According to information reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, in collaboration with the Biden administration, the Australian government is working on a plan to send 59 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. As the war in Ukraine continues, where Ukrainian forces struggle to compensate for material losses against a Russian army capable of quickly replacing its tanks through a robust defense industry, the question of tank supply has become critical. With losses of Ukrainian M1A1 Abrams Situational Awareness (SA) tanks, provided by the United States in September 2023, mounting, the possibility of reinforcements from other countries may soon materialize.
The M1A1 Abrams is an improved version of the U.S.-designed M1 Abrams main battle tank. First produced in 1985, this tank features several upgrades over the initial version, including a new suspension system, transmission modifications, and enhanced armor protection. Its main armament is a 120mm M256 smoothbore cannon, capable of firing kinetic energy penetrator rounds with an effective range of over 3,500 meters. The tank is also equipped with two 7.62mm coaxial machine guns and a 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, providing significant firepower.