'While I expect Ukraine will no doubt appreciate these tanks, having three different kinds of Western tank (and potentially multiple versions of the Leopard 2), in addition to the various Soviet-era 'T' series tanks will cause some logistic headaches as it will require three different sets of training for both the crews and the maintenance teams,' Mr Purdy told the ABC.

The timing for both the delivery of the tanks to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian troops is unclear. 'If the tank crews are poorly trained and they do not employ their tanks using a combined-arms fighting approach with adequate logistics support, then tanks become vulnerable.' 'Tank technology is important, however how they use them - for example, the doctrine to guide how they fight, and how they are supported - is equally, if not more so ,' Mr Purdy said. Ukraine's military will also have to go through significant preparation to learn to operate, maintain and sustain them. Logistics is a primary issue associated with the Abrams, which may take months to deliver. So what makes these particular tanks so superior?Īnd what are some of the possible drawbacks? Kyiv has called it an 'important game changer', with the foreign minister enthusiastically tweeting that 'the tank coalition is formed'. The new array of powerful weapons is expected to breathe new momentum into Ukraine's fight and help it claw back ground that has fallen to Russia.

Tanks provide a level of direct firepower, mobility and protection for the Ukrainian land forces that no other system, such as artillery, infantry, helicopters or drones, can. Washington then pledged to send 31 American-made M1 Abrams to Ukraine, ending months of refusal.īoth offers come soon after Britain committed 14 Challenger 2 tanks to the war effort.

Kyiv's battle tank line-up is about to look very different after the US and Germany this week finally gave approval to send highly sought-after heavy Western weapons to Ukraine.īerlin bowed to intense international pressure and announced it would send 14 of its Leopard 2 A6 tanks to the battlefield and also approved shipments by allied European states.

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