Australia has officially sent the first batch of M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, as part of the promised military assistance package in 2024 to support Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion.
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This shipment includes more than half of the total 49 used tanks. The remaining unit is scheduled to arrive in the coming months. These vehicles are part of the Australian fleet purchased in 2007, and recently was replaced by a more modern M1A2 Abrams version.
This shipment is part of a 245 million US dollar armored vehicle package, which is under more extensive commitment of Australia of 1.5 billion dollars to support the defense of Ukraine since the beginning of the war in 2022.
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Although the tanks were originally promised in October 2024, shipping was delayed due to approval requirements from the United States and logistics challenges. The US authorities expressed concern over the complexity of the transfer and ability of Ukraine in caring for Abrams on the battlefield.
Apart from these obstacles, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukraine Ambassador to Canberra, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, openly celebrate the arrival of the vehicle.
“Every day without these tanks on the battlefield means more lives,” said Myroshnychenko, emphasizing the importance of immediate assistance.
Ukraine officially submitted a request for Abrams in February 2024. In August in the same year, Australia retired its last M1A1 tanks. Less than a year later, the first armored vehicle arrived in Ukraine.
In addition to tanks, Australia will also send an E-7A wedgetail aircraft owned by the Australian Royal Air Force in August 2025 to support the International Assistance Corridor in Europe. The country also continues to participate in the Kudu Operation, which assisted training in Ukraine military personnel.
The Ambassador Myroshnychenko also stressed the need for additional equipment, such as Hawkei and Bushmaster vehicles. According to him, most of the 120 bushmaster units sent have been destroyed or damaged, and he requests requests that the Hawkei fleet be sent immediately.
Source: Australian Ministry of Defense | X @defeaust | Wikimedia. This content is made with the help of AI and has been reviewed by the editorial team.
