US Approves First Wave of Delivery of M1 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine, More Effective on the Battlefield Than F-16 Jets?

Illustration of the delivery of the M1A1 Abrams tank. (Wikimedia Commons/Roland Balik)

JAKARTA - The United States approved the first batch of M1 Abrams main battle tanks (MBT) for Ukraine last weekend, and are expected to arrive in the country in late autumn, said Assistant Secretary of The Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Doug Bush.

"They're done," Bush told reporters at a briefing, reported by CNN, Aug. 8.

"Now they're going to be delivered to Europe and then to Ukraine, along with all the things that are needed. Ammunition, spare parts, equipment, fuel, repair facilities. So, you know, it's not just tanks, it's a complete package that goes with it. It still on the right track," said Bush.

Previously, the US began training Ukrainian troops to use the tanks in May in Germany. In total there are 31 tanks that have undergone repairs and preparation for delivery in the previous few months.

It is known that this delivery schedule was accelerated from the time normally required for delivery, after Washington decided to send the older M1-A1 model tanks instead of the more modern versions.

Apart from the M1-Abrams Tank, Ukraine is also known to have requested F-16 fighter jets from the US to increase its firepower. However, for now only one of these will make an impact on the battlefield, according to a US general.

Ukraine is said to not yet have air superiority, while facing Russia's powerful ground defenses, after its counteroffensive began several weeks ago.

Director of Operations for the US military's Joint Staff Lieutenant General Douglas Sims II said last month that current battlefield conditions were not ideal for Ukrainian forces to deploy F-16s. However, the Abrams tanks will make an impact in the battle when they arrive.

"Environmental conditions of course change from time to time. But the current conditions for the use of the F-16 - may not be ideal," he explained, quoted from Business Insider.

"Russia still has air defense capabilities. They have air capabilities. And the number of F-16s that will be provided may not be perfect for what it is today. As things change in the future, that will of course dictate how it is used."

While the F-16 has some drawbacks, if armed with the right weapons - such as advanced long-range air-to-air missiles, anti-radiation missiles, or stand-alone air-to-surface missiles - it can support an air defense network. Expanded Kyiv, targeting enemy radars, striking Russian positions far beyond the front line.

Sims said the Abrams tank was expected to have a significant effect on the battlefield.

"The Abrams will definitely make a difference on the battlefield. I mean, we know it's an amazing tank. The ongoing training is going to make (Ukraine), I think, very good at using it," he said.