Some American Equipment Found Unprepared for War in Ukraine - The Hill.

American M1 Abrams Tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicle Undergoing Upgrades

American M1 Abrams tanks and the Bradley fighting vehicle were found insufficiently protected against attacks from Russian drones, anti-tank missiles, and explosives. Therefore, they are being upgraded by installing steel frames around the combat vehicle frames. This modernization is being conducted under the Steel Front initiative.

A serviceman of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade told The Hill that protective screens are necessary to preserve equipment and the lives of soldiers on the battlefield.

Protective screens for combat vehicles like Abrams and Bradley are necessary to preserve not only expensive equipment but also soldiers' lives on the battlefield.

Oleksandr Myronenko, Chief Operating Officer of the Metinvest Group, explained that drones try to block tanks by targeting the engine or turret. Once blocked or stopped, tanks become an easy target for artillery or other drones.

Usually, drones try to stop a vehicle, stop an armored personnel carrier, so they aim for the engine or turret of the tank to block it. And when a tank is blocked or stops on the battlefield, it becomes an easy target for artillery or other types of drones.

Protective screens increase the survivability of combat vehicles by 35%, although they need to be replaced after one UAV strike.

Ukraine received 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks from the USA and is handing them over to the military. However, the weak points and shortcomings of the American Abrams tanks call their effectiveness into question.