Taking incremental risk now to help Ukraine win will help ensure longer-term Eurasian and NATO security.
Full Article: Gabriel B. Collins and Christopher Bronk, “The M1 Abrams Is the Right Tank for the Job in Ukraine,” Foreign Policy, 24 January 2023, https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/01/24/m1-abrams-tank-ukraine-germany-russia-invasion-leopard/
Consider the raw numbers. The U.S. military has about 3,500 M1A1/A2 tanks in storage, according to estimates from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Moreover, the United States Marine Corps divested its 450-unit Abrams fleet as part of its long-term strategic reorientation toward Pacific conflict. More than 300 of these tanks have already been transferred to the Army, and the balance that are stored overseas and on maritime prepositioning vessels are slated to be transferred this year. Used U.S. Abrams are already in regional demand, with the State Department approving a sale of 116 M1A1s to Poland in December 2022, along with 12 M88A2 combat recovery vehicles, eight M1110 Joint Assault Bridges, and other miscellaneous items—a transaction that illustrates the approximate contours of what an initial Abrams package to Ukraine might look like.
These tanks would serve U.S. national security interests far better pressed into Ukrainian military service than collecting dust at the Sierra and Anniston Army depots. They could be eligible for transfer under a presidential drawdown, an authority used 30 times thus far to support Ukraine. The U.S. could also use the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 to lend or lease surplus (or even active-duty) Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
As tanks are transferred from storage or active formations, more could be reconditioned at the Army tank plant in Lima, Ohio, over time as losses mount or new Ukrainian formations transition to the M1A1/A2. The U.S. Army also has about 1,000 M88A1 armored recovery vehicles in storage, according to IISS, which provides a ready reserve of mechanical support to accompany the Abrams into combat.
Full Article: Gabriel B. Collins and Christopher Bronk, “The M1 Abrams Is the Right Tank for the Job in Ukraine,” Foreign Policy, 24 January 2023, https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/01/24/m1-abrams-tank-ukraine-germany-russia-invasion-leopard/
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