Arguably one of the best manned tanks ever made, the refurbished M1 Abrams is not faring well in the Ukraine and it is estimated the UKR forces have lost 20 of the 31 tanks supplied to them. This is not only a result of inadequate training, immature doctrine and sloppy logistics but the happenstance of the hard knocks schoolroom in a 21st century near-peer fight in which the manned tank is simply not of any martial utility anymore when a salvo competition of cheaper munitions makes it a munitions sponge.
The article below insists that a lack of air cover doomed the tanks but I would suggest the Revolution in Military Affair (RMA) we are witnessing real-time in the RUS-UKR conflict is that in this war of inexpensive leakers, those trying to kill the tank just have to get lucky with their probability of kill or lobbing swarms of UAS and missile munitions at the tank or infantry fighting vehicle to gain a mission or catastrophic kill. Once these behemoths are identified on the battlefield, they will attract plenty of attention and eventually be turned into scrap by munitions that costs a fraction of the price of a tank.
My perennial readers are well aware of my dim view of the state of military technology in the West but the sparkling success of the FGM-148 Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium and its ingenious design is a bright spot that continues to shine after nearly three decades in service.
The era of the manned tank is over.
The M1 Abrams, despite being one of the best tanks ever built, has proven ineffective in Ukraine. Designed for different combat environments, the Abrams tanks supplied to Ukraine have been decimated due to a combination of inadequate air cover and modern Russian tactics using drones and anti-tank missiles.
Combat in Ukraine has evolved significantly. Now, a static front has become more fluid, thanks to the innovative use of drones and anti-tank weapons. The Abrams MBT was designed for mobility but has been hit hard by anti-tank drones, missiles, and mines. The tanks in question were part of Ukraine’s 47th Brigade, facing stiff combat conditions in places like Avdiivka, one of the areas on the front where the Russians have had total military dominance over the Ukrainians.
The M1 Abrams was designed to fight a different kind of war. Initially meant to stop a ground invasion of Western Europe by the Soviet Red Army, the tanks were quickly repurposed to fighting in the desert. The tank is older and not well-suited for fighting in an environment like Ukraine.
Without comprehensive air cover, the M1 Abrams tank is useless. And that is precisely how Ukraine was using the tank – without sufficient air cover. The Abrams became susceptible to the drone swarms Russia was deploying against Ukraine’s armor. The drones in question are capable of striking at these tanks from angles where tank armor is less effective (such as at the top of the tank or in the rear).
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/ukraines-m1-abrams-tank-dilemma-nightmare-212730
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