Relevant text:
Ukrainian crews say the fundamental problem is that the Abrams were built for advances aided by air power and artillery, which Ukraine lacks.
Russia, meanwhile, continues to make heavy use of drones in its attacks, which the Abrams struggle to defend against.
There a lot of factors in to why the Abrams isn’t doing as well in Ukraine. Like the article stated, drone attacks are a new threat that no older tank was designed for. Then there is the lack of training. The US has trained a lot with these tanks and know their weaknesses and develop their tactics with this knowledge in mind.
So why did they send them to Ukraine?
Because it’s good to get rid of old equipment, at least from the military’s perspective. They get money for the old hardware and now can justify getting more new stuff.
For the same reason they have sent billions of dollars there…to show their support. This isn’t the first country that the US has provided equipment for with little or no training…or without critical equipment onboard (i.e. specialized RADAR or electronics systems)
Lol nothing shows your support like tin cans that get blown up easy.
and yet old Soviet tanks are doing fine in Ukraine https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russias-t-72-main-battle-tank-why-it-might-still-be-best-earth-211037
There could be many reasons. I don’t know where they are deploying them, how much training the crews have had and many others that factor into survivability. I’m not saying the Abrams is the best tank ever, just saying that there are many factors that can contribute to why they aren’t doing well in the field for the Ukraine.
Sure, I agree with that. There are tangible factors that make T-72 a better tank though. It’s a simpler design, making it easier to produce and maintain. It’s more manoeuvrable, it’s lighter so it doesn’t get stuck in mud. Doesn’t use a turbine engine, which has been a cause for endless problems. So, while many factors combine to decide overall effectiveness, the quality of the weapon itself is important as well.
