The first U.S.-made M1 Abrams main battle tanks could be deployed to Ukraine by the middle of the month, as the initial group of Ukrainian soldiers recently completed training on the platform. Around 200 Ukrainians have practiced on trainer tanks at U.S. Army training areas in Germany. Those troops took part in one of the final phases of the program, a combined arms, battalion force-on-force exercise at Hofenfels Training Area.
It was in May that the United States Department of Defense (DoD) announced the arrival of 31 of the MBTs in Grafenwoehr, Germany, in preparation for U.S.-led training of Ukrainian tank crews and maintainers before the tanks are sent to the front lines to arm Ukrainian forces against Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression.
“This extensive training program for Ukrainian crews and maintainers is intended to prepare them for their critical roles ahead and effectively operating the M1 tank and defending Ukrainian people,” Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said at the time.
Kyiv is now slated to receive the first ten of the 31 pledged M1 Abrams by the middle of the month.
Older But Still Capable M1 Abrams Tanks
The U.S. announced that it would deliver the tanks, armed with advanced armor and weapons, in January after discussions with European allies and partners. Originally, Washington planned on procuring new M1A2 Abrams tanks to send to Ukraine, using funds from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
However, the Pentagon changed course in March and opted to refurbish M1A1 Abrams tanks already in U.S. inventory to shorten the timeline. Ryder noted that the M1A1 variant would have very similar capability to the M1A2.
In addition to training the crews to operate the MBT in battle, the U.S. Army has been preparing maintenance personnel to keep the vehicles operational.
“Certainly a key aspect of the training will be maintenance and sustainment of that capability,” Ryder had added. “You’ve heard us talk about the fact that the M1 is a complex machine that requires a lot of maintenance to sustain it and keep it operating. So that will be crucial, which is why we’re doing the training in stride with the actual refurbishment of the tanks.”
Exploiting the Recent Breakthroughs?
The news that the M1A1 Abrams MBTs could be soon on the ground in Ukraine comes as Kyiv’s forces have penetrated Russia’s main defensive line for the first time in the country’s southeast. That has raised hopes that Ukraine could be able to retake significant territory this fall.
However, analysts have cautioned that ten more tanks may not be enough to win the war. Russian forces remain entrenched along a 600-mile front line, and Ukrainian forces must still break through minefields and fortified positions.
The 31 M1 Abrams are part of a force of roughly 300 tanks and other armored vehicles pledged by Western allies, including German-made Leopard 2 MBTs, British-supplied Challenger 2 MBTs, and French Leclerc light tanks.
A handful of Leopard 2s have already been destroyed, while the first Challenger 2 was lost in combat earlier this week. It was reported that the crew in the British-made tank survived.
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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