Russia captures and dissects American-made Abrams tank
The American-made M1A1 Abrams tank, captured by the Russians in Ukraine, was spotted being transported in Russia. According to the Bulgarian Military service, the tank was delivered to the Uralvagonzavod company, which is involved in tank manufacturing, where the Russians will examine its construction.
The Bulgarian Military service, citing reports from the Russian military-themed Telegram channel "Military Observer," reports on the appearance of the M1A1 Abrams tank in the city of Nizhny Tagil, commonly referred to as "Tank City." This is where the headquarters of the Russian company Uralvagonzavod is located, and they are currently engaged primarily in tank production.
Abrams in Russia
Emerging reports indicate that the Abrams captured by the Russians in Ukraine was transported to Uralvagonzavod, where Russian engineers will examine it. As part of a process known as reverse engineering, they will deconstruct its components to extract design information. Notably, another Western tank underwent a similar procedure recently. This was the German tank Leopard 2A6, also used by Ukrainians.
The precise condition of the American-made tank is unknown, but experts speculate that it may be one of the best-preserved or least damaged Abrams tanks captured by the Russians during the war in Ukraine. Kyiv received 31 such machines, and more than half of them (about 20 units) have already been destroyed in combat.
The M1A1 Abrams is among the most recognizable and advanced main battle tanks in the world. It was developed in the United States in response to the growing need to modernize armored forces during the Cold War. Its production began in the 1980s, with the M1A1 model debuting in 1985, introducing several improvements over its predecessor, the M1 Abrams.
The M1A1 Abrams tanks delivered to Ukraine are equipped with a 120 mm gun and machine guns of 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm caliber. They are typically armored with depleted uranium inserts, but they have been modified to a variant with tungsten inserts for Ukraine. This modification aims to reduce the risk of advanced technology being captured by the Russian side. Considered a powerful machine, the M1A1 Abrams can reach high speeds thanks to the Honeywell AGT-1500 gas turbine engine, which produces 1500 horsepower. They also stand out for their excellent stabilization and maneuverability.
