U.S. Has Yet to Approve Transfer of Australian Abrams Tanks to Ukraine

The M1A1 Abrams tanks, which Australia has decommissioned and committed to sending to Ukraine as part of its military aid, have yet to leave Australia.

The Australian outlet ABC reported on this.

The media notes that there are some logistical challenges involved in transferring the Abrams tanks to Ukraine. However, officials from Australia’s defense department also partly attribute the delay to the United States.

In March, it was first reported that complications had arisen with the planned transfer of tanks after U.S. President Donald Trump temporarily froze military aid to Ukraine, resulting in a halt to the operations of the logistics center in Poland.

Defense officials familiar with the situation now report that the process is facing further uncertainty, as the formal approval from the United States, required before the Abrams tanks can be transferred to another country, has yet to be granted.

“We’re beginning to question whether the Ukrainians truly want these vehicles — the roof of the Abrams tank is its weakest point, and this is a war dominated by drones. There are also concerns that, should a potential peace agreement emerge, it might be impractical to have tanks aboard ships in the middle of the ocean. Additionally, there’s a shortage of officers needed to oversee the equipment at sea,” explained one defense official, who preferred to remain anonymous.

Furthermore, before being shipped, the tanks must undergo minor repairs and have systems removed that the Australian military considers classified. As of March 2025, the tanks were still undergoing the dismantling of systems that were exclusively used by the Australian army.

However, the Australian Department of Defense stated in a comment to ABC that Australia remains on track to fulfill its plan to supply M1A1 Abrams in 2025, and the export process of the M1A1 is ongoing.

“The Department of Defense continues to work with the Ukrainian government in accordance with the agreed arrangements for the transfer, including supply and maintenance,” he stated.

In October 2024, Australia committed to transferring 49 M1A1 AIM-SA Abrams tanks to Ukraine. These tanks were used by the Australian army from 2007 to 2024 as part of two armored regiments.

During their service, the tanks were upgraded to the SA (Situational Awareness) version. This included enhancements to the surveillance systems and the addition of a thermal imaging sight on the M2 Browning machine gun mount.

Additionally, as part of the SA upgrade, the Australian Department of Defense also ordered additional protection kits in the form of M19 dynamic protection blocks in an unknown quantity. It is unclear whether the dynamic protection will be transferred along with the tanks.