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11:08 12.05.2025 •
Ukrainian Abrams tank hit by precision guided artillery. May 2024
Photo: Military Watch Magazine
The United States is reported to be blocking the transfer of 49 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks from Australia to Ukraine, with experts pointing to delayed U.S. export approvals as the primary cause for a lack of progress towards delivering the vehicles.
Transfers of American-manufactured defence equipment to any third party require formal authorisation from Washington, with a lack of such authorisation having impeded progress since plans to deliver the vehicles were first announced over six months ago in October 2024. This has fuelled speculation that the United States is seeking to have the vehicles delivered at a later stage in the conflict, possibly after a ceasefire deal is reached, writes ‘The Military Watch Magazine’.
Abrams tanks have suffered very high attrition rates when deployed on the frontlines, compromising the class’ reputation and raising the possibility of extreme losses should large numbers of new vehicles be delivered while the conflict is still ongoing. Of the 31 of the vehicles delivered by the United States from September 2023, over 20 are reported to have ben lost or seriously damaged.
Most kills on film being achieved by guided artillery or by single use ‘kamikaze’ drones, although one of the tanks was confirmed to have been achieved by a Russian T-72B3 tank after the two exchanged fire near Avdiivka.
Abrams tanks were first seen deployed on February 23, with the first loss confirmed three days afterwards, followed by a period of intensive losses from late February to mid-April. The vehicles were temporarily withdrawn from the frontlines in April, with Ukrainian personnel have highlighted their dissatisfaction with the Abrams’ performance, citing both technical issues such as vulnerability of electronic components to condensation, as well as their vulnerability to Russian fire.
One unnamed defence official speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation addressed the issue of the tank’s vulnerability, stating: “We are starting to doubt if the Ukrainians actually want these vehicles — the tank roof is the weakest point of the Abrams and this is a drone war.”
Other Western tank classes supplied to Ukraine have fared similarly poorly, with the German Leopard 2A6 first deployed on the frontlines in June 2023 during mass Ukrainian offensives having quickly been filmed taking heavy losses. In January 2024 it was confirmed that the majority of Leopard 2s operated by the Ukrainian Army had been rendered inoperable in combat, with over one quarter of the vehicles being totally destroyed and the remainder damaged beyond the Army’s ability to repair them. Footage confirming significant losses has since continued to emerge.
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