Ukraine faces a significant dilemma with the deployment of American Abrams tanks recently received from the United States. The primary concern causing this hesitation is the tanks' inadequate armor, potentially making them vulnerable to destruction by Russian drone attacks. Additionally, the challenges posed by the winter weather are contributing to the postponement of their deployment until the arrival of more favorable conditions.
While the M1 Abrams tanks are among the most heavily armored in the world, they are not entirely immune to attack. Specifically, FPV (First-Person View) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) pose a substantial threat, especially targeting the tanks' weaker armor on their upper and side parts. Expert Gabriel Silviera, who has been monitoring the situation of these tanks in Ukraine, highlighted on a social media platform the potential vulnerability of these areas. Older anti-tank ordnance could penetrate the thinner armor, causing significant damage, including injuries or fatalities to crew members and damaging electronic components inside the turret.
Ukraine has likely chosen not to deploy the American Abrams tanks for now, as they work on additional armoring. This approach mirrors the enhancements made to British Challenger and German Leopard tanks. Older Challenger 2 models were equipped with side skirts and protective plates on the thinner lower front part of the hull, while Leopard 2A4 tanks received robust, comprehensive reactive armor that explodes outward to deflect an incoming blast.
Silviera suggests that the most suitable solution for protecting the American M1 Abrams tanks would be the installation of protective cages. These cages, attached to the sides and top of the turret, could deflect FPV attacks several centimeters away from the tank's hull, thereby enhancing their defensive capabilities. Ukraine thus faces the challenge of upgrading these vehicles' defensive mechanisms before fully deploying them on the battlefield.