U.S. Abrams tanks struggle against Russian drones in Ukraine

Colonel James Modlin, Deputy Commandant at the U.S. Army Armor School, admitted that American vehicles are facing problems in Ukraine because they have to adapt to completely new wartime conditions. This also applies to Abrams tanks, many of which Ukrainians have already lost.

Ukraine received 31 Abrams tanks as part of the support package. All of them are M1A1 variants. A publication in Military Watch magazine suggested that the Russians have already managed to destroy or damage 20 of these tanks. These numbers are not based on documented Ukrainian losses, but even comparable data are not optimistic. According to the creators of the Oryx blog, which aims to document material losses of the warring parties in Ukraine, Russians have already eliminated 13 such American tanks. This has been confirmed by photos and footage from the front.

In April this year, General Waldemar Skrzypczak, former commander of the Polish Land Forces, mentioned in an interview with WP Tech that Abrams tanks are not invincible. The Russians have proven this, among other things, through the use of drones. These drones have proven to be such a significant threat to the American vehicles delivered to the front that the local authorities are drawing conclusions, which are already translating into plans for building new units and training.

"This is something we have been discussing for some time, but now we are starting to see that it is more common in conflicts," said Colonel James Modlin in the context of the growing role of drones on the battlefield. "The competencies of a professional army start with understanding the threat, but they don't end there. Therefore, we pay close attention to the conclusions drawn abroad and observe what is happening worldwide," he added.

Drones used by the Russians (as well as the Ukrainians) are often not advanced units specially prepared for the needs of the army but small, cheap, and commercial models. They have cameras providing live feeds and small explosive charges. They operate on the principle of kamikaze weapons. Thanks to air operations, they can conduct proper reconnaissance and precisely locate enemy equipment. A skilled drone pilot is able to carry out a precise attack and hit a weak point (in the tank, this is often located at the top of the entire structure).

The M1A1 Abrams tanks were produced from 1985 to 1992. Designers did not anticipate that they would have to fight in conditions where drones were one of the opponent's main weapons. To some extent, the modifications used by Ukrainians, such as canopies, metal nets, and Kontakt-1 reactive armor blocks, are helpful.

The sides, especially the frontal armor of the M1A1 Abrams tanks, are very durable. These machines' offensive capabilities are also impressive, significantly greater than those of the Soviet-era tanks common in the armies of Russia and Ukraine.

American machines are equipped with a 120 mm caliber cannon with a length of 44 calibers and machine guns of 0.5 inches and 0.3 inches. Ukrainian soldiers appreciate Abrams tanks' "accuracy, excellent stabilization, and maneuverability despite their heavy weight" (about 137,000 lbs).