U.S. tank policy and the situation in Ukraine
Recently, the issue of the United States providing M1 tanks to Ukraine has attracted much attention. During his visit to Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin allegedly offered to withdraw the seven M1A1 main battle tanks that had been provided and planned to replace them with 28 Leopard 2 tanks. This decision has sparked widespread speculation about what exactly the United States is thinking about
Ukraine has received M1 tanks, but these tanks have not performed as well as they could have done on the battlefield in Ukraine. The Leopard 2 tank is considered a better alternative by the United States. But it is worth noting that the Leopard 2 tank has also suffered a lot of losses in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which makes the US decision-making much attention.
In the past, Leopard 2 tanks have been dubbed the "king of land warfare", but they are not invincible on the battlefield in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Minister had asked the soldiers about "whether to capture the Leopard 2 tank alive" to show doubts about its combat effectiveness.
U.S. decision-making involves the impact of regional conflicts, especially on military equipment. If the M1 tanks are damaged in Ukraine, then they may become a display in the Russian Equipment Museum, damaging the image of the United States as the world's leading equipment.
This situation is particularly sensitive to the United States. The American Seahorse has been destroyed in Ukraine, and other ** equipment may also be captured or destroyed. Therefore, the United States may choose to avoid the conflict and avoid its own ** becoming a target for Russia.
This decision also gives a glimpse of the US unoptimistic attitude towards the situation in Ukraine. Whether this rumor is true or not, it shows that the United States is afraid of Russia's powerful firepower and anti-tank **.
Austin's trip to Kyiv may not be confirmed by specific public announcements, but it does reflect the United States' realistic view of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. For the United States, it is essential to maintain the performance of ** equipment on the battlefield. As a result, the United States may be more inclined to preserve its own image of equipment.
The repeated consideration of the United States on the issue of Ukrainian tanks may be to maintain its own face, but also to maintain its best equipment strength in the world, which is equally important for the United States, which has always prided itself on being powerful.