U.S. to Purchase New Abrams Tanks for Ukraine – Military Has No Spares

The 2019 Idaho Army National Guard training with an M1A2 Abrams tank at Orchard Combat Training Center near Boise. (Mason Cutrer/Idaho Army National Guard

WASHINGTON — New Abrams tanks will be purchased by the U.S. to supply to Ukraine because the Defense Department doesn’t have any spares, delaying the shipment as Ukrainian forces prepare for an expected Russian offensive, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Thursday.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recommended to President Joe Biden to obtain the tanks through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative — a funding program that procures military equipment from industry rather than from existing Defense Department stocks, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said.

“We just don’t have these tanks available in excess in our U.S. stocks,” She told reporters at Pentagon.

Singh stated that Ukraine will receive 31 modified M1A2s Abrams. This is the most advanced and modern version of the tank since its introduction in service in the 1990s.

The M1A2 features advanced equipment like an independent thermal sight. It can fire at two targets at once without locking them in sequence. The M1A2 also features an automatic firefighting system and can actively deflect inbound computerized missiles.

The U.S. M1A2 version also features armor and munitions made from depleted uranium. This is an extremely dense metal. Singh did not provide details about the Ukrainian tanks they will be receiving. Multiple news reports claim that the U.S. prohibits sending classified armor to other countries under its federal policy.

Sabrina Singh, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary, speaks during a Pentagon news briefing on Thursday, January 26, 2023. (Jack Sanders/Department of Defense

According to Pentagon officials, it could take several months for Ukraine to receive the American tanks. Experts speculate that the tanks might not reach Ukraine until 2023 or 2024.

“You have to remember … these tanks are going to require training, maintenance, sustainment that’s going to take a very long time,” Singh stated.

Singh also addressed Thursday’s criticisms of Pentagon officials who reversed their review regarding sending Abrams tank to Ukraine. Defense officials stated last week that the tank may not be suitable for Ukraine because of its complex maintenance requirements. They also run on jet fuel and require spare parts. Officials stated Wednesday that the equipment and weapons needed for Ukraine’s war against Russia are constantly changing.

“[Our] position when it came to the Abrams has not changed,” She spoke. “It is going to be a challenge to sustain and maintain these tanks. That said, following the [Ukrainian] contact group meeting [in Germany last week] … Secretary [Austin] came away from those conversations feeling that we needed to provide a long-term commitment to Ukraine. That is why he recommended to the president that we provide the Abrams.”

While the Defense Department has not yet announced where Ukrainian troops would be trained on tanks by its personnel, officials said that it would take place outside Ukraine. Fort Sill is now home to a group of UkrainiansOkla., learning to operate the Patriot missile defense systems.

“We just don’t have a timeline,” Singh stated. “We are trying to get the training set up but … where that’s going to be and when, I just don’t have that.”

In the weeks ahead, Ukraine will also receive additional battle tanks that are expected help them fight off Russian invading forces. This includes Challenger tanks from Great Britain. Germany also announced Wednesday that it would send a number its Leopard 2 tanks.

Last week, news reports said German officials didn’t want to commit the Leopard 2 to Ukraine until the United States agreed to send Abrams tanks. The Pentagon has said there was no link between the decision to send the Abrams and Germany’s decision to send the Leopards.

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