US acknowledges that much-touted tanks did not perform as expected in Ukraine
Kiev’s M1 Abrams tanks, supplied by the United States, were described by Jake Sullivan as “not the most useful piece of equipment.” For more details, Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Kiev retired its limited stock of M1 Abrams earlier this year.
American-made M1 Abrams tanks were deemed “not useful” to the Ukrainian military, despite being promoted as a potential “game changer” in the ongoing conflict with Russia, acknowledged US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
After months of requests from Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and his team, the White House approved the transfer of 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks in January 2023. This number was sufficient to equip an entire tank battalion. President Joe Biden stated that the tanks would aid in “countering Russia’s evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term.” Various US media outlets also referred to them as a “game changer” in anticipation of Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive that summer.
However, Sullivan clarified at the Reagan National Defense Forum held in California on Saturday that this expectation was not realized. When questioned about whether the Biden administration could have better equipped Ukraine for its counteroffensive with a greater supply of heavy weaponry, he pointed to the Abrams tanks as an example illustrating that not every piece of American equipment was suitable for use in Ukraine.
”When it comes to Abrams tanks, we sent Abrams tanks to Ukraine,” he explained. “These Abrams tank units are actually undermanned because it’s not the most useful piece of equipment for them in this fight.”
Following their deployment, the Russian Defense Ministry disseminated videos of Abrams tanks being destroyed on the battlefield. Reports indicated that as many as 20 of the 31 tanks sent to Ukraine in 2023 have been lost, and American officials informed AP that Ukrainian commanders began withdrawing the remaining tanks from service earlier this year.
The M1A1 models delivered to Ukraine had their depleted uranium armor removed, which made them more vulnerable to Russian drones and anti-tank missiles.
As one of the heaviest main battle tanks globally, the M1 Abrams weighs 60 tons, with the newer M1A2 variant increasing that weight to over 73 tons. According to a 1991 Government Accountability Office report, adjusted for inflation, the cost of operating an M1 Abrams exceeds $450 per mile in fuel and repairs.
The GAO report also revealed that an average M1 Abrams requires track replacement after approximately 710 miles, with engines often facing catastrophic “blowouts” after 350 hours of service.
Even prior to Biden’s authorization for their delivery to Ukraine, US military officials had cautioned about the Abrams tanks’ unsuitability for the needs of Kiev.
“The challenge with the Abrams is, it’s expensive. It’s difficult to train on. It is very difficult to sustain. It has a huge, complicated turbine engine that requires jet fuel,” observed US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl in early January 2023. “Frankly, our assessment is just that the Abrams is not the right capability at this time.”
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
American-made M1 Abrams tanks were deemed “not useful” to the Ukrainian military, despite being promoted as a potential “game changer” in the ongoing conflict with Russia, acknowledged US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
After months of requests from Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and his team, the White House approved the transfer of 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks in January 2023. This number was sufficient to equip an entire tank battalion. President Joe Biden stated that the tanks would aid in “countering Russia’s evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term.” Various US media outlets also referred to them as a “game changer” in anticipation of Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive that summer.
However, Sullivan clarified at the Reagan National Defense Forum held in California on Saturday that this expectation was not realized. When questioned about whether the Biden administration could have better equipped Ukraine for its counteroffensive with a greater supply of heavy weaponry, he pointed to the Abrams tanks as an example illustrating that not every piece of American equipment was suitable for use in Ukraine.
”When it comes to Abrams tanks, we sent Abrams tanks to Ukraine,” he explained. “These Abrams tank units are actually undermanned because it’s not the most useful piece of equipment for them in this fight.”
Following their deployment, the Russian Defense Ministry disseminated videos of Abrams tanks being destroyed on the battlefield. Reports indicated that as many as 20 of the 31 tanks sent to Ukraine in 2023 have been lost, and American officials informed AP that Ukrainian commanders began withdrawing the remaining tanks from service earlier this year.
The M1A1 models delivered to Ukraine had their depleted uranium armor removed, which made them more vulnerable to Russian drones and anti-tank missiles.
As one of the heaviest main battle tanks globally, the M1 Abrams weighs 60 tons, with the newer M1A2 variant increasing that weight to over 73 tons. According to a 1991 Government Accountability Office report, adjusted for inflation, the cost of operating an M1 Abrams exceeds $450 per mile in fuel and repairs.
The GAO report also revealed that an average M1 Abrams requires track replacement after approximately 710 miles, with engines often facing catastrophic “blowouts” after 350 hours of service.
Even prior to Biden’s authorization for their delivery to Ukraine, US military officials had cautioned about the Abrams tanks’ unsuitability for the needs of Kiev.
“The challenge with the Abrams is, it’s expensive. It’s difficult to train on. It is very difficult to sustain. It has a huge, complicated turbine engine that requires jet fuel,” observed US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl in early January 2023. “Frankly, our assessment is just that the Abrams is not the right capability at this time.”
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
