Western tanks would not become a game-changer on the frontline, for at least because of the underwhelming number of them allocated by Ukraine's partners — this fact was predicted a while ago, now the results are in full view. The delivery of the promised "tank brigade" of Leopard 2 stretched for over a year, and the practical application of foreign equipment faced harsh realities, or rather unjustified expectations.
Now, Associated Press reports that all the remaining M1A1 Abrams tanks given by the United States have been withdrawn by Ukrainian forces from the first line of contact. American defense officials explain that the main problem is the high saturation of frontlines with unmanned aerial vehicles, both the scouting type and suicide UAVs. Also, five out of 31 Abrams handed to Ukraine have been lost in combat. Update: press service of the 47th Mechanized Brigade, one of the units operating Abrams tanks in the Ukrainian Army, denies the claims in the AP report: "The tanks are showing great [results] on the battlefield, and we're not going to hide from the enemy what makes it hide itself. And more importantly, [not going to] leave our infantry without such powerful fire support."
Read more: How Ukrainian Forces Use M1 Abrams Tanks Near Avdiivka, Insights from Soldier and Analyst
On a note from Defense Express, this outcome was to be expected, as the reasons root in several aspects at once. First and foremost, no weapon can become a silver bullet if it is in short supply. Secondly, from a tactical perspective, Abrams became the No.1 priority target on the battlefield. As soon as one was spotted, every weapon available was pointed at it.
Moreover, Western tanks conceptually were not created for assault engagements but as specialized protected anti-tank weapons and were not intended to be used against infantry. For reference, HE-FRAG and anti-personnel ammunition for Leopard 2 and Abrams appeared as late as the early 2000s, while Challenger 2 still doesn't have any.
The Ukrainian military fully understood these features, even the Defense Intelligence commander Kyrylo Budanov underscored how important is to use Abrams carefully in an interview to The Drive from September 2023:
"[Abrams] should be used in a very tailored way for very specific, well-crafted operations. If they are used at the front line and just in a combined-arms fight, they will not live very long on the battlefield. They need to be used in those breakthrough operations, but very well-prepared," the Ukrainian military intelligence chief noted.
But all of this lies in the theoretical dimension, when speaking of tanks participating in assault missions. In practice, Ukrainian forces have learned the way to operate Abrams as well as russians seek ways to counter them. Particularly, the defenders of Avdiivka deployed the American tank for fire support missions from a safe distance, trying to avoid backfire from russian anti-tank teams.
Thus they are ultimately used for their intended role, and this role is not to be in the vanguard of counteroffensive. And considering the heavy losses in armored vehicles suffered by russian forces, with over a thousand in Avdiivka alone, the Western tanks prove to be quite effective in what they were designed for. In fact, Soviet-type tanks are suffering no less from the realities of modern warfare, and being "unfit for the Ukrainian war" is not exclusive to Abrams, so insert any name of tank here — the statement would still be true.
Read more: Romania Needs Replacement for T-55 Tanks, Leaning Toward Korean K2 Instead of M1 Abrams
