Why Donated Tanks Won’t Have Immediate Impact in Ukraine’s War with Russia

2023.04.24 Mon posted at 14:00 JST

（ＣＮＮ） Spain’s Defense Minister Robles has announced that six Leopard 2 tanks will arrive in Ukraine within a week after leaving Spain. Meanwhile, the U.S. plans to start training Ukrainian soldiers in the Abrams tank next month so it can be ready for war with Russia by the end of the summer.

But even with the delivery and training of tanks, experts warn that tanks donated to Ukraine by NATO allies will not have an immediate impact in a war with Russia. ing.

A modern main battle tank is a complex weapon. Although tough and rugged on the outside, much of its effectiveness on the battlefield is due to the advanced electronics and computer systems at its heart. A system mounted on the tank detects the target and fires the main gun.

In order to maintain and repair tanks and supply necessary parts, detailed training is required, from tank crews to the logistics that support them. Logistics would be hundreds, even thousands of kilometers from the eastern front line.

Nicholas Drummond, a former British Army officer and now a defense industry analyst, said the ability to train Ukrainian soldiers to support any given tank is more important than the type of tanks used. He showed the view that it can be said that it is.

In addition to the time needed to train soldiers, he also needs to maintain the tanks, which requires management of the supply chain.

Drew Thompson, a visiting fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said that because the Abrams tanks are made in the United States, the logistics would be very long, extending to the United States.

Key parts worn or damaged in combat must be replaced with US-made parts, which may have to be shipped to repair shops in Ukraine or Poland. Poland is promoting its own Abrams tanks.

Thompson said the Pentagon is good at solving tough logistics problems, but he sees them as dangerous for both the U.S. and Ukraine.

Thompson said it would clearly be preferable to support the Leopard tanks, which are in service with 13 European countries, from a logistics hub in Europe.

According to Drummond, the large number of Leopard tanks makes it easy to assist. With more than 4,000 Leopard tanks in active service, spare parts are readily available from a variety of locations.