American M 1 tanks now going to Ukraine

[Packard27]

I am curious to learn just how long it takes to train up a few hundred amateur Ukrainian tankers and their officers to service, operate, and then fight an M1 Abrams tank.

It ain't like learning to fly a helicopter, but neither is it as easy as getting a week on a rifle range or mastering the timing and headspacing on a Ma Deuce either. Tanks are complicated beasts, but especially the American M1 Abrahams.

[1802/TF Ripper]

[bruce MN]

I would imagine that competent tank commanders have been training here since the beginning of or even before the conflict.

[Packard27]

Time will tell, I suppose.

[rsbs]

Pack, I am with Bruce on this one.....what on earth have you seen from the joebiden fiasco....ahem....I mean administration.....to suggest that they would mess this one up, too?

Sarcasm off now.

[r3020]

Do we get paid before or after delivery?

[Packard27]

Ha Ha Ha...good one!

Think of it as a private loan...to your wife’s ne’er do well, little brother.

[rsbs]

Gayle King and Co, aka CBS morning news attempt, just reported the sale of the tanks and said it was going to take months to train the Ukrainians.

Bruce, good enough answer for you? or do you need more backup?

Sorry lot of incompetent fools.

[rickgthf]

  Previously, the time to train an Abrams tank crew was 15 weeks, more recently the army lengthen it to 22 weeks but remember, that assumes the crews have zero experience.  Ukrainian crews will likely already have actual battlefield experience so they will already know battle and maneuver tactics.  They will just have to learn how to operate the tank.

   And keep in mind, there are already 3-4 American armored brigades in Europe with 250-350 Abrams available to train on with lots of good trainers.

  I would guess 5-7 weeks.

  I wouldn't want to be a Russian "mobik" in Ukraine this spring.

[Packard27]

I think you might be underestimating the time, space, and logistics aspects for what is needed to pull this latest war escalation with Russia off, but your point is taken. It can be done, but how long will it take? More importantly, can America also support the significant (and continuous) maintenance/supply side demand that will accompany the M1 tank commitment? 

Ukraine, or even Poland & Germany are not Fort Benning, GA. What can be done at an established US Army armor school that routinely uses long time experienced trainers, technicians, and mechanics is just going to be different for what can be provided to foreigners who are five thousand miles away from our facilities.

[r3020]

This is nothing but another step to putting US soldiers on the ground in Ukraine.