![]() ![]() The upgrade involves rebuilding to a ‘like new’ condition, similar to the US Army Abrams integrated management programme (AIM). In June 2006, Saudi Arabia requested the foreign military sale of 58 M1A1 tanks and the upgrade of these and the 315 M1A2 already in the Saudi inventory to the M1A2S configuration. The remaining 41, to be based in Darwin, were delivered in March 2007. The first 18 tanks were delivered to the Australian Army at the School of Armour in Victoria in September 2006. The contract was signed in November 2005 and the first five were handed over in February 2006 at GDLS in Lima, Ohio. Washington’s reported promise on 24 February to deliver a significant number of its own Abrams tanks appears to have broken the deadlock.Īn official US announcement on delivering Abrams is expected in the coming days.In March 2004, the Australian Army announced the purchase of 59 US Army M1A1 tanks to enter service from 2007. Germany has tried to tie the supply of Leopards to a wider coalition that would supply other tanks, including US Abrams – a tank viewed by experts as being less suitable for the war in Ukraine because of its heavy consumption of fuel. The supply of main battle tanks had been seen as problematic because of their much more obviously offensive capabilities. It prefers a multilateral approach on arms supply to Ukraine rather than being seen to be moving unilaterally.Īlthough Germany has supplied a large amount of equipment to Ukraine, including armoured cars, it has also been wrestling with its post-second world war tradition of anti-militarism. Germany’s position on sending heavy weaponry has been conflicted. Chart of Leopard 2 inventories of European and Nato countries Why the delay? ![]()
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