Australia Sends First Batch of M1A1 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine After U.S. Approval

The first Australian M1A1 Abrams tanks are on their way to Ukraine after receiving the final consent from the United States.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to United24.

During talks in Rome, on May 18, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally thanked Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the long-awaited delivery, which includes 49 refurbished tanks. “The Abrams tanks are already making a difference on the front lines,” Zelenskyy said, highlighting their deployment in Ukraine’s ongoing defense against Russian forces.

Australia’s contribution comes from its retired a battalion of Abrams tanks, used from 2007 until 2024. The tanks have undergone light refurbishment and the removal of national-specific systems. Their transfer required U.S. authorization due to strict export controls on American-made defense equipment.

While the loading process has begun, defense officials in both countries have declined to reveal the full information about the tanks’ current location or projected arrival timeline, citing operational security.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles emphasized that the shipment was the result of “close coordination” between Canberra, Kyiv, and Washington. “The first units have been en route for some time,” he confirmed in a statement to the press in Melbourne.

Once the full delivery is complete, Ukraine will possess approximately 85 M1A1 Abrams tanks, combining the 31 units sent by the United States with the 54 now being donated by Australia. This shipment is expected to bolster Ukraine’s defense efforts significantly.

As The Gaze reported earlier, partner countries of the Drone Coalition, including Australia, have allocated €20 million from a joint fund for the purchase of tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance drones for the Ukrainian Defence Forces.