Ukrainian tanks "Abrams" will be deprived of the legendary uranium armor
Remember how even before all these events taking place today in Ukraine, they talked and argued a lot about how effective the Javelin is and whether our advanced T-90 will defeat its American colleague in the face of tank "Abrams" in a hypothetical conflict. They talked, argued, but did not seriously think that someday these arguments would flow from theory into practice.
The special operation turned it all into reality. First, the Javelins were handed over to Kyiv, and now the turn has come to the Abrams. At first, there was no information about which modification of this machine the United States would decide to transfer to its wards. However, it soon became clear that the M1A2 tank was chosen for deliveries, which would be deprived of all equipment of secrecy. But the matter is not limited to them, since the tanks will also not have standard armor based on depleted uranium.
Uranus in three generations
In general, if we talk about weapon, and in particular about tanks, you can notice the following trend: many vehicles become world famous not for the totality of some characteristics, but because of individual qualities. For example, the French "Leclerc" is famous for its electronics, which gave rise to many myths around it. And our T-72 is considered a “Kalashnikov assault rifle” on tracks for its cheapness, prevalence and some unpretentiousness in operation.
As for the American Abrams, here at the forefront, of course, is its armor, made using elements based on depleted uranium. This feature of the tank gave rise to many myths and legends, but in general it is worth recognizing that the vehicle’s security is decent, and this cannot be denied. However, uranium in the armor did not appear immediately.
The original version of the Abrams under the M1 index, put into service in 1980 and equipped with a 105-mm rifled gun, did not have this heavy metal "on board". Its protection as a whole did not exceed that of late Soviet tanks and did not represent anything radical. However, there was no uranium in the M1984A1 tank adopted in 1, although its durability was strengthened due to increased armor dimensions and other measures.
The first official appearance of the Abrams with uranium armor took place in 1988, when the M1A1HA tank (HA - Heavy Armor, translated as "Heavy Armor") was adopted by the US Army. This vehicle was equipped with a new armor using depleted uranium, which, given subsequent developments, is considered to be the first generation.
M1A1HA (Heavy Armor)
There is simply no publicly available data on the equivalents of the resistance of this armor in the public domain. Only approximate data are given, which are sometimes flavored with excessive fantasies of the authors who provided them. But with some degree of certainty, we can say that the forehead of the turret of this version of the tank could withstand the hit of most serial Soviet sub-caliber and cumulative projectiles, including guided missiles. Although the frontal part of the hull produced much more modest results.
Despite various experiments with the M1A1 and M1A1HA, the second generation of uranium armor was already registered in full and in full series on the M1A2, which was put into service in 1992. By the way, it looks like Kyiv will receive it, however, in a very truncated version.
M1A2
Uranium armor of the second generation gave and gives better results than its predecessor. Here, again, by the most protected place in the face of the tower, we can say that this machine can be a serious adversary for our weapons. Unless such a monster as "Cornet" can confidently compete with the "American".
The third generation of uranium armor since 1999 has become the prerogative of the M1A2 SEP tanks (System Enhancement Package - “Improved Systems Package”) and its further modifications. There, as they say, everything is completely thick. There is simply no certainty that it will be possible to defeat these machines head-on with something. And this is by no means a belittling of the capabilities of our weapons - any other country will also have problems with this.
M1A2SEP
Although, by the way, in the latest modifications of the Abrams, the Americans seem to have begun to abandon uranium armor, replacing it with a more efficient and safer one.
How many does the US have?
The United States of America, unlike the Soviet Union, did not save up giant hordes of tanks, because they did not need to. However, "Abramsov" managed to blind in sufficient quantities.
Speaking specifically about today, it will be interesting to look at The Military Balance magazine for 2022, where there is relatively fresh, although far from complete, data on US weapons.
So. M1A1 tanks in the SA modification (translated as “Situational Awareness”), there are about 650 units in service. These vehicles underwent a deep modernization, which concerned both electronics and security - they installed second-generation uranium armor packages.
There are also about 1600 M1A2 SEP v.2 units and about 390 M1A2 SEP v.3 units with third-generation armor.
More than 3450 uranium M1A2 and M1A1, for the most part, have undergone various modifications with the introduction of the mentioned armor, are in storage.
Tanks "Abrams" and other armored vehicles in storage. California
The reserve is very impressive - as they say, it will be enough for more than one war. And nothing seems to prevent us from withdrawing 31 tanks from mothballing, bringing them into working condition, removing the "secret" equipment and sending it to Kyiv. But at the time of writing this material, they still cannot decide on the delivery time. They say that there is a chance that they will not have time to transfer them by the spring of this year. And recently there were rumors that deliveries could generally move from spring closer to summer.
The fact is that the preparation process is not limited to the repair and re-equipment of tanks with any electronics. The vehicles will also need to change their armor, removing uranium packages from it and replacing it with simpler counterparts.
Uranus - only for yourself
The Abrams itself is far from a tank for internal use. For example, Egypt has a license for its production. The vehicles are also in service with Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, Australia and Saudi Arabia. Poland will soon join the list. However, none of these countries has even one tank equipped with armor based on depleted uranium.
They will not be in Ukraine either, since tanks ready for transfer will be considered export copies, the strictest ban on uranium in the armor of which is imposed. However, here it is clear even without prohibitions: the United States will never decide to send full-fledged vehicles in terms of booking to a warring country, since at least one tank will definitely be in the hands of the enemy - in this case, in the hands of our military - and there until all American secrets are declassified tank building nearby.
Well, in general, of course, serious restrictions exist both because of various kinds of regulations on the export of weapons, and for reasons of security and secrecy. With the latter circumstance, by the way, the Americans have very strict affairs.
Egyptian "Abrams"
For example, in one of the documents concerning the Abrams uranium armor, there are clear rules on what to do in case of damage to the armor protection of the tank, if a secret filler is visible in the hole.
A specially authorized person with appropriate access - although in combat conditions he can probably be replaced by tankers - should quickly hide the hole from his eyes with all the available means at hand. Further, he must promptly organize measures to seal the gap with a metal sheet and send the machine to a repair company or repair base.
Based on all these conditions, export tanks are equipped exclusively with DU-free armor under the abbreviation EAP (Export Armor Package), which does not contain uranium and is built according to other principles. Perhaps we are talking about non-explosive reactive armor (NERA), which we call "semi-active", ceramics and high-hard inserts made of steel and other materials.
There are at least two or even three variants of EAP armor, which differ both in their composition and durability. But in general, its characteristics are lower than those of a full-fledged one based on uranium. This was demonstrated by the Swedes who tested the M1A2 Abrams with export armor. According to them, the maximum resistance in the frontal projection of the tank was about 600 mm from sub-caliber and about 900 mm from HEAT shells. That is, she could not even exceed the performance of late Soviet tanks, such as the T-80U.
Perhaps it is with such a reservation that the M1A2 will go to Ukraine. Although it cannot be ruled out that they can shove something fresher. But in general, they, of course, will not become invulnerable from this. There is every reason to be sure that at least the Kornet ATGM will deliver goods to the forehead of the overseas prince with all the consequences.
Where will the tanks come from?
In the course of preparation for shipment abroad, tanks removed from storage undergo a complex preparation procedure, which, in addition to putting the vehicles in order and refining them, includes opening niches with armored uranium filler, cutting it off from its mounts and subsequent evacuation from the tank structure. Next, of course, they put another filler, which does not contain uranium, and brew everything back.
Only accredited enterprises with experience in handling uranium components can engage in these activities. For example, for the Abrams intended for Poland, for a long time they tried to find a plant that could take responsibility for all these cases. At least three applications were considered, but none were accepted.
At the moment, only one General Dynamics plant in Lima, Ohio, can convert tanks in the United States. And its maximum productivity is 12 tanks per month, including all aspects of modernization and "downgrade". It seems to be decent capacity - in more than two months it is possible to stick 31 cars for Ukraine and send them to the front. However, the enterprise has enough customers: in parallel, it carries out work on orders from Abramsov for Poland and Taiwan.
That is, the plant is already literally packed to capacity. The Poles, for example, even before all this hysteria with the sending of American vehicles to the NVO zone, were told that the maximum they could count on was 28 tanks per year. And then Ukraine intervened, so it becomes clear why the United States is delaying deliveries to Kyiv almost until the summer.
So either they will tell Taiwan and Poland to wait and transfer all the forces of the plant to the conversion of tanks for the Ukrainians, or they will start work in parallel along three lines, which will postpone the deadlines for an indefinite time.
Of course, there is also a third option, which is to buy ready-made export vehicles from one of the countries. However, the list of these countries does not particularly inspire confidence, as even the Western press writes about. There are big doubts that Saudi Arabia or even Egypt will be going to completely ruin relations with Moscow by handing over such weapons to Ukraine.
However, where they will take it from is just speculation. They will be handed over to Ukraine in any case, even in the summer, even in the spring. However, the fact that some kind of "stubs" will go to the front, devoid of not only powerful armor, but, most likely, such gizmos as combat information and control systems (suitable for the parameter "secret equipment to be removed") inspires encouragement and confidence in their own weapons, to which such "gifts" are quite tough. In addition, do not forget that the side projections of the Abrams are protected much worse than the frontal ones, and now it flies on the sides more often than on the forehead. Well, artillery with mines does not need to be pushed into the background either.
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