Posted on 01/26/2023 11:36:45 AM PST by Red Badger
A group of M1 Abrams tanks sit in a holding area after being offloaded from the freighter ship “Resolve” at the port of Antwerp April 24. Photo by Staff Sgt. Warren W. Wright Jr., 21st TSC Public Affairs
As the U.S. government is now preparing to send dozens of M1 Abrams tanks to the Ukrainian military, much attention has been given to concerns about how their complex electronic components and especially their gas turbine propulsion systems could make them particularly difficult to operate and maintain. Though it’s not yet clear what specific variant of the Abrams Ukraine’s military is set to receive, the tanks will have to be in a unique export configuration. This is largely due to the highly classified armor packages found specifically on U.S. military versions, which contain depleted uranium, and that are not readily exportable even to major allies. In other words, the U.S. can’t just send its M1s to Ukraine.
President Joe Biden formally announced plans to send 31 M1 tanks to the Ukrainian armed forces today. The U.S. government will acquire the Abrams through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). USAI provides funds to purchase weapon systems and other equipment, as well as training and other support services, on behalf of the Ukrainian military to support its longer-term needs. While the exact delivery schedule is not yet known, American officials have made clear the process will take months, not weeks. The first tanks may not arrive until late this year or even early next year.
In addition, it’s not immediately clear whether the M1s for Ukraine will be entirely new production tanks or if they will come through some other source. The U.S. Army has thousands of older Abrams in storage that a contractor could be hired to refurbish to a like-new condition or that could be used as donors to help with the construction of tanks that use a mixture of new and remanufactured components.
No matter what, they will need to be an exportable configuration before heading to Ukraine. So a big part of whatever that process ultimately entails will center on their armor package.
Starting in the late 1980s, many new-production M1A1s for the U.S. military began to feature composite armor packages that include depleted uranium (DU), a metal known for its high density, and other materials. Armor packages that incorporated DU were included on subsequent A2-series variants, as well. Many older American M1A1s were later upgraded with the newer armor and other improvements, including hundreds that were eventually brought up to the A2 standard.
Secrets aren’t what they used to be......
Yeah well there’s a few hundred collecting dust and mice in Afghanistan on Habib’s List for real cheap.
Surprising that Biden isn’t trading this tech for more bribe money.
If we have no military and hardware in USA what do we defend US soil with?
IF there were M1 Abrams tanks left in Afghanistan, you can bet that there are fewer now as they were sold to China and Russia.
Buy a few keys of Heroin, they will probably throw in a tank.
An armed populace with about 300 million rifles and plenty of ammo.
It would be better to send them tank killers instead of tanks. Something with enough range to not be too vulnerable to the Russian tank guns.
As secret as the drone technology Barry Soetero kinda allowed to fly in to Iran?
Welp.
How many do you suppose the Chinese have now?
Damned Straight!
He probably took bribes to offer that technology exclusively. Sending them to Ukraine with armor technology already bought by China would be in violation of his bribery contract.
Between the Clinton Regime, the Obama / Biden Regime, the Pelousy Regime, ET AL, it is doubtful that anything is safe. There is some good news in that backward societies and tyrants do not engender a great deal of entrepreneurship and risk/experimentation. They might be able to to use things for a short time, but when things break down and need regular care, they fail. I remember several actions in the Middle East. The Air Force worked 24/7 to keep jet aircraft, large and small, in the air.
Respectfully, here’s a list of weapons abandoned in Afghanistan. (Probably not complete but almost certainly there are no Abrams either on or off the list.) My Marine buddy told me that the Abrams was not imported into theater for several reasons. It was too heavy to bring in by air. (No land routes were available.) It was unsuited for the territory and there were only a few miles of road where it could be used. Engagement ranges were measured in yards meaning the tank was unduly exposed on the few places where it could be used and would have been a liability.
https://autojournalism.com/list-of-all-us-weapons-left-behind-in-afghanistan/
There is only one question - will Russia interrupt these deliveries of weapons to the Ukrainian army of NATO, or not. The future of Russia and the future of the whole world depends on the answer to this question.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov called the possible delivery of Abrams tanks to Kyiv a blatant provocation against the Russian Federation. If the United States decides to supply tanks, then justifying such a step with arguments about “defensive weapons” will definitely not work.
“No one should have any illusions about who is the real aggressor in the current conflict,” Antonov said. https://t.me/smotri_z/10465
🗣’They don’t represent an offensive threat to Russia,’ said John Kirby, White House National Security Council Spokesperson, on the Abrams battle tanks delivery to Ukraine. On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced that Washington would be sending 31 of its M-1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
Former Trump adviser, US Army Colonel Douglas McGregor on the use of Abrams M1 tanks in Ukraine: We have known for 30 years that a gas turbine engine is a disaster. As well as for reasons of fuel consumption, and because of the ingress of any dirt into it. This is an engine designed for jet aircraft at 15,000 feet, not for use on the ground. And this is an engine that should send the tank toward the enemy at a speed of 50-60 kilometers per hour, but the tank does not need to go at that speed. The Abrams M1 has a lot of problems and people don’t want to see it used for fear of being confused by its performance. Not a gun, not a crew, but a tank as a whole.
Both the Europeans nor we do not have enough capacity to wage a major conflict. We just don’t have it! The Russians have it. Their factories operate 24 hours a day. And contrary to popular belief, they never run out of anything, they have more than they need. So it’s all very dangerous.
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