Last updated: 16.01.2024, 05:18 a.m.
By: Patrick Mayer
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Against Vladimir Putin's army: According to a photo, additional protective measures have been taken on the Abrams battle tanks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Donbass - It's tough: Arms deliveries from Germany and the US to Ukraine have been stalled for weeks, while Russian forces could switch to new, old tactics on the battlefield.
Weapons for Ukraine: Abrams main battle tanks apparently equipped with reactive armor
Nevertheless, 31 Abrams main battle tanks from the United States have recently arrived in the Ukraine war. While Kiev is apparently very careful with the 68-ton colossi, a photo from the front makes it clear that after a long period of hesitation, additional protection was attached to the massive tanks.
And this is before they and their crews are sent into battle with the invading troops of Kremlin autocrat Vladimir Putin. We are talking about the so-called reactive armor.
Additional reactive armor: an M1 Abrams main battle tank of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. © Screenshot Telegram@ClashReport
Tanks for Ukraine: M1 Abrams are probably equipped with reactive protection tiles
In this process, tiles or plates are fixed to the body of armored vehicles. A layer of explosives is attached to a metal plate. When a projectile hits, for example the hollow charge of an anti-tank weapon, the reactive armor is supposed to eliminate the grenade by means of a counter-explosion.
The Telegram channel Clash Report shared a photo (see above) of an M1 Abrams assigned to the Ukrainian army. The place and time of the recording are not known. At least there is snow on the ground, so the photo shouldn't be too old. Challenger 2, Leopards, Bradleys - again and again in recent months, Western tanks have been seen on the battlefield that did not yet have reactive armor.
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Against anti-tank weapons: Ukrainians retrofitted Leopard 2 with reactive tiles
Apparently, the Ukrainians themselves gradually attached the reactive tiles to their companions. After all, it's their lives that are at stake. The measure was observed, for example, on Leopard 2 main battle tanks, which was documented in a video by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in early September. In the case of the "Leos", the weak points, the steep sides of the turret, are obviously to be protected against Russian anti-tank guided missiles such as the "Kornet".
The explosive tiles shown in the current photo, on the other hand, were developed specifically for the M1 Abrams. After the Americans had bad experiences with shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons, such as the Soviet RPG-7, in Iraq and Afghanistan. The comparatively large explosive boxes are referred to as "Abrams Reactive Armor Tile" (ARAT).
M1 Abrams tank of Ukraine: M-19 modules to protect against anti-tank guided missiles
The type designation is M-19 module. According to the American manufacturer "Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense", since 2006 the US armed forces have relied on the modular system, which can be installed by hand, "as a rapid response to the threat of insurgents against heavy tanks in Iraq". The boxes with the explosives in them are apparently simply pushed onto pre-assembled rails on the tank hull.
According to the defense contractor, the modules on the tank can be replaced even in "battlefield conditions" because of their ease of use. The equipment does not require regular maintenance, a power connection or sensors. Soldiers on both sides have been relying on various anti-tank weapons and kamikaze drones since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Like the Ukrainians, the Russians retrofitted their tanks with reactive armor and even cage armor. Nevertheless, the losses remain high - on both sides. (pm)