Donated Aussie Abrams tanks to receive baptism of fire in Ukraine

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Some have predicted the demise of heavy armored vehicles on future battlefields, but Australian defense officials, in words and actions, are underscoring the enduring relevance of the main battle tank.

On Oct. 17, Australia pledged to gift 49 second-hand M1A1 AIM Abrams tanks to Ukraine. This came just weeks after a first batch of new M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams replacements arrived in Australia from the U.S.

Australia never utilized its 59 M1A1 Abrams in combat, but they will soon be used in anger against Russian invaders in Ukraine. Boasting a 120mm main gun, thick armor and advanced sensors, older Abrams still remain a formidable battlefield weapon, whether in Ukraine or the Asia-Pacific region.

“There are no other current or emerging technologies – or combination of technologies – that can yet deliver the capability currently provided by a main battle tank,” an Australian Department of Defence spokesperson told Defense News.

Brigadier James Davis, the Australian Army’s director general of Future Land Warfare, told Defense News that crew skills – “the basics of warfare, camouflage, concealment” – remain as important as ever amid the advent of loitering munitions and similar threats.

“That’s how Western armored vehicles – and Australian armored vehicles – crewed by Western crews and Australian crews, are going to survive on the battlefield; a combination of training, tactics, technology and systems,” he said.

The tank donation to Kyiv, worth approximately A$245 million (US$164 million), will “bolster the armed forces of Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion,” Canberra said.

Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy commented, “These tanks will deliver more firepower and mobility to the Ukrainian armed forces, and complement the support provided by our partners for Ukraine.”

In response to the news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted, “I’m especially grateful for Australia’s brave decision to provide 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks for our defense against Russian aggression.”

American permission was required for this handover, but Ukrainian crews are already familiar with the platform after the U.S. promised to donate 31 M1A1 SA Abrams to Ukraine in January 2023. Perhaps half have been destroyed to date.

Australia will retain ten M1A1 tanks, and these will assist in the transition to its own fleet of M1A2s. Under Project Land 907, approved in January 2022, the Australian Army is receiving 75 M1A2 SEPv3 tanks, 29 M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles, 17 M1074 Joint Assault Bridges and six additional M88A2 armored recovery vehicles.

Under the Australian military’s restructure announced in 2023′s Defence Strategic Review, the Army’s 3rd Brigade in Townsville will be the sole repository of this heavy-armor influx.

To date, Australian military assistance for Ukraine is valued at more than A$1.3 billion, and it includes Bushmaster protected vehicles, M113AS4 armored personnel carriers and M777 howitzers.

Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in New Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in about 20 countries around the Asia-Pacific region.

新西兰基督城——有人预测重型装甲车辆将在未来战场上消亡，但澳大利亚国防官员用言行强调了主战坦克的持久重要性。

10月17日，澳大利亚承诺向乌克兰赠送49辆二手M1A1 AIM艾布拉姆斯坦克。就在几周前，首批来自美国的新型M1A2 SEPv3艾布拉姆斯坦克刚刚运抵澳大利亚。

澳大利亚从未在实战中使用过其59辆M1A1艾布拉姆斯坦克，但它们很快将在乌克兰战场上与俄罗斯侵略者展开激战。这些老旧的艾布拉姆斯坦克配备120毫米主炮、厚重的装甲和先进的传感器，无论是在乌克兰还是亚太地区，仍然是战场上令人生畏的武器。

澳大利亚国防部发言人告诉《防务新闻》：“目前还没有任何其他现有或新兴技术——或技术组合——能够提供主战坦克目前所提供的能力。”

澳大利亚陆军未来陆地战争总监詹姆斯·戴维斯准将告诉《防务新闻》，随着巡飞弹和类似威胁的出现，乘员技能——“战争的基本知识、伪装、隐蔽”——仍然像以往一样重要。

他说：“这就是西方装甲车辆——以及由西方乘员和澳大利亚乘员驾驶的澳大利亚装甲车辆——能够在战场上生存下来的方式：训练、战术、技术和系统的结合。”

堪培拉方面表示，向基辅捐赠价值约 2.45 亿澳元（1.64 亿美元）的坦克将“加强乌克兰武装部队对抗俄罗斯非法和不道德的入侵”。

澳大利亚国防工业和能力交付部长帕特·康罗伊评论道：“这些坦克将为乌克兰武装部队提供更强大的火力和机动性，并补充我们的合作伙伴对乌克兰提供的支持。”

针对这一消息，乌克兰总统泽连斯基在推特上发文称：“我尤其感谢澳大利亚勇敢地决定向我们提供 49 辆 M1A1 艾布拉姆斯坦克，用于抵御俄罗斯的侵略。”

这次移交需要得到美国的许可，但乌克兰的士兵已经熟悉这种平台，因为美国承诺在2023年1月向乌克兰捐赠31辆M1A1 SA艾布拉姆斯坦克。也许到目前为止，其中一半已经被销毁了。

澳大利亚将保留10辆M1A1坦克，这些坦克将有助于其向M1A2坦克车队的过渡。根据2022年1月批准的“陆地907项目”，澳大利亚陆军将接收75辆M1A2 SEPv3坦克、29辆M1150突击破障车、17辆M1074联合突击桥梁以及6辆M88A2装甲抢修车。

根据澳大利亚在 2023 年国防战略评估中宣布的军队重组计划，驻扎在汤斯维尔的陆军第 3 旅将成为这批重型装甲部队的唯一驻地。

迄今为止，澳大利亚对乌克兰的军事援助价值超过 13 亿澳元，其中包括 Bushmaster 防护车辆、M113AS4 装甲运兵车和 M777 榴弹炮。

戈登·阿瑟是《防务新闻》的亚洲特派记者。在香港工作20年后，他现居新西兰。他曾到访亚太地区约20个国家，参加过军事演习和防务展览。