Ukraine to receive nearly fifty Abrams tanks from Australia
Photo: Abrams tank (GettyImages)
Australia will provide Ukraine with 49 Abrams tanks as part of a new military aid package worth $245 million, ABC informs.
According to the media outlet, Australia will provide Ukraine with Abrams tanks that will soon be decommissioned from the country's army. The official announcement of the tank transfer is expected to be made by Australia's Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy during a NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels.
It is also worth noting that Australia recently received the first of 75 new M1A2 tanks, which will gradually replace the older M1A1 models. The transfer of the tanks required approval from the United States under international arms trade regulations.
Transfer of Australian Abrams tanks to Ukraine
In August, it was reported that Australia had decommissioned Abrams tanks that Ukraine had requested. At the time, Ukraine urged Australia to provide 14 tanks and train Ukrainian crews. However, the Australian government decided to reject the request.
Later, media outlets wrote that Australia might still transfer the decommissioned American Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The possibility of such supplies was under consideration by the government.
