The United States will begin training Ukrainian forces in the use and maintenance of the Abrams tanks while continuing to accelerate its efforts to get them to the battlefield as quickly as possible, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Friday.
According to officials, 31 tanks will arrive at the Grafenwoehr, Germany, training area at the end of May and troops will start training a couple of weeks later.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters he expects the training center to cost between 150 and 200 million euros ($165 million to $220 million) per year, which “we will divide fairly, like all the rest”. He said he expects it to go live by the end of next month.
The US goal has been to have Ukrainian troops trained by the time the overhauled Abrams tanks are ready so they can immediately go into combat. The tanks are being refitted to meet the needs of Ukraine.
General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, added that he believes the US tanks will be very effective on the battlefield. “I think the M1 tank will make the difference,” he said, advising that “there is no silver bullet in war.” According to the officials, around 250 Ukrainian soldiers will be trained, some will learn how to operate the tanks and others will learn how to repair and maintain them.
Additional training on how to fight and maneuver the tanks could also be provided after the first 10 weeks. So far, the United States has trained 8,800 Ukrainian soldiers who have already returned to the battlefield, and an additional 2,500 are now undergoing training. Their training has included everything from basic weapons instruction to how to conduct combat operations and maintain and repair equipment.
Under pressure from Ukraine, the Biden administration said last month it would speed up the delivery of Abrams tanks, opting instead to ship an older model that is refurbished but may be ready very soon.
At the same time, the Pentagon must ensure that the Ukrainian forces have an adequate supply chain for all the parts needed to keep the tanks running.
