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Ukrainian tank crews are scheduled to begin training on 31 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks provided by the US government.
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Troops will arrive in Germany to begin training in the next couple of weeks, according to Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder during a briefing on 15 May.
The US announced it would deliver the tanks with weapons and advanced armour in January using funds from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, however, the US Defense Department decided in March to refurbish M1A1 Abrams tanks already in inventory to shorten the timeline.
The training will not only prepare crews for operating the tanks in battle, Ryder said, but will also prepare maintenance personnel to keep them operational.
“The 31 M1 Abrams training tanks have arrived at Grafenwoehr, Germany in preparation for subsequent training of Ukrainian tank crews,” Ryder said.
“This extensive training program for Ukrainian crews and maintainers is intended to prepare them for their critical roles ahead and effectively operating the M1 tank and defending Ukrainian people.
“Certainly, a key aspect of the training will be maintenance and sustainment of that capability. The M1 is a complex machine that requires a lot of maintenance to sustain it and keep it operating so that will be crucial.
“These tanks are intended specifically for training and don’t necessarily have the capabilities that they would need to go into combat.
“The tanks that we will be providing to Ukraine are going through the refurbishment process right now. They will be updated, upgraded, and prepared for exportability to Ukraine and … we will be able to provide those tanks to them in the fall timeframe to get them into Ukraine before the end of the year.”
Around 500 Ukrainian soldiers are currently conducting combined arms training at the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels training areas in Germany for instruction marksmanship, rendering medical aid, and basic soldiering tasks.
More than 10,700 Ukrainian soldiers have completed training and returned to the frontlines, including 6,100 who have completed small arms training, 4,000 who have completed specific platform training, and 600 who have completed staff training.
Brig Gen Ryder said he couldn’t comment on requests from Ukraine for fighter aircraft.
“I don’t have anything to announce today in regards to any type of fighter aircraft,” he said.
“We’re going to stay in very close contact with Ukraine and with our allies and partners to look at both their near term and longer-term security needs.”
