Ukraine seeks Australian military aid: Tanks and helicopters on the table

The possibility of transferring Australian tanks and helicopters to Ukraine has been in the news since 2023. According to the Defence Express portal and other media, Ukrainian politicians have now taken formal diplomatic steps. The Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, and the head of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, Kateryna Ogir, during a meeting in Canberra, urged the Australian government to send Abrams tanks and retired MRH-90 Taipan helicopters to Ukraine.

Ukraine has so far received 31 Abrams tanks as part of support from the United States. While there were initial talks of sending the M1A2 Abrams models, the older, refurbished M1A1 Abrams models were ultimately chosen for deployment. These tanks have a 120 mm gun, 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns, weigh about 63 tonnes, and are almost 10 metres in length. Despite their size, they can reach speeds of up to 67 km/h.

Australia has 59 of these M1A1 variants but upgraded with Situational Awareness packages. This upgrade includes better thermal imaging for the gunner, the Far Target Locate system, and enhanced armour. The consideration for their transfer comes as Australia is updating its forces to the newer Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 variant, which is the same version ordered by Poland.

Australia has retired 45 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters following technical issues and a crash in late July 2023 that killed four Australian soldiers. The request from Ukraine for these helicopters came too late, after the process to scrap them had begun. However, in February, reports surfaced that retired soldiers and engineers are willing to volunteer their time to refurbish the Australian fleet of MRH-90 Taipan. Despite the scrapping process, Australian media sources suggest that a "handful" of these helicopters could still be salvaged and made airworthy.

The MRH-90 Taipan is a multi-purpose helicopter powered by two engines (either Rolls-Royce Turboméca RTM322-01/9 or General Electric T700/T6E1) with a combined output of over 5,400 hp. It can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h and operate at altitudes of up to 6,100 metres. The helicopter has a maximum seating capacity of 20 passengers.

Ukraine is seeking additional helicopters and fighters, as Russia has maintained air superiority since the conflict began. Kyiv has already initiated efforts to acquire F/A-18 Hornet fighters from Australia and has also considered French Mirage 2000 fighters. Currently, they are eagerly awaiting the promised F-16 fighters from several European countries, with the latest updates indicating they could arrive in Ukraine by March or April.