Australia to send 49 Abrams M1A1 tanks to Ukraine
Australia will transfer a batch of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, which will soon be decommissioned from the country's military, ABC News reported.
The Abrams M1A1 tanks are included in a $245 million aid package for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
More than a year after Kyiv first expressed interest in the M1A1 tanks, and a few months after Australia declined a request to donate its Taipan helicopters, the government confirmed it would donate 49 American-made tanks.
Minister for Defense Industry Pat Conroy, who will attend a NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels this week, will personally inform the Ukrainian side about the new support package.
"We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in their fight against Russia's illegal invasion. These tanks will deliver more firepower and mobility to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and complement the support provided by our partners for Ukraine's armored brigades — Australia has been steadfast in our support for Ukraine," Conroy stated before his trip to Brussels.
The report noted that Australia recently received the first of 75 new Abrams M1A2 tanks, which will eventually replace the army's fleet of 59 M1A1 tanks that have never been used in combat.
Journalists highlighted that Australia's transfer of the Abrams tanks to a "third country" requires U.S. approval under international arms trade regulations, even though Washington sent 31 of its own M1A1 tanks to Ukraine last year. The report mentioned that some of the tanks need repairs, while others could be quickly shipped to Ukraine for use as spare parts.
Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko welcomed the transfer of the Abrams tanks, calling it a "significant contribution" that will save lives.
"These tanks will be an essential part of our land defenses, and we have already been operating some of those tanks, which we've been provided by the Americans in the past, so we already have teams of people who know how to use that equipment," the diplomat said.
