At the beginning of this year, it became known that Ukraine had submitted an official request to Australia for the transfer of their M1A1 Abrams tanks, which the Australian military will replace with the latest M1A2 Abrams model. The country has 59 tanks that will eventually be retired, and one of the options to extend their service could be transferring them to Ukraine, which already has experience operating these main battle tanks. Moreover, this was the second request, following Ukraine’s 2023 application for the transfer of 14 Australian Abrams tanks.
However, the Australian government opposed this decision, explaining that, first, the tanks supposedly need to be sent to the U.S. for repairs before being transferred to Ukraine.
Read more: Australia Retires the M1A1 Abrams Tanks, with Potential Future Use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Second, Australia wants to receive replacement tanks first, and only then consider the transfer. But in August of this year, it became known that Australia is decommissioning its last M1A1 Abrams, which cautiously suggests that the "window of opportunity" for transferring these tanks to Ukraine remains slightly open.
Ultimately, the Australian publication The Sydney Morning Herald now writes that, while the country's defense chief Richard Marles had previously stated confidently that the transfer of Abrams tanks to Ukraine was "not on the agenda," he has slightly changed his rhetoric. Citing government sources, the publication claims that the defense minister is now exploring how these tanks could be supplied to Ukraine, taking into account U.S. weapons export regulations.
From the perspective of Defense Express, it can be cautiously assumed that it is difficult to come up with any "buts," considering that the U.S. has already supplied Ukraine with 31 Abrams tanks, and if there are any obstacles, they are likely to be political rather than practical.
In general, public figures in Australia are calling for these tanks to be transferred to Ukraine. For instance, former army commander Peter Leahy (2003-2008) expressed his surprise that Australia is not offering these tanks to Ukraine. He specifically emphasized that there are spare parts available for the tanks. "We should put them on a ship and deliver them there. I certainly wouldn't want these things to be destroyed or buried," he noted.
Former defense official Michael Shoebridge noted that the decommissioned Abrams tanks "are still in good condition." This is a useful clarification, as the condition of the tanks could have been another public argument against transferring these Abrams to Ukraine.
There has been no official public reaction from Australia’s defense minister or other officials yet, and this publication by the Australian media should be taken cautiously, even though there are signs that the issue has started to move forward. As a potential compromise, Australia might agree to transfer at least a few dozen of the most combat-ready tanks, possibly even with delivery directly to Ukraine and repairs conducted on-site if such a scenario is feasible.
Read more: Ukraine War Experience Helps U.S. to Ensure Future Abrams and Bradley Replacements Aren't "Dead on Arrival"
