 31 August 2023 by the newspaper Politico, citing sources in the Pentagon. "The United States intends to expedite the delivery of 31 tanks to Ukraine by autumn," Martin O'Donnell, spokesman for the US Army Command in Europe and Africa, told the publication. He added that the training of 200 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to operate the M1 Abrams at American training bases in Germany has been completed. Now at Gravenfort, they are working to preserve the skills they have learned until "the tanks are ready for combat," O'Donnell said.
The US hopes to deliver the first Abrams heavy tanks to Ukraine sometime in September 2023 so they could join the ongoing offensive, Politico reported on 27 July 2023. The Pentagon had previously estimated their deployment “sometime in the fall.” The first “handful” of tanks will be sent to Germany in August, where they will undergo “final refurbishments” before getting shipped to Ukraine the following month, the outlet said, citing six unnamed officials familiar with the discussions. Six to eight tanks will be involved in the initial delivery, according to a congressional aide and an industry official. The US has pledged a total of 31 tanks, or the equivalent of a Ukrainian battalion.
Originally the Pentagon intended to use the more modern M1A2 variants, but changed plans in March, opting for the older M1A1. The tanks first need to be refurbished, which includes stripping them of “sensitive” technology the US fears might be captured by Russia, from fire control systems to the depleted uranium armor. Washington was working with NATO allies to establish “heavy maintenance repair facilities, especially for battle damage” so the Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles already delivered to Kiev can be maintained.
The U.S. Army has thousands of older Abrams in storage that a contractor could be hired to refurbish to a like-new condition. The U.S. Army is believed to have 2,509 Abrams in various versions in active service, with an additional 3,500-3,700 in storage. A number of these tanks were upgraded to the M1A2 standard. US Army has over 2,300 of these tanks in reserve storage. Sierra Army Depot (SIAD) in Herlong, California is the US Army's largest facility (36,000 acres) dedicated to long-term desert storage, regeneration, reutilisation and redistribution of mechanised vehicles. The US Army's Sierra Army Depot tank storage facility in California and shows an estimated 2,000 "spare" M1 Abrams MBTs.
Designed for use by the armed forces of Ukraine, Abrams tanks are already undergoing a process of re-equipment, their transfer will take place before the end of the year. This was announced on25 Msy 2023 at a briefing by Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General of the Air Force Patrick Ryder. "Tanks that are intended for Ukraine are currently undergoing a re-equipment process. They will be improved and prepared for shipment to Ukraine," he said. "Since we are doing this at the same time (with training Ukrainians to operate tanks - ed. note), we will be able to meet the deadlines set for the fall and provide them with tanks before the end of the year," he added.
The M1 was equipped with the American 105mm M68 gun and an armor package that was said to be pretty good for it’s time. The highly classified armor package on later versions contain depleted uranium, and are not readily exportable even to major allies. Beginning in October 1988, new Army M1A1 Abrams tanks were equipped with the armor, made from a mesh of "depleted" uranium encased in steel. It is 2 1/2 times as dense as steel. The original version of this armor was engineered under a top-secret Special Access Program (SAP) nicknamed Green Grape. Armor packages that incorporated DU were included on subsequent A2-series variants, as well. Many older American M1A1s were later upgraded with the newer armor. The Foreign Military Sales armor package replaces the uranium with tungsten, which is very hard, and less closley regulated. The Army reportedly estimated that the total cost of converting the tanks’ turrets would be nearly $6 million.
Some 31 Abrams tanks will arrive at Grafenwöhr Training Area in Germany at the end of May 2023, US officials said 21 April 2023, and troops would begin training a couple of weeks later. Similar training programs for Ukrainian troops learning to operate new gear have taken place at Grafenwöhr near the Czech border. The United States’ timeline for providing M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine has been expedited to deliver training tanks to Germany in the coming weeks, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. "We’ve also expedited our M1 Abrams timelines to supply Ukraine with more armored capability in the coming months, and the M1s that the Ukrainians will use for training will arrive here in Germany in the next few weeks," Austin said during a press conference.
The United States will send 31 M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, reversing months of persistent arguments that they were too difficult for Ukrainian troops to operate and maintain. The US decision comes on the heels of Germany agreeing to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from its own stocks. President Joe Biden announced the decision in remarks at the White House 25 January 2023, saying the tanks are needed to help the Ukrainians 'improve their ability to manoeuvre in open terrain'.
Speaking at the White House, he said, “I’m announcing that the United States will be sending 31 Abram tanks to Ukraine the equivalent of one Ukrainian battalion. Secretary Austin has recommended this step because it all enhance Ukraine’s capacity to defend his territory to achieve strategic objectives.” Biden also said Washington was giving Ukraine the necessary parts and equipment, and will be providing Ukrainian personnel with training.
Kiev had included the Abrams in its 2023 ‘wish list’ issued in late December 2022, as Ukrainian officials sought heavier weapons from the West for its conflict with Russia. The US was reluctant to supply these particular tanks due to “the logistical and maintenance challenges of the tanks, and not over concern that their transfer could escalate the conflict,” a US official was quoted as saying.
US President Joe Biden will announce on 25 January 2023 the decision to supply Ukraine with Abrams tanks. This was reported by the Al Jazeera TV channel, citing an unnamed representative of the US administration. According to the channel's interlocutor, the tanks that Washington intends to transfer to Kyiv "will not be taken from the Pentagon's warehouses, they will be contracted." Politico reported that the US could send at least 30 Abrams tanks to Ukraine as military aid.
Berlin contradicted a White House account that US President Joe Biden only agreed to the delivery of Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine at Germany's insistence — against the recommendation of military officials. Deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner on 27 February 2023 said that, from Germany's point of view, the decision to jointly supply battle tanks was reached amicably. "These were good, constructive talks in which care was always taken by both sides to arrive at a joint approach," he said. Büchner reiterated an earlier statement by government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had never made the delivery of German Leopard tanks conditional on the US providing Abrams tanks.
Biden's security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke differently about the decision-making in a television interview with broadcaster ABC on 26 February 2023. He said Biden "originally decided against sending them Abrams tanks because his military told them that they would not be useful on the battlefield in this fight."
"The Germans told the president that they would not be prepared to send those Leopards into the fight ... until the president also agreed to send Abrams.... So, in the interest of alliance unity and to ensure that Ukraine got what it wanted, despite the fact that the Abrams aren't the tool they need, the president said okay."
in early September 2022, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed hope for the supply of Abrams and Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, noting Germany's progress in providing weapons to Ukraine. He also again mentioned the provision of tanks for training by a certain country. At the end of September, the United States confirmed its readiness in principle to transfer M1 Abrams tanks or other modifications to Ukraine, while noting the difficulties with logistics and maintenance, as well as the long period of crew training.
On 17 January 2023 White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at a regular briefing declined to clarify whether the United States intends to supply tanks to Ukraine, but noted that Washington supports the supply of any military assistance to Kyiv by its allies. "Of course, I do not intend to make any announcements from here, but we will be with the Ukrainians as long as they defend themselves," she said, answering a question about the possibility of transferring American tanks to Kyiv. “We don’t like to tell our allies what they should or shouldn’t do. In relation to Ukraine, we are partners with them, partners <...> on how we continue to provide assistance to Ukraine <...>, but, of course , this is not something we will lead [them] in," Jean-Pierre added. Washington would not deliver the M1s to Kiev, allegedly because their heavy fuel consumption and propensity to break down make these 60-ton tanks unsuitable for the Ukrainian military.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is ready to allow the supply of Leopard-2 battle tanks to Kyiv, provided that the United States, for its part, will provide Ukraine with Abrams tanks. This was reported on 18 January 2023, citing its own sources, the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. Such a condition was set by Scholz during a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden on 17 January 2023. The Chancellor had repeatedly stated that the FRG will not take unilateral steps on the issue of military support to Ukraine. As noted by the newspaper, Biden, in an interview with Scholz, did not give firm consent to the transfer of Abrams. Washington, obviously, was trying to ensure that Berlin not only allows other NATO countries to re-export the Leopard to Ukraine, but also supplies it with tanks from its own stocks, writes Süddeutsche Zeitung. Leopard deliveries cannot be made without the permission of Germany, which manufactures these tanks. Scholz had decided to send around 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine after the USA had promised to supply infantry fighting vehicles.
A senior U.S. defense official told TIME "The Pentagon contends that Leopards consume less fuel than Abrams tanks, are easier to maintain, and, perhaps most importantly, are already widely available across Europe. ... the Biden Administration says it has no plans to send American tanks for now, because they pose too big of a challenge for Kyiv to maintain and run...."
The M1 consumes 83% more fuel than the Leopard II when driven at a constant speed (1.71 gal/mile for the M1 vs. only .93 gal/mile for the Leopard II). With the introduction of the heavier M1A1, the fuel situation has worsened. In an effort to standardize the fuel used by all Army vehicles, the Army will no longer use diesel to fuel the M1. Instead, a type of aviation fuel, which runs less efficiently in the M1, will be used by all Army vehicles. While moving fuel consumption is not much worse than tanks of it’s weight class, but it’s range and speed will allow it to out run it’s logistics faster than almost any other tank in the world.
It is said that maintenance hours to operational hours are several times higher for Abrams versus the Leopard, although actual Leopard numbers are not readily available. Maintainability measures the number of maintena81e hours expended for each hour of tank operation. The maintenance ratio sought is 1.25 to 1. At 1980-81 Fort Knox testing the tanks scored 2.86 to 1, and at Aberdeen trsting, 1.71 to 1. The M1 required maximum maintenance ratio is 1.25 man-hours per operating hour. This represents a sacrafice of tank availability. In 1976, a reliability test of tanks, including five new M-60 Als coming off the production line, showed that the M-60 was superior to the M-1 in maintena81e hours expended for each hour of tank operation, wiih a maintenance ratio 0.41 man-hours per operating hour. "Availability" is the average number of tanks available for combat each day during a reporting period. The tank sample on which the 1.4 mh/oh rate is based had an availability rate of only 88%.
Abrams also has the highest ground pressure – over 1 kg/m2, whereas Leopard 2A6 has ground pressure of 0,86 kg/m2 and both Leclerc and Challenger II have ground pressure of between 0,9 and 1 kg/m2.
"The Abrams tank is very complicated; it’s expensive; it’s hard to train on,” Colin Kahl, the Defense Department’s undersecretary for policy, told reporters 18 January 2023 at the Pentagon. “I think it’s about three gallons to the mile with jet fuel. It is not the easiest system to maintain. It may or may not be the right system. But we’ll continue to look at what makes sense.”
Kahl held the door open to possibly providing Abrams in the long-term, saying the Biden Administration had yet to make a final decision. “I just don’t think we’re there yet,” he said. “But I will say that one of the things that Secretary Austin has been very focused on is that we should not be providing the Ukrainian systems they can’t repair, they can’t sustain, and that, over the long term, they can’t afford because it’s not helpful.”
Ben Hodges, a retired lieutenant general who once commanded all U.S. Army forces in Europe, says the maintenance and logistics concerns associated with the battle tanks is no reason to hold them back. “The U.S. should stop being so condescending when talking about how difficult this would be for the Ukrainians, to meet the fuel requirements,” he says. “The Ukrainians will sort that out. They’ll MacGyver a solution as they’ve been doing for months—just give them the capability they need.”
The US will not include the coveted M1 Abrams main battle tanks in a major Ukraine aid package that will be announced this week, Politico magazine reported 18 January 2023, citing three US officials and another person familiar with the matter.
Politico magazine reported 19 January 2023 that one of the most significant moments at the World Economic Forum happened out of sight in a quiet room: OLAF SCHOLZ, the German chancellor, told the American congressional delegation that he won't send Leopard tanks to Ukraine until the U.S. agrees to transfer its Abrams tanks. The exchange in Davos, described by four people with knowledge of what was said, including Rep. SETH MOULTON (D-Mass.), was respectful in tone but showed just how far apart Washington and Berlin are on a tank deal.
Moulton said Scholz made a "fairly reasonable" request because Germany relies on the U.S. for nuclear deterrence and the Germans "are much closer to this fight than we are." Scholz was "pretty direct," one person said. The lawmakers in the room — which included Moulton alongside Sens. CHRIS COONS (D-Del.), JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) and MARIA CANTWELL (D-Wash.) — were surprised to hear the remark as they felt more progress has been made on the issue, two people said.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not link the issue of transferring German Leopard tanks to Kyiv with the mandatory provision of American Abrams tanks to Ukraine. This was stated on 20 January 2023 at a briefing by German government spokesman Steffen Hebeshtreit.
"I have read a post about it. There has never been a conditionality or requirement that one step must first follow in order for another to be done," he argued. Hebeshtreit said that Berlin adheres to three principles when providing military assistance to Kyiv. "First, to support Ukraine as much as possible, we are on the side of Ukraine. Secondly, to prevent NATO and Germany from becoming a belligerent, and thirdly, we should not take national unilateral steps, but closely coordinate actions with international partners, including the United States," the cabinet spokesman said.
Ukraine needed more armored vehicles like Abrams main battle tanks, which had the ability to push Russian forces out of its territory and end the Kremlin threat to the free world. The M1 Abrams was tested in action during the training of the forces of the alliance during the Cold War and in real military operations in the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen. This model retained its reputation as one of the most effective tanks in service with the modern armies of the world for more than 40 years.
Tanks are inherently used to support infantry in combat missions as well as offensive operations. Where there is a possibility of breaking through the defense, tank formations are used. According to the latest events at the front, it becomes clear why Ukrainian diplomacy and military leadership had stepped up requests for this type of weapon.
The United States has 3700 of these tanks in storage. Bradleys can provide "support of both offensive and defensive operations, providing a level of firepower and armor that will bring advantages on the battlefield as Ukraine continues to defend their homeland," Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said on 05 January 2023.
The Abrams M1 A2 tank is one of the best in its class. It has high firepower, good protection and high speed. Electronic equipment and night vision devices allow him to successfully operate in a variety of weather conditions. The use of the built-in dynamic protection of the tower and the strengthening of the armor protection of the roof of the hull increased the tank's protection even more.
In the Soviet Union, the "Abrams" was looked at exclusively through the slot of the sight - being the basis of NATO's tank power, it was enemy No. 1 for Soviet tankers. It was with "Abrams" that the lists of armored vehicles of a potential enemy began in reference books and manuals of the Soviet Army. However, little has changed since then.
Currently, the Ukrainian army is armed with Soviet models of T-72 tanks and similar armored vehicles. Western models are distinguished not only by better firepower and armor, but also by maneuverability, which means they will allow them to have an advantage in battle with Russian invaders.
On 28 April 2022, the United States House of Representatives voted in favor of granting Lend-Lease to Ukraine. Thanks to him, the Armed Forces of Ukraine can receive a list of the necessary weapons to liberate the territory from the invaders. Lend-lease has been agreed to provide armored vehicles, air defense systems, aviation and other types of weapons, and this document comes into force in early October 2022. Until now, Ukraine received weapons under the USAI military assistance program.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said 02 September 2022 that Ukraine expected to receive Abrams tanks from the US and Leopard-2 tanks from Germany. "Germany has made tremendous progress in supporting Ukraine with weapons. We are grateful to Germany, grateful to Chancellor Scholz for supporting Ukraine. At first, only protective equipment or helmets were supplied, today it is modern weapons: air defense systems or multiple launch rocket systems, artillery, etc.", he said in an interview with the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
At the same time, the Prime Minister noted that Ukraine wants to get even more weapons and equipment from Germany as soon as possible. He stressed that a change in the philosophy of arms supply is required, in particular, it is necessary to supply modern battle tanks. "We expect that the United States will supply us with their Abrams tanks, and Germany - Leopard-2. These are the modern tanks that Ukraine needs on the battlefield."
In a flurry of announcements, in early January 2023 some of Ukraine's major Western allies pledged to send advanced armored combat vehicles to help Kyiv in its fight against Russia's invasion. Both the United States and Germany said they would provide new powerful weapons to Kyiv: 50 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles from Washington and 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles from Berlin. The January 5 announcement came a day after France made a similar pledge to send new weapons -- AMX-10 RC armored reconnaissance vehicles -- in a development that marks a clear escalation of Western military support. While representing a significant upgrade in military aid, the Bradley vehicles are not atop Kyiv's main wish-list: main battle tanks, such as the U.S.-made M1 Abrams or the German Leopard.
Poland will buy 116 used Abrams tanks from the US as Warsaw bolsters its military after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Poland promised to increase defense spending to 3% of gross domestic product and more than double the size of its army to deter any possible attack. "We have agreed on a contract with the United States for the purchase of 116 used Abrams tanks on preferential terms," Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said 15 July 2022, adding that the agreement would "significantly strengthen" Poland's defense capability.
The agreement is an addition to the contract for the purchase of 250 Abrams tanks. In April 2022, the Polish Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the purchase of 250 American Abrams M1A2 tanks in the amount of 20 billion zlotys (more than 4 billion euros), which is the largest contract for the purchase of weapons for the Polish army.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said 02 September 2022 that Ukraine expected to receive Abrams tanks from the US and Leopard-2 tanks from Germany. "We expect that the United States will supply us with their Abrams tanks, and Germany - Leopard-2. These are the modern tanks that Ukraine needs on the battlefield."
Ukraine's military claims to have destroyed over 3,000 of Russia's tanks. And the independent Dutch research group Oryx, which keeps a running total of documented incidents of Russian military equipment knocked out of commission, puts the figure at about 1,600 tanks.
In addition to directly confronting that threat, experts said the Western infantry fighting vehicles will give Ukrainian ground troops relatively safe and speedy mobility. The vehicles are intended to enable infantry to keep up with and support armored attacks by heavy tanks.
The administration of US President Joe Biden had ruled out sending large Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine for technical reasons. This was reported by The Washington Post 05 January 2023, citing a senior American official. Abrams tanks weigh 55 tons and rely on a gas turbine engine that consumes fuel at a tremendous rate. Moreover, said the source of the publication, the tanks are prone to breakdowns and require a lot of maintenance experience.
The main reasons given by US and German defense officials for the delay in deliveries are the differences in Abrams and Leopard 2 tanks from Soviet designs. Western models of weapons require different logistics and maintenance, as well as long-term training of our military. Ukraine must convince partners that it is able to form crews for the effective use of equipment and is able to keep it.
This need for fuel creates logistical problems for the troops. During the offensive in the Middle East, the US Army first encountered the low speed of movement in tanks, because they needed frequent refueling, which was carried out by special vehicles. The large weight of the M1 Abrams, in turn, creates problems with the speed of deployment of tanks, because it requires specialized equipment for their transfer.
The decisions by the United States and Germany to send Bradley and Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to Ukraine could pave the way for the West to supply more powerful tanks, U.S. political news outlet Politico said on 05 January 2023. Those could include Germany’s Leopard tanks or even the U.S. Army’s M1 Abrams, experts and two U.S. officials told Politico.
Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former commander of U.S. Army Europe, said the Western infantry fighting vehicles are designed to work in tandem with the Abrams, providing a “complementary” capability. At the same time, a Defense Department spokesperson declined to comment on the issue of tank supplies. One adviser to the Ukraine government told Politico that Washington and Kyiv had been talking for months about sending heavier armor.
The M1 Abrams tanks that Washington promised to Ukraine might end up being a liability rather than a boost to Kiev’s war effort, the Financial Times reported on 05 February 2023. Such a view is explained by the armor’s complicated logistics and maintenance needs.
The 70-tonne tank has a gas turbine engine, which allows it greater acceleration than a diesel engine but requires meticulous maintenance and consumes larger amounts of fuel, the FT explained.
The paper cited former US Army platoon commander John Nagl, who said his soldiers “spent a whole lot of time literally banging our air filters” during the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 US invasion of Iraq amid “big concerns” about the tank engine “ingesting sand and not working.”
Maintaining the combat readiness of the Abrams tanks would require “completely different types of machinery” relative to other Western-designed tanks promised to Kiev, as well as crews trained for special gadgets, the FT highlighted. The mechanics crews for the tanks would also take longer to train, the paper reported. The tanks will need a steady supply of spare parts and have their “500-gallon tank refilled every day” with jet fuel given that it cannot run on diesel, it added.
The M1 Abrams “is a terrific tank, but it is an American tank and the American way of war demands all the logistics in the world,” Nagl told FT. The paper then noted that the logistics and supply network for the Abrams tanks would remain in the US.
The logistical shortcomings might eventually turn the Abrams into something of a liability for Ukrainian troops as they could easily fall prey to Russian attacks, Josh Kirshner, a managing director at Beacon Global Strategies, a strategic advisory firm, warned. Kiev’s forces “don’t want the Cadillac of defense items, they just need ‘good enough’ gear,” he argued.
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