The older premiere variant of the M1 Abrams tank has faced some tough challenges in Ukraine.
Despite warnings from US officials surrounding the challenges of transferring M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the Australian government is following through with delivering these armored vehicles to the frontlines of the war anyway. According to Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, the first of 49 of these main battle tanks (MBTs) will make its way from Canberra to Kyiv in the near future. The donation of the nation’s decommissioned M1A1 fleet will not leave Australia empty-handed as the newer M1A2 iteration of the American-made tank family will replace its predecessors. Although Ukrainian officials welcomed the delivery of these armored vehicles, the suitability of the M1A1 tanks in the ongoing war continues to be questioned.
When Did Kyiv First Receive Abrams MBTs?
In early 2023, the United States and several of its NATO allies pledged to provide Kyiv with advanced main battle tanks. In addition to the American-made M1A1 Abrams series, the British-made Challenger II and the German-made Leopard were also being prepared to support Ukraine’s defensive efforts against Russia. While the M1 Abrams tank is widely considered to be one of the top MBTs in service today, the older premiere variant has faced some tough challenges in Ukraine. In fact, some reports suggest that up to 20 of these American-made MBTs have been destroyed or disabled amidst the ongoing war. These tanks certainly have a leg up over the Soviet and Cold War-era MBTs Moscow continues to break out of storage, but the prevalence of lethal drones has impacted the platform’s survivability.
An Overview of the Abrams Tank Family
Following World War II, the US Army collaborated with its West German counterparts in an effort to field a new joint tank platform that could replace the M60 and Leopard 1 MBTs, respectively. While this collaborative effort was ultimately nixed, an offshoot program drafted by US officials would lead to the M1 Abrams series. In order to make the new tank platform more survivable, engineers designed the M1 Abrams with Chobham armor. This incredibly thick material performs particularly well against HEAT rounds and other shaped charges. Two feet of Chobham armor was designed to protect the Abrams tanks. Compared to the M60 tank, which featured armor roughly four inches thick, the Abrams was clearly more survivable.
How Do New Abrams Variants Compare?
Over the years, successive Abrams iterations were introduced, all hosting newer technologies and capabilities. The latest SEPv3 variant is the most advanced in the family of tanks, designed with greater electrical power, enhanced network control, improved infrared, and a whole slew of other add-ons. Perhaps the greatest advantage that the new tank will feature is a modular design that will enable it to more easily incorporate new technologies as they emerge down the line. The Army’s ability to update existing Abrams models instead of fielding a whole new upgrade package will save the service loads of cash that can now be allocated elsewhere.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: DVIDS.
