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Big-Ticket, Expensive, Heavily Armored NATO Tanks Mostly Overweight Duds in the Russo-Ukrainian War
The Kyiv Post ^ | March 19, 2024 | Stefan Korshak

Posted on 03/19/2024 7:14:27 PM PDT by Trump20162020

By a long shot, the enduring image of a NATO-standard modern main battle tank in the Russo-Ukraine War is a video of a stopped vehicle getting hammered by cheap FPV drones, before it gets set on fire and burns down to a six-million-dollar hulk.

Combat video posted by the 79th Air Assault Brigade on Tuesday, reportedly from the eastern Avdiivka sector, was typical, showing a stationary US-made M1A2 Abrams tank hit with a detonation in the back of the turret, probably by a Russian FPV drone.

Three crew hurl themselves from the main battle tank (MBT) as ammunition stored in a bin on the back of Abrams’ turret catches on fire. The vehicle appears to have taken minor damage. Shells inside the ammo bin start cooking off and the blaze spreads to the tank’s hull. Thirty seconds later the American fighting vehicle is burning fiercely and appears well on its way to becoming a total-write off. The fate of the fourth crewman isn’t clear.

(Excerpt) Read more at kyivpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: gamechanger; hunkamaximus; killkillkillforpeace; nato; tank; tanks; theysaid; ukraine
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To: Blood of Tyrants

Artillery is the King, infantry is the Queen.


41 posted on 03/19/2024 8:46:53 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: buwaya

“They were committed early, first the Leopard IIs. The M1s were held in reserve, apparently in the East near Kupyansk.”

...and once they showed up, they were DESTROYED.

So, whatever - Russia will just keep destroying whatever ‘Wonder-Weapons’ the Neocons send to Ukraine.

By the way, how did that ‘Second Greatest Offensive Operation Ever’ go regarding the plan to seize Belgorod? Lots of tanks and Bradleys there had a ‘one-way trip’.

Oh, never mind, you guys likely don’t even know about it, as it’s not reported in the Western media (wonder why).


42 posted on 03/19/2024 8:47:53 PM PDT by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone)
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To: MinorityRepublican

In WWI, by mid 1917, the Allies managed to gain air superiority, in that their bombers and recon/spotter planes could wander at will (at the cost of significant casualties) anywhere behind the German front.

The Allies did this through numerical superiority. But of course in those days air-ground weapon systems were primitive.


43 posted on 03/19/2024 8:49:58 PM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: BobL

A few were destroyed.

How many tanks were destroyed on the other side?

Consider the Israeli defense of the Golan heights in 1972. The Israelis lost about two Armored Brigades defending against a massive Syrian attack. The Syrians had five mechanised divisions gutted, and they failed to take the Golan heights.


44 posted on 03/19/2024 8:53:59 PM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: buwaya

“A few were destroyed. How many tanks were destroyed on the other side?”

Doesn’t matter. The Neocons are THROUGH seeing their ‘Wonder-Weapons’ being destroyed, and so that’s pretty much the end of them.


45 posted on 03/19/2024 8:58:24 PM PDT by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone)
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To: IndispensableDestiny

Today we ride around in a hodgepodge of vehicles, M88, M1, M2, M113, M109 all with different power packs, sprocket, track, etc. that’s a logistical nightmare.

A newer generation of vehicles can incorporate technology that didn’t exist when these older vehicles were developed, i.e. ERA, hard and soft kill defense systems, some of the sensors, displays, etc. Trying to bolt this on after the fact on vehicles never conceived for this doesn’t work as well (space, power supply, cabling, vehicles physical dimensions...)

Also, the threat has changed. In the Cold War we were on friendly ground, in a defense, predominantly in Europe. Mines and IEDs were a lesser threat. Temperatures were moderate. Roads and bridges could support a higher load. Much of your equipment was prepositioned because you knew where you were going to fight...


46 posted on 03/19/2024 9:00:36 PM PDT by Red6
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To: BobL

It does matter. War is a numbers game.
Tech is tech. “Neocons” and etc. are a propaganda narrative, not reality.

What this sort of rhetoric reminds me of is how the left gutted US power generation by creating emotional narratives against, say, nuclear or gas power plants.

Do not be like those evil people.


47 posted on 03/19/2024 9:04:45 PM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: buwaya

Yep, it is a numbers game. The Neocons gave the ukes a bunch of their ‘Wonder Weapons’ and the ukes (or whoever was driving them) got destroyed, and so no more ‘Wonder Weapons’ for the ukes.

As far as Russia goes, just like WW2, they steel keeps coming in, even if they lose some tanks along the way.


48 posted on 03/19/2024 9:11:55 PM PDT by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone)
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To: buwaya

Challenger stores ammunition in the turret


49 posted on 03/19/2024 9:15:58 PM PDT by Reverend Wright ( Everything touched by progressives, dies !)
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To: BobL

Er, this is your problem. You aren’t thinking numerically, only rhetorically. SOME western equipment was destroyed. More wasn’t. In the process most of that western equipment (supplied in miserly numbers, note) has proven useful to Ukraine.


50 posted on 03/19/2024 9:18:07 PM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: hardspunned
NATO has not been sending their best toys to Kiev. It is standard practice to build two flavors of high tech toys. One for internal use, and a gelded model, without all the latest shoot-n-scoot see in the dark optics, computer guided munitions, and reactive Chobham ceramic/sandwich armor, for export.

The M1s that the Ukrainians are getting is just a mobile steel box.

That way, when the Russians inspect it and build a counter accordingly, all the latest Tom Swiftie magic is a complete surprise.

51 posted on 03/19/2024 9:19:39 PM PDT by jonascord (First rule of the Dunning-Kruger Club is that you do not know you are in the Dunning-Kruger club.)
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To: BobL

The Russians are losing a heck of a lot of everything. Their stockpiles (rusty parking lots) of tanks, APCs and artillery are emptying out. Check the satellite count guys.


52 posted on 03/19/2024 9:20:20 PM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: Trump20162020

The Ukrainians weren’t sent tanks to succeed, they were sent tanks to keep the war going and have the military korporations grab more taxpayer money.


53 posted on 03/19/2024 9:24:33 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: jonascord

The worst problem is that everyone has been sending miserly numbers of everything.

Consider Patriot batteries - the US plus Nato have @110 Patriot batteries in service (the US has 80 in active service, plus @40 in reserve). They sent 3 to Ukraine.


54 posted on 03/19/2024 9:24:57 PM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: buwaya

“In the process most of that western equipment (supplied in miserly numbers, note) has proven useful to Ukraine.”

...and yet town after town keeps getting Liberated by Russia.

I know, I know, just wait another 5 years and the Sanctions will take down Russia! LOL.


55 posted on 03/19/2024 9:26:56 PM PDT by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone)
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To: BobL

Ahem. Village here, village there in this latest offensive. Actual ground taken since 2022 is minimal.

And what is this “liberated”? Did Hitler “liberate” Poland? Your mind is in a strange place.


56 posted on 03/19/2024 9:33:29 PM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: buwaya
"Consider Patriot batteries - the US plus Nato have @110 Patriot batteries in service (the US has 80 in active service, plus @40 in reserve). They sent 3 to Ukraine."

And you bet the farm that the 3 the ukes got didn't have the latest software upgrades, that were incorporated AFTER the Gulf War targeting flaws.

57 posted on 03/19/2024 9:42:25 PM PDT by jonascord (First rule of the Dunning-Kruger Club is that you do not know you are in the Dunning-Kruger club.)
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To: buwaya

While the Liberation of the newly acquired Russian territory may not be as fast as you desire, the bottom line is that virtually no Russian land is being seized by Ukraine.


58 posted on 03/19/2024 9:42:50 PM PDT by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone)
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To: MinorityRepublican
The Marines are getting rid of tanks. You have to fight this war with infantry and drones.

Yep, and drones didn't even exist until just a few years ago. You have to ask, why were "bigger and better" tanks still being made 100 years after they were first deployed? It's those super smart generals again, preparing to win the last war.

59 posted on 03/19/2024 9:43:20 PM PDT by rexthecat
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To: Red6

Thank you for the clarification re FCS.


60 posted on 03/19/2024 9:44:40 PM PDT by dodger
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