US tanks in Ukraine under siege as Russia ramps up production

The United States delivered 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, with deliveries beginning at the end of September 2023. Vladimir Putin's soldiers are making extensive efforts to remove these tanks from the battlefield, employing special anti-tank missiles for this purpose.

The Russian authorities have, in recent times, geared their economy towards a wartime footing. While this shift has not resulted in noticeable benefits in some areas, it has significantly boosted ammunition production to meet set objectives.

Operating round-the-clock, Russian factories manage to produce approximately 250,000 artillery shells per month, equating to around 3 million per year. This output starkly contrasts with that of factories in the United States and certain European countries, which combined, can produce only about 1.2 million artillery shells annually for Ukraine.

Anti-tank missiles are critical for the Russian army, particularly for engaging tanks. The Russians explicitly focus on targeting Abrams tanks, which Ukraine receives from its American partners.

The Ukrainian army has so far reported only three confirmed losses among the 31 American tanks.

The M1A1 Abrams is equipped with an advanced vision system that enables it to identify opponents from as far as approximately 8 kilometres away. However, the Ukrainians have since adjusted their tactics, deploying the tanks at the front lines to face direct confrontations with the Russians, for whom the American tanks are among the highest priorities.

The M1A1 Abrams is the earliest version of tanks used by the United States Army. It represents an upgrade over the original Abrams tank. The inaugural M1A1 model was produced by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) in 1985.

The tank stands out from its predecessor due to improvements such as an enhanced suspension, an upgraded transmission, superior armor, and a redesigned turret mounting. It is widely regarded as the most formidable tank globally, with the units supplied to Ukraine having undergone further modernization and enhancements.