Its doubtful the tanks will get there in time, unless we send “contractors” with them to operate, fuel, and maintain them , plus supply ammo. 50 tanks will not make much difference unless used as a spearhead.
Hmm...was Biden’s announcement that we will be sending 31 Abrams M1 tanks just a “feint” to give cover to Germany so that they would send their Leopard tanks? This statement from Pentagon spokesperson certainly doesn’t jibe with Biden’s announcement.
“Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh said that the Abrams M1 tanks promised to Ukraine are now nowhere to be found: We simply do not have additional such tanks in the US arsenal, which is why it will take several months to transfer these Abrams M1A2 tanks to Ukraine. It will be necessary to purchase these tanks for Ukraine. The supply of tanks, as well as the training of Ukrainian troops in their use, will take a very long time. I think that the position of US Secretary of Defense Austin and the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, regarding Abrams has not changed. I mean it will be difficult to maintain and maintain these tanks.”
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds a Press Briefing /
Jan. 26, 2023
"Q: Sabrina, is there a shortage of M-1 Abram tanks? Is that why you're having to go through the procurement process that's not going to allow them to be there until, you know, almost a year's time? Why not just take them off the shelf to get them in the fight sooner?
MS. SINGH: That's a great question. We are using the USAI because that's exactly it. We just don't have these tanks available in excess in our U.S. stocks, which is why it is going to take months to transfer these M1A2 Abrams to Ukraine. And I think that you have to remember, I mean, as you probably know, these tanks are going to require training, maintenance, sustainment that is going to take a very long time to also train the Ukrainians on. And so, because of that -- and we took that into account -- that's why we are using the USAI capability in order to procure these tanks for the Ukrainians.
Q: And what changed from Tuesday to Thursday, when here at the podium we heard that the M1 Abrams was too difficult logistically to support, it was the wrong weapon to be sent, and then hearing that the President had authorized 31 to be sent?
MS. SINGH: Well, I don't think that -- I would just say that, you know, we stand by the statements that we made from here at the podium, and that you've heard Secretary Austin and the chairman say before. These are going to be difficult capabilities to maintain and sustain. We stand by that. There's going to be challenges to them."
ransomnote: Read the whole thing. Here's another quote:
"Q: Let me walk a little bit through “Tank Build 101.” You mentioned this is the M1A2.
MS. SINGH: Yeah, that's what I specialize in, yeah.
Q: That's why I asked. So this -- this implies that you're going to upgrade older-model M1A1s that are not in the active Army inventory into this A2 configuration. Is -- is that accurate?
MS. SINGH: We're working through the details right now. We're trying to procure new tanks through the USAI. But, again, we're working through those details right now, so I don't have any additional updates on that.
Q: So new tanks implies building from scratch, taking pieces together putting -- that's not the way the Army's done it for the last 20 years. Wanted to check into that, actually."