“...there will be American casualties, I fear...”
This has been discussed at length. My understanding is that if there are westerners in Ukraine, they will be contractors and not US military. Trust me on this, these contractors will be making many times their normal salary. Also, they will likely be well behind the lines. If I had the correct skills and fewer years on the clock I’d consider going.
I think the difference between a Lepard and a T-72 is similar to the difference between, say, a ‘56 Studebaker and an eighties Ford race car. Everything should be sort of similar and there will be a lot of plug and play modules that will get shot-gunned during the repair process. The Ukrainians, if they have enough spare parts will do okay.
Also, is anyone sending bridge equipment and recovery vehicles? The Ukrainian bridges are rated for 45 tons and the tanks are 55 tons. And, if one gets stuck the Ukrainians likely have no way to move them.
88 tanks will win the war for Ukraine! German super tanks can not be stopped. Nothing can stop them—Better yet 100 tanks. These new Tigers will eat up the RuZZian Wagnars convicts in a moment and turn the tide. Now if we can get them some atomic weapons! and poison Gas! That will break the Russian Orks and reclaim all lost Ukkkraine lands. Ukraine should be bigger than the old USSR.
Regarding contractors doing most of the serious maintenance, you are exactly right. Been there, done that. Stayed well behind the wire. Got paid about 3 times as much as I ever made in the USAF, but I was worth it. I had trained some of the military types who were in charge of the equipment being used that I was working on.
I met many other contractors then who had a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge and were much more technically capable than any GI. Uncle Sam got his money’s worth from us.