Ukraine's upgraded Abrams tanks face the battlefield challenge

So far, Ukraine has received 31 Abrams tanks, all shipped from the United States. Initially, M1A2 variants were considered, but ultimately, older M1A1 variants were provided to Ukrainian soldiers. Although these tanks greatly surpass the Soviet-era machines Ukraine relied on before the war, they have not proved invincible. The Russians have already managed to destroy, damage, or capture several Abrams tanks. Therefore, the modifications being made by Ukrainians on the remaining tanks in service are not surprising.

In the latest video from the front, the Ukrainian M1A1 Abrams is shown equipped with two elements—Kontakt-1 armor blocks and ARAT-1 dynamic protection from the TUSK package.

The first solution is quite common in the war in Ukraine, with both sides using it on various armored vehicles. This modification attempts to increase protection levels, for example, against drones. ARAT-1 (Abrams Reactive Armor Tile-1) is a much rarer modification. It is a single-layer reactive armor, with explosive material placed between two steel plates, designed to mitigate the effects of attacks using anti-tank grenades or armor-piercing ammunition.

Offensively, Abrams tanks in Ukraine can operate effectively without additional modifications. These tanks have a 120 mm caliber gun and 0.5-inch and 0.3-inch machine guns. An M1A1 Abrams weighs about 125,600 pounds, with the additional elements possibly increasing the tank's weight, and measures about 33 feet in length. Despite this, an engine with 1,500 horsepower allows it to reach up to 42 mph speeds.

There are no reports from the United States suggesting plans to send additional tanks of this type to Ukraine. However, a possibility for a transfer has emerged on the other side of the world. Australia, which is significantly modernizing its armed forces, has sent decommissioned Abrams M1A1SA tanks to Ukraine. There will be up to 59 units.