Training of Ukrainian Abrams crews to begin in the near future

21 April, 2023 Polish military during exercises with Abrams tanks, November-December 2022. Frame from the video The United States plans to start a training program for Ukrainian crews of M1 Abrams tanks in June this year.

The Associated Press reports. The U.S. Department of Defense officials announced on Friday that the first M1 Abrams tanks for the training of the Ukrainian military were expected to be delivered to Germany by the end of May.

31 tanks will arrive at Grafenwoehr Training Area in eastern Germany. According to the officials, about 250 Ukrainian troops will be trained -- some of them to operate the tanks while others to repair and maintain them. Additional training for Ukrainians on how to fight and maneuver with the tanks could also be provided after the initial 10 weeks.

According to the official, the training of Ukrainian soldiers and mechanics will be conducted by American instructors from the training command of the Seventh United States Army. Meanwhile, a separate batch of 31 Abrams tanks, upgraded to Ukrainian specifications, is expected to arrive in Ukraine later this year.

Abrams M1 being unloaded at the port of Gdynia, Poland, on December 3, 2022

Instead of the M1A2 Abrams promised in January of this year, the Defense Forces of Ukraine will receive M1A1 tanks. The transfer should take place by autumn.

The decision to send M1A1 Abrams tanks was made jointly with Ukraine to speed up deliveries. "DOD, in close coordination with Ukraine, has made the decision to provide the M1A1 variant of the Abrams tank, which will enable us to significantly expedite delivery timelines and deliver this important capability to Ukraine by the fall of this year," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen.

Pat Ryder shared during a briefing. According to Ryder, the M1A1 Abrams will have "a very similar capability" to the M1A2, including advanced armor and weapons systems, such as a 120 mm cannon and 50-caliber heavy machine gun. The main difference between the basic versions of the M1A2 and the M1A1 is a more powerful armor protection package, which tanks are equipped with, and modern electronics.

However, the FEP and AIM-SA versions of the M1A1, which are currently in service with the U.S.

Army, have undergone significant modernization, which partially brought them to the M1A2 level.

M1A1 Abrams tank of the US military in Iraq, 2005.

Photo from the open sources