Abrams Tanks Arriving Soon For Ukraine For Training Purposes Only - Pentagon

The Abrams M1 tanks which are due to be sent to Germany in the coming weeks will only be used for training purposes and are different from the refurbished tanks that will be sent to Ukraine later this year for combat use, Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said on Monday.

"These (M1 Abrams) tanks will be for training purposes only. These will not be the refurbished tanks that eventually go to Ukraine. And that is because those refurbished tanks are being produced to Ukraine's specifications, and they will be used in actual combat," Ryder said during a press briefing.

The provision of training tanks to Ukraine will enable the United States to do the training concurrent with the production of the tanks for Kiev, Ryder said.

Earlier in April, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the Pentagon has managed to expedite the delivery of 31 Abrams tanks for training purposes and they will arrive in Germany in the coming weeks. According to media reports, the training on M1 Abrams tanks is expected to last for 10 weeks.