National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said on Tuesday that the United States was working to get the Abrams tanks to Ukraine as soon as possible.
“We’re working on it,” Kirby said. “There are a few changes that can be made to the process to speed it up.”
Knowledgeable sources have also reported that the Pentagon plans to begin deliveries of Abrams tanks and other military equipment to Ukraine this fall.
Recall that the Biden administration promised to supply Ukraine with 31 M1 Abrams tanks. An aide to a congressman with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had considered several options to expedite delivery and offered a solution that would cut delivery times by about a year. .
The Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the accelerated timeline, as the Department of Defense had not yet given a specific date for the start of preparations for the delivery of tanks to Ukraine, saying only that it would take ” months”.
Austin could consider, for example, an option such as the supply and use of tanks whose sensitive equipment has been removed so that they cannot be studied by the Russian army if captured on the battlefield .
The General Dynamics production line currently produces approximately 12 Abrams tanks per month.
Funds to modify the Abrams tanks will come from a fund known as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which allows the Biden administration to manufacture new weapons to supply them rather than drawing them from stockpiles. American weapons. USAI’s next round of funding is being prepared by the end of this month, sources said on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, Republican Senators Jim Rish and Roger Wicker, along with Republican Congressmen Michael McCall and Mike Rogers, today sent a letter to President Biden urging the administration to supply Ukraine with slot guns. – ammunition such as Advanced Dual Purpose Conventional Ammunition (DPICM).
“Despite the benefits (of such munitions), the administration appears determined to deny Ukraine a DPICM due to vague concerns about the reaction of allies and partners and unfounded fears of ‘escalation,’ the officials said. lawmakers in a statement released by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee . . . “However, other countries have already supplied these weapons, which has not resulted in any significant escalation from Russia. We understand that other allies are also considering the supply of cluster munitions, and we encourage you to join in these efforts.
Lawmakers wrote in a letter that Russian troops continue to attack Bakhmut, using Wagner PMC mercenaries. To counter this tactic, Ukraine has approached the United States for the supply of DPICMs, which are highly effective against enemy personnel and mechanized vehicles.
