The United States will begin training Ukrainian troops to operate and maintain Abrams tanks in the coming weeks (for an overview of these modern tanks by Yuriy Svitlyk, please follow this link). Officials have told the Associated Press that the US is accelerating its efforts and wants to deliver the latest tanks to Ukraine as soon as possible so that our military can fight the Russian occupiers even more effectively.
This decision comes as defence leaders from across Europe and the world meet again at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. During the meeting, they will coordinate the supply of weapons and other equipment to Ukraine.
According to Associated Press sources, 31 tanks will arrive at the Grafenwoehr training ground in Germany in May, and the troops will begin training in a few weeks. According to officials, the training will take about 10 weeks. The tanks that were provided to Ukraine to fight the Russian invasion will not be used for the training. Instead, 31 M1A1 Abrams battle tanks will be repaired in the United States and sent to the frontline when they are ready.
The purpose of the exercise is to prepare the military in time for when the repaired tanks are ready, so that they can immediately enter the battle. Specialists are re-equipping the vehicles to meet Ukraine’s needs.
According to officials, about 250 Ukrainian soldiers will be trained. Some will be taught how to drive the tanks, while others will be taught how to repair and maintain them. After the first 10 weeks of training, additional training in combat and manoeuvring may be conducted.
President Joe Biden’s administration announced that it would send Abrams tanks to Ukraine in January, just after having long insisted that the weapons were difficult to maintain and repair. The decision was part of a political manoeuvre that saw Germany announce that it would send its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow Poland and other allies to follow suit.
Under pressure from Ukraine and other allies, the Biden administration announced in March that it would speed up the delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The US will send a refurbished older model that can be ready as soon as possible. The goal is to get the 70-tonne combat vehicles into the war zone by autumn.
The US has also made it clear that it will begin training the Ukrainian military on how to use, maintain and repair tanks, and that this training will coincide with tank repairs, so that both tanks and military personnel will be ready for combat at the same time. At the same time, the Pentagon wants to make sure that the Ukrainian military has an adequate supply chain for all the parts needed to keep the equipment in working order.
Read also:
- Weapon of Ukrainian Victory: British main battle tank Challenger 2
- Weapons of Ukrainian Victory: Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank