In just a few weeks, the Ukrainian military is set to receive 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks from the U.S.
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley announced on Friday that the U.S. military would send the complete order of M1 Abrams to the Ukrainian forces in the next few months.
Previously, the Pentagon had indicated that the tanks wouldn’t be ready for some months.
Moreover, the U.S. is sending M1 Abrams tanks to Germany, where the Ukrainian crews selected to operate the weapon system will undergo an intensive training course that will prepare them to operate the tank in combat.
The Time of the M1 Abrams Approaches
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III and Gen. Milley are in Ramstein Air Base, in Germany, for a conference of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.
“We’ve. . .expedited our M1 Abrams timelines to supply Ukraine with more armored capability in the coming months,” Secretary Austin said in the press conference.
The Pentagon’s goal is to have the Ukrainian troops selected to operate the M1 Abrams ready by the time the refurbished 31 main battle tanks arrive in Ukraine. The refurbished tanks will be designated as M1A1 SA.
“And all of this is huge progress, and I am confident that this equipment and the training that accompanied it — it will put Ukraine’s forces in a position to continue to succeed on the battlefield,” Austin added.
A coalition of Western countries committed to supporting Kyiv, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group has been coordinating security aid deliveries to the Ukrainian forces.
In his remarks to the press, Gen. Milley highlighted that although the M1 Abrams main battle tanks will certainly help the Ukrainian forces in their defense of their country, they need to be used in conjunction with other weapon systems to achieve their maximum potential.
“In this case, you would have to make sure that your tanks are combined arms with mechanized infantry artillery, all of that is synchronized with dismounted forces,” Gen. Milley said. “I do think the M1 tank, when it’s delivered and it reaches its operational capability, will be very effective on the battlefield.”
Ukraine needs combined arms warfare to win over Russia decisively. The smooth incorporation of armor, infantry, artillery, and air power, among other arms, combined arms warfare aims to maximize the effectiveness of each individual arm.
Ukraine and the Tank Saga
Back in January, U.S. President Joe Biden announced the decision to send Ukraine 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks. His announcement broke the deadlock that prevented Ukraine from getting a large number of modern main battle tanks from the West.
At the time, the United Kingdom was the only country to commit to sending Ukraine a small number of Challenger 2 main battle tanks. Germany, meanwhile, was mulling over sending Leopard 2 tanks and allowing third countries to transfer theirs (as the country of origin, Germany had to give the green light for any transfer to Ukraine). Biden’s decision prompted German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz to follow suit.
Today, the West has delivered or committed to delivering more than 230 main battle tanks to Ukraine.
Expert Biography:
A 19FortyFive Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
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