As of yesterday, three of the four major Western main battle tanks have suffered battle losses in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including the American M1 "Abrams" series, Germany's "Leopard 2" and the United Kingdom's "Challenger 2". The conflict in Ukraine has made people re-examine these tanks, which were once hailed as "the world's firsts", but they are unable to meet the challenges of the modern battlefield. Under the fierce attack of FPV drones, these tanks are no longer "land kings", but "playthings" with ease.
Russian troops destroyed the first M1A1, Abrams tank of the Ukrainian army in the Avdiivka region. The tank was first attacked by a drone, then hit by an anti-tank missile, and was completely scrapped. And in the Northern Military District of Ukraine, three other M1A1 tanks and a "Leopard 2" tank were also destroyed one after another, which makes people sigh that the "family" should still be neat.
The battle damage incident has aroused widespread concern. Russian soldiers who destroy M1A1 tanks will receive handsome bonuses, which also highlights the economic motivation of the war. While some believe that Ukraine is getting a low-end version of the American M1A1 tank, in reality its armor protection has not been significantly reduced. And in the face of FPV drone attacks, these tanks did not perform as well as they wanted, raising concerns about the fate of future main battle tanks.
Looking back at the three main battle tanks that the West aided Ukraine, the British "Challenger 2" was the first to participate in the battle, but the first battle loss was not long in time. Hopes were high for the German Leopard 2, but it survived for only eight days before suffering its first losses. As for the American M1A1, the curtain fell on its fate only three days after its deployment to its first destruction. This series of war-damaged incidents makes people wonder if the role of tanks in modern warfare is no longer what it used to be.