American Armor Will Not Last Long: Ukraine Spy Chief on Abram Tanks
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Sulaiman
- . September 24, 2023
- . Update: September 23, 2023 6:52 pm
With the Biden administration set to deliver the first US-made Abrams tanks to Ukraine next week, Kirill Budanov of the Ukrainian military says the American armor won’t live very long on the battlefield.
He said there should be very specific, well-crafted breakthrough operations for Ukraine to truly benefit from the tanks. The M1 Abrams tanks are more powerful than any Soviet-era tanks. “The wide use of artillery and mines by both Russian and Ukrainian forces has reduced the possibility of using armored equipment in practicality in all of the main directions to the minimum.”
Budanov believes the tanks will definitely get hit if they just deploy it into the battlefield and it gets under the range of artillery. He highlighted that all main instances of fighting are being done on foot without using any material.
What are Abram Tanks
Washington is sending 31 Abram tanks to Ukraine next week to bolster the Ukrainian army. US President Joe Biden said the ongoing US support for Ukraine is about the future of freedom. “America can never, will never walk away from that. That’s why 575 days later, we stand with Ukraine.”
Abram tanks have been used by the US army for decades. It was first deployed in 1991. The tank boasts a 120mm main gun, thick armor that has piercing capabilities, and advanced targeting systems. It has thick tracked wheels and a 1,500-horsepower turbine engine. The tank can travel up to 68 kilometers per hour.
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Moreover, its powerful jet engine can propel that tank through any terrain, be it heavy mud or snow. However, Abram tanks consume a lot of fuel. It consumes two gallons per mile, whether it’s idle or moving. So there has to be a constant supply of fuel on standby to keel the Abram tank moving forward. And this can potentially become a logistical nightmare for the Ukrainian forces.
Experts describe Abrams tanks as complicated pieces of equipment. Furthermore, it’s very expensive and hard to train on.
US to Send ATACMS Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine
The US is also expected to send the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which the Ukraine had been asking for quite some time. But this hasn’t been yet confirmed by the Biden administration. These long-range missiles can strike targets as far away as 180 miles, hit supply lines, railways and command lines beyond the Russian front lines.
The ATACMS has a bigger payload than traditional artillery. The US fears that this system would intensify the war with Russia. And Moscow has already said that the US is waging war against Russia by sending weapons, ammunition, and intelligence to Ukraine.
