Australia secretly handed over all 49 Abrams tanks to Ukraine via Poland
Australia has completed a classified operation to hand over 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, which were delivered through Poland. The details of the mission were first reported after it was fully completed by ABC News, according to The Public.
The first 37 tanks arrived in Europe back in July, with the final 12 units delivered in the last two weeks. All of the vehicles were retired from the Australian army, but have never been used in combat. Each tank weighs about 60 tonnes and is equipped with a 120 mm cannon.
The operation started in October in Geelong, Victoria. The tanks were loaded onto a separate cargo vessel, and five Australian Defence Force personnel escorted them at sea for 55 days. After arriving in Europe, the armoured vehicles were taken to a secret facility in Poland, where another 16 soldiers set up a temporary repair base.
Before being handed over to Ukraine, each tank was fully inspected. The chassis, weapons systems, optics and electronics were inspected. It took about seven days to prepare one batch. At the same time, a group of logisticians worked to provide tools, consumables and support for the railway transport to the Ukrainian border.
Canberra emphasises that secrecy was a key condition for the security of the operation. Australia has already provided $1.7 billion in military and financial assistance to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. In December, the government provided an additional $95 million in defence support.
Despite the debate over the effectiveness of tanks in a drone war, military experts consider the Abrams to be one of the most powerful armoured vehicles in the world. Ukraine will adapt the vehicles on its own, in particular by strengthening its defences against attacks from above.
The last 12 tanks have already been delivered by rail from Poland to Ukraine. Along with the equipment, the country also received technical support.
