Australia Sends First Batch of M1A1 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine

Key Points – Australia has begun shipping 49 of its retired M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, a move confirmed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

-While the transfer received necessary US approval, Washington is reportedly frustrated, having previously warned Canberra about Ukraine’s significant challenges with maintaining the complex, gas-turbine-powered tanks.

-This donation will substantially augment Ukraine’s armored firepower, nearly outfitting a full battalion.

-However, the ultimate battlefield impact of these “thoroughly worn out” tanks will depend entirely on Ukraine’s ability to overcome the same logistical and maintenance hurdles that plagued the initial batch of US-supplied Abrams.

Australia Is Sending M1A1 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine: Will It Matter?

Australia’s decision to send retired M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine has left Washington privately frustrated due to the Ukrainians’ inability to maintain the tanks adequately.

Australia had to wait for Washington’s approval to export the US-made tanks to a third country, which was granted despite US misgivings on the donation.

The first of 49 tanks has been loaded onto cargo ships to be sent to Ukraine, a delivery confirmed by Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese.

The announcement follows an April update in which the shipments had been delayed due to a series of international clearances.

ABC News reported that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese verified the delivery in person to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass in Vatican City.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said that Washington had warned Canberra about the difficulties of transferring Abrams tanks to Ukraine and maintaining this equipment at the front.

Ukraine had previously struggled to maintain the Abrams, which led to numerous breakdowns, including one instance where an Abrams tank was taken intact back to Moscow.

“Last year, even before Donald Trump returned as president, we warned the Australians that sending these Abrams tanks would be complicated, and once they finally get to the battlefield, the Ukrainians will find them difficult to sustain,” one US official told the ABC, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Australia faced similar issues a year ago when, in 2024, the Albanese government was criticized for not agreeing to a Ukrainian request to donate the Australian retired fleet of advanced Taipan helicopters, which Defence insisted would be too complicated for Ukraine to operate and maintain.

Reports last year indicated that the Ukrainians were pulling the Abrams tanks off the front line due to the risk of easy detection by Russian drones; however, Kyiv later denied this to be true.

The Pentagon, however, told Newsweek it did not comment on discussions between partners and allies.

Tanks Coming Through Poland

The tanks will eventually arrive in Poland, but the exact date is unknown due to security reasons. Then, they will be shipped to Ukraine by rail.

Earlier this year, operations at a key logistics hub in Poland that will eventually receive the Australian Abrams tanks were stalled after President Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine. But the facility has now returned to regular business.

M1A1 Tanks To Be Replaced By Newer M1A2 Abrams

The donation of Australia’s M1A1 tanks will not affect Australia’s defense capabilities. The US is shipping a new batch of M1A2 Abrams tanks to replace those sometime in 2025.

The first such tanks arrived in Australia in late December last year.

In April, a spokesperson for the Defence Department told ABC: “Australia remains on target to meet the delivery of the M1A1 Abrams in 2025, the M1A1 export process remains ongoing.”

The M1A1 Abrams entered the Australian military in the early 2000s to replace the service’s German-made Leopard AS1 main battle tanks, which had been operational since 1977.

How Will Australia’s M1A1 Abrams Tanks Affect The War In Ukraine?

The delivery of Australian M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine will significantly augment Ukraine’s armored capabilities, bolstering its defense. Obtaining 49, albeit older, M1A1 tanks would nearly outfit an entire armored battalion, which typically requires 58 tanks.

While the tanks will enhance firepower and mobility, their effectiveness will depend on successful integration into Ukrainian military operations and the ability to maintain them properly.

The M1A1 Abrams remains an excellent main battle tank, equipped with advanced armor and a 120mm smoothbore gun, which significantly enhances Ukraine’s offensive and defensive capabilities.

The Australian tanks are a significant upgrade for Ukraine, which has been relying on older Soviet-era tanks. However, maintenance and spare parts will be an issue, as with the earlier batch of US M1A1s.

Another critical factor in the maintenance area is that Australia’s M1 Abrams are considered “thoroughly worn out” after decades of service. This is why they were retired and replaced by American-made M1A2 Abrams.

Ukraine is currently fighting a defensive war, which will influence the way the Abrams tanks are utilized. In a defensive posture, the appearance of 49 Abrams could shift the balance of the fighting in an area.

Russia’s frontal assaults and human wave attacks could be decimated by concentrated tank and artillery fire. How Ukraine utilizes the tanks, a central issue with their performance in 2023, will be a distinct factor in their effectiveness.

About the Author: 

Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.

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