These models are considered to be the most lethal and state-of-the-art in the world not only for their attack capability, but also for the resistance they have to attacks thanks to state-of-the-art armor created with a unique alloy of materials. among others, is depleted uranium,
Considered to be one of the densest components in the world that can be used in the arms industry for this type of purpose, the main problem with it is its main characteristic. Just as it can withstand impacts from large caliber weapons over other armor, inhibits its radioactivity free export.
As revealed by the special portal ‘The Warzone’, the composition of this “special armor” of M1 Abrams They have already carried this uranium since their first versions built in the late 80s. In the same manual for the use of battle tanks, he warns that in the event of armor penetration, crew members must follow a Protocols for Controlling Radioactive Contamination,
This depleted uranium armor was progressively incorporated into older M1s in addition to other improvements such as advanced ceramics… which is not to say that this update has been generalized. In fact, US Army M1s currently in service in Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco and Saudi Arabia do not have this uranium shield.
Sending radioactive material from one country to another isn’t easy, and many ban it outright. Even if it is for machinery of these characteristics.
M1 Abrams deployed in Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco and Saudi Arabia do not have DU-enhanced armor
Due to the other qualities of these tanks, the need to export them has not yet closed. Abrams’ owners created A special edition for sale abroadThe M1A1M, for example, is used by the Iraqi Army. It does not have uranium shielding, but it has other improvements with which they are intended to provide a sort of additional benefit that overcomes this shortcoming.
In this context, and despite what was promised by Biden and the Pentagon, the United States military it would be hard to include that feature In battle tanks deployed in Ukraine. Although they already have about 10,000 units of these M1s modified with this armor, they cannot be sent directly to the front. Not only because of a legal issue in exports, but also because of the fear that one of those 31 compromised units would be captured by the Russians And these, with reverse engineering, get data on the armor that they clearly don’t want to give.
It is clear that, either they build them from new or they retrofit some units already built to remove material, the M1 Abrams to be deployed in Ukraine will come out without the ‘Black Leg’ armor and Much later Zelensky’s government would like: It is estimated that it will be in late 2023 or early 2024,
Meanwhile, the European coalition has promised that Ukrainian forces will have to make do with the Leopard 2. Despite this setback, M1A2s (second generation) are already being modified in Poland to incorporate the new turret as part of a kind of mitigation to counter this situation.
