The United States and Germany on Wednesday, January 25, announced deliveries of top-of-the-line tanks to Ukraine, signaling a new surge of Western support for an expected counteroffensive against the Russian invasion.
In a televised address, President Joe Biden promised 31 Abrams tanks, one of the most powerful and sophisticated weapons in the US army. Shortly before, Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave the green light to Germany sending 14 Leopard 2 tanks, a decision that opens the gates to several other European countries armed with Leopards to send their own contributions. On January 14, the United Kingdom had already paved the way for the delivery of Western-made heavy weapons by announcing that it was sending 14 of its Challenger 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.
Until now, Kyiv has only received Soviet-designed tanks from its allies, as the West believed that supplying vehicles as powerful as the French Leclerc, the American M1 Abrams, the German Leopard 2 or the British Challenger 2 could escalate tensions with Moscow. But the intensification of Russian strikes on civilian populations and the prospect of a long war have caused some countries to reconsider their position. The Kremlin vowed that the tanks promised to Kyiv would be "burned" on the battlefield.
Leclerc, Leopard 2, Challenger 2, M1 Abrams, AMX-10 RC, Marder, Bradley: what are these machines that are wanted by Kyiv? What are their roles and tactical utilities? Can they help Ukrainian troops make a difference on the ground? Here is an overview.
Leclerc, Leopard 2, Challenger 2 and M1 Abrams: combat tanks
The Leclerc tank (French-made), the Leopard 2 (German-made), the Challenger 2 (British-made) and the M1 Abrams (American-made) are so-called "heavy" tracked tanks, which are intended for high-intensity combat. They weigh between 55 and 65 tonnes and are composed of a very thick armor that makes them immune to a number of attacks. "Their role is to try to penetrate enemy defenses," said Marc Chassillan, an engineer and specialist in land-based military weaponry. In other words, to destroy or neutralize enemy vehicles.
These tanks are equipped with a large-caliber gun – between 105 and 125 millimeters in diameter depending on the model – and can carry between 40 and 55 shells. They are equipped with thermal cameras and can fire accurately at night and over a long distance. For example, the Leclerc tank can fire at a fixed target up to 4 kilometers away while driving. Inside, crews of three to four soldiers (including a tank commander, a gunner and a pilot) manage operations. At the same time, they collect and transmit information using the onboard computer systems.
Are these vehicles more powerful than Russian battle tanks, such as the T-72? "Western tanks were developed between the end of the 1970s and the 1990s, at the height of the Cold War. From the beginning, their objective was to destroy Russian tanks and to have tactical and operational superiority over them," said Chassillan. "They shoot much better, faster and farther."
In addition, Western tanks have faced Russian equipment in the past. For example, in the early 1990s during the Gulf War, which pitted Iraq against a coalition of 35 countries led by the US. "American M1 Abrams faced Soviet T-72s used by Saddam Hussein. They could see at night and farther and demonstrated their superiority on the ground."
AMX-10 RC, Marder and Bradley: reconnaissance and tank support
It is customary to call these vehicles "light tanks." This type of vehicle weighs between 20 and 35 tonnes and has less armor than heavy tanks but is more mobile. They serve a twofold military strategy. On the one hand, their role is less to fight directly than to "do reconnaissance to find out what is happening further away on the ground," said Chassillan. "If they come across resistance, they can still defend themselves, but the aim is not to keep them on the battlefield for hours." In the event of an attack, the French AMX-10 RC model, for example, has a large-caliber gun – 105 millimeters – and two machine guns.
Alternatively, the German Marder and the American Bradley are armored infantry vehicles: Their role is also to transport soldiers (seven in the case of the Bradley), which allows them to move quickly and safely to the front. They can also support tanks by protecting them from opposing anti-tank units and by destroying secondary targets. These models have already been used in the Gulf War, in the second Afghan war and in Iraq.
Useful equipment for Ukraine under certain conditions
While Ukraine estimates that it would need a total of 300 tanks to carry out a large-scale military operation, Western announcements regarding the delivery of heavy weaponry have, for the time being, been made in dribs and drabs. In addition to the 14 Challenger 2 tanks announced by the UK, France has committed to handing over several dozen of the 248 AMX-10 RCs it owns. In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised to send 40 Marders. As for the US, it is expected to provide the Ukrainian troops with 50 Bradleys.
"For the moment, we are giving Ukraine samples," said Chassillan. "Since the beginning of the war, the equipment delivered has improved in quality and performance but not in quantity. The deliveries are not insignificant, but they will not be sufficient on the ground." In France as in Germany, the delivery of this equipment, whose stocks are limited and precious, is causing tension within each country's army.
Moreover, sending Western armor will not be decisive as such. "Tanks cannot act alone on the battlefield," said Chassillan. "They also need light tanks such as the Marder or the Bradley to accompany them and they need engineering equipment to clear mines, for example. In short, beyond the tanks, it is the whole tactical environment that must be delivered." Kyiv's Western allies need to strike a difficult balance between the need to not weaken their respective armies and the desire to stand alongside Ukraine as a strong military and political supporter.