Why is there so much talk about tanks?

Tanks will likely become very important given the current war in Ukraine.

According to Ukraine, a major Russian offensive will be launched in spring. This could see another half million Russian soldiers enter battle.

The tank can be a major weapon in ground wars that involve large infantry offensives.

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Didn’t experts agree that this war had rendered tanks obsolete?

They did. However, it was the older type of tanks that Russia and Ukraine were using.

There were Soviet-made T-64 tanks, up to the T-90. The number denotes the year that the tank was first put into service.

More than 1,500 anti-tank weapons supplied by the West and destroyed on the Russian side by Ukrainian spotters who used drones.

Why is the West asking for more tanks from the Ukrainians?

Although the Ukrainians have many tanks, they also have T tanks. The T-64 and T-72 are older and more vulnerable to Russian attack.

Modern battle tanks are needed to repel a Russian springtime offensive. They are safer, more powerful, and faster than ever.

They also require them if they are to penetrate well-dug-in Russian forces, reclaim the land taken by the occupiers, and break through their defenses.

Continue reading:

Sending Ukraine tanks weakens UK forces

Berlin requested permission to send Leopard 2 tanks in Ukraine

What are they looking for?

The German-made Leopard 2 tank is the best for Ukraine.

Tanks are judged on their ability and resistance to attack.

The Leopard 2 is agile, well protected by armour and has state-of the-art targeting.

It is also operated by 14 European countries. Therefore, spare parts are readily available.

Would they not want the Challenger tanks that the British are sending them?

The Challenger tank is very capable, but the UK has to spare only a dozen.

Ukraine needs 300 tanks. Experts believe that if Ukraine gets 100 tanks, it will make a significant difference.

The British are primarily offering them to the Germans as a way to convince them and other nations to send their own tanks.

Does that work?

No. Germany is reluctant to send tanks, but has also given permission for other countries to send them instead. This is because Berlin has the export license.

Germany claims that this would change if the Americans sent their Abrams tanks as well.

Are Abrams tanks better?

It’s similar to buying a second-hand vehicle. It’s important to have spares and service available.

Because of its ubiquity throughout Europe, the Leopard has an advantage in both these departments.

Abrams M1 also loses fuel consumption points over its German counterpart, and this is a problem that matters with fuel scarcity.

Will the US send some to encourage the Germans release the Leopards anyway?

No.

They want more Europeans to help Ukraine.

They also worry that the Abrams could mean that Ukraine’s main offensive capabilities are American-supplied, which would increase the ante in war. This would play into Russian propaganda claims that the war is about fighting US aggression.

What happens if Ukraine doesn’t get the tanks she wants?

Russia’s wartime leader Joseph Stalin once stated that “quantity has its own quality” and Russia is mobilizing hundreds of thousands troops to prepare for a major offensive in spring.

According to Ukrainian commanders, Western-supplied tanks are crucial for repelling this threat. Many military experts agree.

They will need them quickly if they want to be able to train them and effectively use them to defeat the Russian threat.