US expects to begin delivering Abrams tanks to Ukraine in September

US Abrams tanks are likely to arrive on the Ukrainian battlefield in September, according to six people familiar with the planning, as Kyiv’s forces push to retake territory in a counteroffensive that is picking up steam, Report informs via Politico.

The plan is to send a handful of Abrams tanks to Germany in August, where they will undergo final refurbishments. Once that process is complete, the first batch of Abrams will be shipped to Ukraine the following month.

The potential August and September deliveries mark the most specific time frame provided for when America’s main battle tank is expected to roll onto the battlefield. Pentagon officials have previously said the Abrams would be in Ukrainian hands sometime in the fall.

The US is sending older M1A1 models instead of the more modern A2 version, which would have taken a year to get to Ukraine.

The initial batch will involve six to eight tanks, said the industry official and the congressional aide. In total the US is planning to send 31 tanks, a Ukrainian battalion’s worth.