The US is working to supply Ukraine with Abrams tanks “faster than previously expected,” the White House stated Tuesday.
“So, we’re working on that. There’s some changes that you can make to the process to sort of speed that up,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby instructed the MSNBC community.
President Joe Biden introduced in late January that the US will ship 31 M1 Abrams tanks.
But Kirby stated there are challenges with the tanks, with Washington not having “a lot of them just sitting on the shelf” and coaching how one can use them.
“Just as an example, the fundamental coaching on the Abrams tank for American troopers is 16 weeks lengthy, and that is simply the fundamental coaching on how one can function it.
“Then you have to know how to maintain it. And then you have to have a supply chain setup to actually keep the parts and supplies going while you’re in combat while you’re fighting and why these tanks are no doubt going to be taken some hits. So, there’s a lot that has to be considered when we get them in advanced system,” he added.
Later, at his news convention, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen Pat Ryder stated the Department of Defense, in shut coordination with Ukraine, determined to supply the M1-A1 variant of the Abrams tank.
He stated the variant “will enable us to significantly expedite delivery timelines, and deliver this important capability to Ukraine by the fall of this year.”
Ryder additionally famous that the US will give Ukraine the M1-A2 variant, which he stated contains superior armor and weapon methods.
“Again, this is about getting this important combat capability into the hands of the Ukrainians sooner rather than later,” he added.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
