America’s tank muscle - the legendary M1 Abram - is heading to Europe to help Ukraine in the war with Russia. A resolute President Joe Biden noted how “They need to be able to counter Russia's evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term. They need to improve their ability to maneuver in open terrain. And, they need an enduring capability to deter and defend against Russian aggression over the long term.”[1]
Considered by most military experts to be the most capable tank in the world, the M1 Abram tank is necessary for “...helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia. Along with the M1 Abram, other countries are also lending support to Ukraine, including Germany with its Leopard 2 tanks, Challenger 2 tanks from the United Kingdom, and AMX-10 armored fighting vehicles from France.
The U.S. tanks will be purchased through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, therefore, it will take some time for the Ukrainian forces to receive the tanks and be able to deploy them on the battlefield. The Pentagon plans soon to begin training Ukrainian forces on the system outside of Ukraine. And while the U.S. military does have thousands of M1 Abram tanks, there is not an excess amount to just siphon off without concern.
Additionally, it will take considerable training to ensure Ukrainian personnel can adequately use these complex, 70-ton weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applauded Biden for the “powerful decision to provide Abrams,” declaring on Twitter that “the free world is united as never before” in the 11-month-old war.
DoD officials also announced that eight M88 recovery vehicles are also being shipped to Ukraine to accompany the 31 M1 Abram tanks.
[1] https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3277910/biden-announces-abrams-tanks-to-be-delivered-to-ukraine/
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