Abrams tank in M1A1SA modification spotted in the forefront
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have added 31 American tanks to their armored fist. The Pentagon supplied the vehicles in the simpler M1A1 modification. It is the most widespread in the US army.
Experts believed that the Pentagon would supply Abrams tanks in the FEP modification, which had been decommissioned by the Marine Corps. A photo taken at the front suggests that the Ukrainian army has received a simpler version of the SA. The US Army has about 650 units of such vehicles.
According to Forbes, the FEP, SA, and A2 modifications do not differ too much from each other. They are equipped with the same systems with the following exceptions:
- The M1A1SA cannot be used to fire programmable munitions due to the lack of a data link.
- The M1A2 is equipped with two third-generation thermal imaging sights for the tank commander and gunner.
- The M1A1 fires smoke grenades from the M257 launcher (FEP uses the M250 launcher for this purpose).
- The M1A1SA is equipped with a commander’s thermal imager mounted on the machine gun mount.
Current US legislation prohibits the export of tanks with uranium armor. That is why the Armed Forces of Ukraine received vehicles with tungsten armor protection. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the tanks were delivered to the United States in small quantities. Therefore, they will not be able to play a leading role on the front line.
