Ten months after the first deployments of American-supplied M1A1 Abrams tanks by the Ukrainian Army in combat, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has concluded that the vehicles were “not useful” for Ukraine’s war effort. When asked whether the Biden administration could have better prepared Ukraine for offensives against Russian forces, Sullivan cited the Abrams as an example of how many kinds of American weapons did not have the desired impact in the theatre.

“When it comes to Abrams tanks, we sent Abrams tanks to Ukraine… These Abrams tank units are actually undermanned because it’s not the most useful piece of equipment for them in this fight,” he stated. The Abrams is widely considered the most capable tank class in the Western world, and uniquely among Western tanks boast gas turbine engines providing improved mobility. Following the delivery of 31 of the vehicles to Ukraine from September 2023, Australia in October 2024 pledged to deliver 49 more M1A1 Abrams tanks, although unlike those from the United States which were newly built, those from Australia have already seen decades in service.