Against Vladimir Putin's army: According to a photo, additional protective measures have been taken on the Abrams main battle tanks of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Donbass – It's tough: arms deliveries from Germany and the USA to Ukraine have been slowing down for weeks, while the Russian armed forces on the battlefield could be switching to a new, old tactic.
Weapons for Ukraine: Abrams main battle tank apparently equipped with reactive armor
In the Ukraine war, 31 Abrams main battle tanks arrived from the United States. While Kiev is apparently very careful with the 68-ton behemoths, a photo from the front makes it clear that after much hesitation, additional protection was attached to the massive tanks.
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.
Tanks for Ukraine: M1 Abrams are probably equipped with reactive protection tiles
Tiles or plates are attached to the body of armored vehicles. A layer of explosives is attached to a metal plate. When a projectile hits, for example the shaped charge of an anti-tank weapon, the reactive armor is intended to disable 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 unknown. At least there is snow, so the photo shouldn't be too old. Challenger 2, Leopards, Bradleys – Western tanks that did not yet have reactive armor have repeatedly been seen on the battlefield in recent months.
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 about their lives. The measure could be observed, for example, on Leopard 2 main battle tanks, which was documented in a video from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense at the beginning of September. In the case of the “Leos”, the weak points, the steep sides of the turret, are obviously intended to be protected against Russian anti-tank guided weapons such as the “Kornet”.
The explosive tiles that can be seen 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 like the Soviet RPG-7 in Iraq and Afghanistan. The comparatively large explosive boxes are called “Abrams Reactive Armor Tile” (ARAT).
Ukraine's M1 Abrams tank: M-19 modules are intended to protect against anti-tank guided weapons
The type designation is M-19 module. According to the American Manufacturer “Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense” Since 2006, U.S. forces have relied on the modular system, which can be installed by hand, “as a rapid response to insurgent threats 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 company, the modules on the tank can be replaced even in “battlefield conditions” because of their easy handling. The equipment therefore does not require regular maintenance, a power connection or sensors. Soldiers from both sides have been using various anti-tank weapons and kamikaze drones since the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Like the Ukrainians, the Russians also retrofitted their tanks w
ith reactive armor and even cage armor. The losses remain high – on both sides. (pm)
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