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Ukrainian technicians are modifying Australian M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks with reactive armour blocks, frontal armour plating and rooftop steel cages in a fast-paced, at-war series of upgrades for the modern battlefield.
Modified M1A1 Abrams have been seen with additional turret mesh-style and frontal plate-style armour in recent social media posts from Ukraine’s 47th Mechanized Brigade.
In addition, Ukrainian technicians have previously fitted other armoured vehicles with electronic warfare equipment, anti-drone “cages” on tank roof and engine compartments, as well as reactive armour elements such as Soviet-era Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armour (ERA) blocks. Thermal imaging has also been raised as a priority setting on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Stronger defensive upgrades for armoured vehicles are speculated to be a new requirement of modern warfare resulting from the proliferation of cheap, mass-produced surveillance and first-person view (FPV) kamikaze explosive drones.
These drones have effectively created areas of no man’s land in the conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces where armoured vehicles are immediately identified by aerial reconnaissance drones, tasked to FPV drone operator units and considered as priority targets for destruction due to their larger military and filmed propaganda value. Both countries have also engaged in heavy use of anti-vehicle landmines, further limiting the use of conventional armoured vehicle tactics.
“The Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, in conjunction with the Abrams tank, is a formidable force and a terror to the invaders,” according to comments made online by Ukraine’s 47th Mechanized Brigade.
“American equipment is decisive on the battlefield. In this case, it is the rotation of personnel, fire support and the destruction of enemy infantry, which has settled in the buildings.
“We must give credit to the crews of the 47th separate mechanised brigade, because without their skill, this equipment is nothing.”
The Ukrainian unit has reportedly used similar armoured vehicles, such as US-made M1A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles in counter-attacks near the border town of Sudzha and in the Kursk region of Russia.
Australia originally donated more than 49 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks, previously used by the Australian Army, as part of a $245 million military assistance package and transferred to Ukraine with assistance from Ukraine-based defence consultant JC Dodson.
“The M1A1 Abrams tanks will make a significant contribution to Ukraine’s ongoing fight against Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said at the time.
“I was pleased to meet the Australian Army personnel who helped facilitate the delivery of these tanks from Australia to Ukraine.
“Australia remains steadfast in our support for Ukraine and seeing a just and lasting peace.”
It has been speculated that Australian M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks have been deployed to the Ukrainian 425th Assault Regiment Skala, with the first delivery of armoured vehicles from Australia arriving in late July this year.
Some of the Australian vehicles have reportedly been customised with new armour, AIM SA electronics fire control system, thermal imaging and communications equipment, as well as satellite navigation system, according to Militarnyi.
The tanks have also reportedly been reconfigured to use diesel fuel instead of JP-8 aviation kerosene because use of diesel is standardised across armoured vehicles in the Ukrainian Army, the Ukrainian media outlet has stated online.
Final thoughts
The world has already seen the very public annihilation of columns of Russian armoured vehicles by drones, artillery and Javelin-guided missiles during the country’s opening campaign towards Kyiv. Traditional armoured warfare tactics and equipment are being challenged in this new environment.
Both sides of the conflict are now integrating the widespread use of active protection systems, caged armoured, ERA blocks and other counter-drone systems.
It’s clear that Australian Army-donated M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks are being prioritised and upgraded to protect against new targeted drone threats from above and landmines below.
Ukrainian forces have the most up-to-date battlefield experience using advanced main battles tanks in a modern combat scenario. Western nations, such as Australia, should be carefully monitoring and evaluating the ad hoc improvements being made to donated armoured vehicles.
These changes seen in Ukraine can help inform our own military forces about tactics, equipment limitations and adversary systems that the Australian Defence Force could face in future.
In addition, modifications seen in Ukraine could be replicated, tested, refined and applied to Australia’s new next-generation M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks.
