Russia to Study Captured American Abrams Tanks Alongside German Leopard 2A6

Multiple Russian sources have reported that at least one of the M1A1 Abrams tanks captured by Russian forces in Ukraine is expected to be studied in detail at the country’s largest tank production facility Uralvagonzavod. With over 20 of Ukraine’s 31 Abrams tanks having already been neutralised, the confirmed capture of several of these, some with only very minor damage, provides one of the first ever opportunities for an American adversary to take one of the vehicles apart for detailed study. While in the 2010s there were concerns in the United States that Abrams tanks sold to Iraq were being operated by Iranian-aligned militias there, and could be transferred to Iran for study, this never materialised, making Russia’s capture of the vehicles the first case for an adversary state. The value of capturing Abrams tanks is significant due to how widely they are deployed, with over 4000 of the vehicles in service or in storage in the United States representing the full sum of the country’s tank forces. Three of the class’ most recent clients, namely Poland, Australia and the Republic of China, are also considered to be on the frontlines of potential future conflicts. 

In late September footage confirmed that at least one German-supplied Leopard 2A6 tank captured from Ukrainian forces had been sent to Uralvagonzavod for study, with Russian media outlets reporting that specialists were analysing the vehicle’s components, systems, and subsystems for intelligence on its capabilities, including “to assess the actual military-technical level of various systems and the captured vehicle itself.” It is likely that Leopard 2A6 tanks will provide more valuable intelligence than Abrams tanks for two primary reasons. The first is that Abrams tanks sent to Ukraine were built specifically for export, with sensitive technologies removed accordingly, while Leopard 2A6s were taken directly from German Army stockpiles. The second is that the Leopard 2 is by far the most widely used tank class in NATO, with 15 NATO member states currently operating the vehicles, while several more either have the tanks on order or are expected to place their first orders. It is expected that intelligence on the Abrams tank in particular will be highly prized by Russian strategic partners, in particular China and North Korea, following sales of the vehicles to the Taipei-based Republic of China which remains officially at war with the Chinese mainland, and due to the fact that the South Korean K1 tank is a very close derivative of the Abrams design. 

After Ukraine began to receive Abrams tanks in September 2023, they were first seen deployed on February 23, 2024, with the tanks having seen the first loss confirmed just three days afterwards, followed by a succession of further losses over the next two months. This culminated in a temporary withdrawal from the frontlines in April, although after they were again deployed they again suffered high rates of losses. Most kills filmed have been achieved by guided artillery or by single use ‘kamikaze’ drones, with one of the tanks was confirmed to have been achieved by a Russian T-72B3 tank after the two exchanged fire near Avdiivka. The Abrams’ effectiveness has increasingly been questioned by figures including U.S. Undersecretary for Defence for Policy Colin Kahl and U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Ukrainian personnel have highlighted their dissatisfaction with the Abrams’ performance, citing both technical issues such as vulnerability of electronic components to condensation, as well as their vulnerability to Russian fire.