https://sputnikglobe.com/20230728/stripped-down-abrams-tanks-wont-help-ukraine-as-theyre-too-advanced-to-use-1112229002.html
Stripped-Down Abrams Tanks Won't Help Ukraine as They're Too Advanced to Use
Stripped-Down Abrams Tanks Won't Help Ukraine as They're Too Advanced to Use
Sputnik International
Despite their advanced technology, the M1 Abrams tank is unlikely to make a substantial impact on the conflict in Ukraine. On the contrary, its high tech is exactly what will stop the Ukrainians from maximizing its effectiveness.
2023-07-28T18:57+0000
2023-07-28T18:57+0000
2023-07-28T18:57+0000
analysis
michael maloof
poland
leopard 2
m1a1 abrams tank
ukraine
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Reports in US media in recent days have indicated that donations of the much-vaunted M1A1 Abrams main battle tank, the mainstay of the US Army, will begin arriving in Ukraine in the coming months. Concomitantly, a maintenance facility for the advanced vehicles is set to open in Poland, ostensibly to service Abrams tanks sold to Warsaw to replace the Leopard 2 tanks it previously gave to Ukraine.It was previously reported that delivery of the Abrams tanks, which were initially promised in January, would take months to be adapted for export to Ukraine due to their secret advanced technology. In particular, the Abrams used by the US military have a unique type of depleted uranium-based armor that is so secret, even its own troops cannot see the inside of the armor without proper clearance.Michael Maloof, former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the US Secretary of Defense, told Sputnik that the Abrams tanks are highly complex machines that require both specialized training and tools, which the Ukrainian Army is not ready to handle."Also, the level of technology on some of these vehicles is quite high. And as a consequence, the United States does not believe the Ukrainians can master that type of equipment in such a short period of time. This equipment, some of it can be too sophisticated, if you will. So it's just a question of the ability of the Ukrainians to be able to not only handle it but master it, especially under a wartime situation. If they're under fire, it's got to become second nature technology and this is all brand new to them. And the Abrams is a highly technical machine anyway. Unless they're brought on and trained with it over and over and over again, their ability to sustain the integrity of the tank without it getting destroyed is very low.""The tank is highly sophisticated, and the ability of the Abrams to maneuver and get around is somewhat limited by the ability of its fuel supplies to keep up with it. It guzzles jet fuel. It takes jet fuel. It may take a little bit of kerosene, maybe some gasoline in a pinch, and diesel. But it's primarily run most efficiently on jet fuel. Given the conditions of the terrain, I think they're going to be limited," he said, comparing it to being put behind the wheel of a Lamborghini sports car when one has only ever driven a Volkswagen commuter car.The former Pentagon expert said that if the Ukrainian Abrams crews aren’t careful, their tanks could wind up suffering the same fate as the Leopard 2s given to them by European states, despite their superior technology and defenses."I think it depends upon the proficiency of the crews and how familiar they are with the equipment. As I said, the Abrams is probably more sophisticated than any other tank out there. And as a consequence, given the levels of technology that are supposedly in it, they not only have to master that, but the crews also have to master tactics on the battlefield dealing with things. And there are armaments they can destroy, it has some pretty good armament on it. But there are missiles that can penetrate the armor of the Abrams tanks and from a very long distance. And Abrams has few vulnerabilities that I'm aware of, and if they're hit just right then you can knock the Abrams out. The armor is tough. But there are some armaments, a Javelin [anti-tank missile], for example, could probably destroy an Abrams. It's just one example."
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230728/report-us-abrams-tanks-may-arrive-on-ukrainian-battlefield-by-september-1112200395.html
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ukraine; m1a1 abrams; abrams tank, us sends abrams to ukraine, how much does us spend on ukraine, ukraine abrams tanks, who sends tanks to ukraine
Stripped-Down Abrams Tanks Won't Help Ukraine as They're Too Advanced to Use
Despite their advanced technology, the General Dynamics M1 Abrams tank is unlikely to make a substantial impact on the conflict in Ukraine, an expert told Sputnik. On the contrary, its high tech is exactly what will stop the Ukrainians from maximizing its effectiveness.
Reports in US media in recent days have indicated that donations of the much-vaunted
M1A1 Abrams main battle tank, the mainstay of the US Army, will
begin arriving in Ukraine in the coming months. Concomitantly, a
maintenance facility for the advanced vehicles is set to open in Poland, ostensibly to service Abrams tanks sold to Warsaw to replace the
Leopard 2 tanks it previously gave to Ukraine.
It was previously reported that delivery of the Abrams tanks, which were initially promised in January, would take months to be adapted for export to Ukraine due to their secret advanced technology. In particular, the Abrams used by the US military have a unique type of depleted uranium-based armor that is so secret, even its own troops cannot see the inside of the armor without proper clearance.
Michael Maloof, former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the US Secretary of Defense, told Sputnik that the Abrams tanks are highly complex machines that require both specialized training and tools, which the Ukrainian Army is not ready to handle.
"On our tanks in the US Army, they have the latest technologies. It's an element of export control, it's a question of insuring against the latest technology, possibly getting into the wrong hands if the tanks are captured, for example," he said. "The US does not want Russia to exploit whatever technologies are on it."
"Also, the level of technology on some of these vehicles is quite high. And as a consequence, the United States does not believe the Ukrainians can master that type of equipment in such a short period of time. This equipment, some of it can be too sophisticated, if you will. So it's just a question of the ability of the Ukrainians to be able to not only handle it but master it, especially under a wartime situation. If they're under fire, it's got to become second nature technology and this is all brand new to them. And the Abrams is a highly technical machine anyway. Unless they're brought on and trained with it over and over and over again, their ability to sustain the integrity of the tank without it getting destroyed is very low."
"The tank is highly sophisticated, and the ability of the Abrams to maneuver and get around is somewhat limited by the ability of its fuel supplies to keep up with it. It guzzles jet fuel. It takes jet fuel. It may take a little bit of kerosene, maybe some gasoline in a pinch, and diesel. But it's primarily run most efficiently on jet fuel. Given the conditions of the terrain, I think they're going to be limited," he said, comparing it to being put behind the wheel of a Lamborghini sports car when one has only ever driven a Volkswagen commuter car.
"So I think it's going to be a big leap for them to go from training in a very short period of time to actual combat and being able to master that."
The former Pentagon expert said that if the Ukrainian Abrams crews aren’t careful, their tanks could wind up suffering the same fate as the Leopard 2s given to them by European states, despite their superior technology and defenses.
"I think it depends upon the proficiency of the crews and how familiar they are with the equipment. As I said, the Abrams is probably more sophisticated than any other tank out there. And as a consequence, given the levels of technology that are supposedly in it, they not only have to master that, but the crews also have to master tactics on the battlefield dealing with things. And there are armaments they can destroy, it has some pretty good armament on it. But there are missiles that can penetrate the armor of the Abrams tanks and from a very long distance. And Abrams has few vulnerabilities that I'm aware of, and if they're hit just right then you can knock the Abrams out. The armor is tough. But there are some armaments, a Javelin [anti-tank missile], for example, could probably destroy an Abrams. It's just one example."
