Wharfie, that's HUGE news, but not because the number of tanks is significant.
If you think about it, Ukraine is set to receive maybe a grand total of 200 Western tanks. (This isn't counting the M2 Bradleys and all the other armored vehicles that Ukraine will get, mind you.)
Will 200 tanks make a difference? Let's compare the numbers.
RuZZia obviously has one to two thousand tanks in Ukraine right now, plus a shitload of other armored vehicles. As of last September Oryx counted over a thousand RuZZian tanks lost during the conflict, and that count only included the losses that were confirmed using open-source data.
So in terms of sheer magnitude, a few hundred Western tanks aren't going to mean much.
However, the pipeline of Western military assistance is widening. Sending 31 M1 Abrams tanks doesn't sound like all that much, UNTIL you recognize just how complicated the logistics are. That M1 tank is expensive to fuel, operate, and maintain. The supply chain network needs to be set up, along with maintenance crews, parts, and all the associated training.
So in short, the 31 M1 tanks is just the start. The setup of the pipeline is the key here. After the 31 tanks are sent, it would become much easier for America to send more if needed.
Tenchusatsu
P.S. - On the other hand, I don't think Zelensky is going to sit on 200 tanks and not do a thing with them. He'll probably use them in a combined arms offensive which should get Ukraine closer to the prize, which is Crimea. |
