Two US military officials said that Ukraine sidelined the combat Abrams M1A1 tanks provided by the United States at the moment in its fighting against Russia, partly due to the difficulty posed by Russian unmanned aerial threats, making it very challenging for them to operate without being detected or exposed to be attacked. Currently, the tanks have been moved from the front lines, recalibrating tactics, according to Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Christopher Grady. He said in an interview, „when you think about how the battle has evolved, cumulative armor in an environment where unmanned aerial systems are ubiquitous can be at risk,” adding that tanks remain relevant. He further added, „now, there’s a way to do that.” He continued, „we will work with our Ukrainian partners and other partners on the ground to help them think through how to employ that, in this kind of rapidly changing environment now, where everything is seen instantly.”
The United States agreed to send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in January 2023 after Kiev requested them, arguing that the tanks, costing about $10 million each, were vital for their ability to penetrate Russian lines. Already, five of the 31 tanks have been lost due to Russian attacks. One US defense official said that while drones pose a significant threat, Ukrainians also did not adopt tactics that could have made the tanks more effective. After announcing they would provide Ukraine with Abrams tanks in January 2023, the United States began training Ukrainians at the Grafenwöhr Army Base in Germany at that time on how to maintain and operate them. They also taught Ukrainians how to use them in combined arms warfare — where tanks operate as part of an advanced armored force system, coordinating movements with overhead fire support, infantry, and air assets. With the onset of spring and the expected halt of the anticipated counteroffensive in Ukraine, the transition from tank training in Germany to bringing Abrams onto the battlefield became inevitable to breach fortified Russian lines. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced via his Telegram channel in September that Abrams had arrived in Ukraine.
According to AP, Ukraine has „already lost five of the 31 Abrams tanks due to Russian attacks,” prompting them to withdraw the remaining ones from the front lines due to Russian drone threats. The agency quoted American military officials saying that Ukraine sidelined the combat Abrams M1A1 tanks provided by the United States at the moment in its fighting against Russia, partly because „Russian drone warfare has made it extremely difficult for them to operate without being detected or exposed to attack,” as the battlefield has changed significantly, „especially through the widespread use of Russian surveillance drones and lethal drones.” The American officials said it is challenging for Ukraine to protect the tanks when detected and swiftly pursued by drones.
A senior official in the defense ministry told AP that „the proliferation of drones on the Ukrainian battlefield means there is no open ground you can move across without fear of being spotted.” The British magazine „The Economist“ says the recent American aid package will not help Kiev reclaim the territories occupied by Russia and will only give it a temporary reprieve. According to the magazine’s report: „Although the new aid package will bolster the defense of Ukrainian forces, it is not sufficient to help them regain more of the territory lost to Russia, which now amounts to about 18% of its landmass.”
Meanwhile, „The New York Times“ states that despite their strength, tanks are not invulnerable and are more susceptible to danger, noting that for years, they have been primarily targeted by landmines, rocket-propelled grenades, and anti-tank guided missiles, such as shoulder-launched firing systems. Tanks have also been targeted by drones, which are now being used more accurately against them in Ukraine, confirming that these drones are equipped with cameras that transmit images to their control unit, which can then guide them to strike tanks in their weakest spots. Data from the Oryx website shows that Russia has lost more than 2,900 tanks so far, although Ukraine claims the number exceeds 7,000 tanks. Oryx also says that German Leopard tanks have been targeted in Ukraine, with at least 30 tanks destroyed. However, their American counterparts are widely regarded as one of the most powerful tanks in the world. Additionally, destroying tanks through drones has become easier, more than initially assumed by some officials and experts.
In many cases, FPV (First Person View) vehicles are deployed to destroy tanks that have already been damaged by mines or anti-tank missiles in a way that makes it difficult to retrieve and repair them from the battlefield. Depending on their size and technological advancement, drones can cost up to $500, which is a small investment compared to the destruction of an Abrams tank, each of which costs $10 million. Some officials and experts believe that Ukrainian leaders planned to use Abrams tanks for future offensive operations next year and resisted sending them to the front lines, risking the loss of the few they had. At this stage, the most effective means used to defeat FPV vehicles are electronic warfare and various forms of passive protection, including additional armor, indicating that defeating FPV vehicles requires „a specialized approach on the battlefield.”
The US magazine „The National Interest“ says that the Ukrainian war has provided the United States with important data on the role of main battle tanks in modern conflicts. The US Army has not yet decided whether to proceed with the production of „Abrams X,” especially as it is currently working on the M1A3 Abrams. According to the magazine, a technical presentation by General Dynamics showed that the „Abrams X” would have a lighter weight, in addition to improved sensory capabilities, weapon systems, and technology. While this tank is not entirely new, its technology and features can be partially used in future tanks, such as the M1A3 Abrams under development, or entirely to create a new version of the Abrams. The „Abrams X” is expected to weigh about 59 tons, which is more than ten tons lighter than the current weight of the M1A2 Abrams tank, weighting 71 tons in operational conditions. The lighter weight will translate into better performance on the battlefield, as the „Abrams X” will be faster and require less fuel to operate, thus increasing its operational range. With technological advancement, it is also likely that the „Abrams X” will use artificial intelligence and cyber sensor devices to increase the ability of armored vehicles to survive in modern battlefields. The latest version of the Abrams tank is likely to include some features embedded in the technological display of the „Abrams X,” but the exact features are unknown, indicating that conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are providing valuable data about the role of main battle tanks in modern conflicts.
Military writer and expert David Axe stated that the new upgrade to American Abrams tanks will not protect them in Ukraine from Russian strikes. In an article published by „Forbes“, Axe explained that operations carried out by Russian tanks and artillery will lead to Ukraine losing more M1 Abrams tanks, which are unlikely to be aided by the upgrade operations. He continued, „the upgrade will not prevent losses caused by mines, artillery, and perhaps even other tanks, which are almost certain to occur in the coming weeks and months.” Earlier, the US publication „Military Watch Magazine“ published an article warning about the vulnerability of US tanks to Russian weapons, noting that concerns about the sustainability of the Abrams tanks supplied to Ukraine arose after the destruction of other types of Western tanks used by Ukrainian forces, as confirmed by video recordings and images captured by drones.
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