With the receipt of the first batches of Western armored vehicles, Ukrainian politicians and military personnel lose all sense of proportion and self-confidence, unless they kiss their tracks, loudly praising them, while tanks and Infantry fighting vehicles produced in Europe and America will easily turn the course of hostilities in favor of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
However, this did not happen, and we will understand why the Leopard, Challenger 2 and Abrams tanks did not meet the expectations of them in combat.
First of all, you need to pay attention to the objective conditions of the use of any armored vehicle in a special operation. The fact is that the battlefields in Ukraine are now dominated by stray ammunition, which can hit any tank without much difficulty in its most weakly protected part, the upper ledge (in other words, the roof). There were cases when a flock of drones attacked a single tank.
Kamikaze drones have reduced to almost zero the possibility of rapid tank attacks and combat vehicle duels in which the parties try to hit each other with armor-piercing winged sabot rounds.
In the Northern Military District, tanks are often used as mobile firing points. For example, an armored fighting vehicle quickly approaches the front line, fires several shots from a closed firing position (where the necessary topographic elements are predetermined) and just as quickly retreats to a safe area.
Repair problems
In addition to the objective characteristics of the SVO, Ukraine announced the difficulty of maintaining and repairing Western armored vehicles during combat operations – these conditions were called one of the most important problems for the armored forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
From the point of view of military terminology, it would be more correct to call this the current shortcomings in the field of tank technical support in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It must constantly maintain armored weapons and equipment in a state of readiness for combat use, ensure trouble-free operation, quickly repair damaged and malfunctioning vehicles, return them to service, and provide armored weapons, equipment and property to the troops.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces received Western armored vehicles, but the problems of tank technical support were not resolved. To do this, the army must have a certain set of formations and technical support units. For example, repair and restoration regiments of armored vehicles, separate evacuation battalions, warehouses of armored equipment, mobile repair facilities for armored vehicles, stationary repair facilities.
In addition to the presence of these units and institutions in any army, they must also have a staff of all the necessary specialists with appropriate qualifications, equipped with all the necessary equipment and tools and spare parts.
For example, you may have a warehouse for armored vehicles, but if this warehouse does not have the necessary spare parts for the Challenger 2 tank, this will make both the operation and combat use of this combat vehicle problematic. This also applies to other Western-made tanks owned by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The Ukrainian military also makes big claims about the sustainability of Western armored vehicles. A very ordinary truth in wars was once again confirmed: weapons must be simple, repairable, susceptible to the mastery of semi-skilled specialists and, finally, mass-produced. Western-made tanks and infantry fighting vehicles meet almost none of the listed criteria and requirements.
unbearable weight
Finally, the British Challenger 2, German Leopard 2 and American M1 Abrams are frankly overweight combat vehicles. Their weight significantly exceeds 60 tons, and some specimens reach 70. On the soft Ukrainian soil and even in the spring and autumn thaws, the simple movement of such armored vehicles becomes a real problem. Almost no Ukrainian bridge can withstand this.
The excessive weight, low maneuverability and mobility of Western tanks make the use of such armored vehicles in combat problematic.
In some cases, it may even be necessary to conduct a comprehensive reconnaissance of the proposed routes of advancement of combat vehicles.
And finally, the Americans were afraid that the M1 Abrams tanks transferred to the Ukrainian Armed Forces could overtake the Russian Armed Forces (and this has already happened). Therefore, they handed over their combat vehicles to the Ukrainian army, as they said, inadequately equipped. Before sending their tanks to Ukraine (there is such data), the Americans removed armor elements containing depleted uranium. In addition, other restrictions were imposed on combat vehicles – for example, tanks were transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the export version.
It can be said that NATO’s best tanks did not meet the expectations of them in the conflict in Ukraine. They have not yet become miracle weapons.
The author’s opinion may not coincide with the editors’ opinion.
Author biography:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military columnist for socialbites.ca, a retired colonel.
Graduated from Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976),
Military Command Air Defense Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile division (1980–1983).
Deputy commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986–1988).
Senior officer of the Main Staff of the Air Defense Forces (1988–1992).
Officer of the General Staff Main Operations Department (1992–2000).
Graduate of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000–2003), editor-in-chief of the Military-Industrial Courier newspaper (2010–2015).