First tranche of Australian army tanks arrive in Ukraine

More than half of the 49 Australian tanks pledged to Ukraine have arrived, nine months after the Albanese government committed to a $245m military aid package.

An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams main battle tank is lifted onto a ship in Australia, bound for Ukraine. Picture: Australian Defence

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More than half of the 49 Australian Army tanks pledged to Ukraine are now in the hands of its armed forces – nine months after the Albanese government first made the commitment.

Under the promise, announced in October 2024, Australia agreed to provide Ukraine with dozens of recently retired M1A1 Abrams tanks in response to a formal request from Kyiv, in a move aimed at bolstering the country’s fighting efforts against Russia’s ongoing invasion.

The Australian tanks – valued at $245m – were originally scheduled to be retired this year and replaced by next-generation M1A2 models.

Yet they are still in good condition and are widely regarded as more advanced than many of the tanks currently operated by Russia’s military.

The transfer marks the first tranche of armoured equipment delivered under the agreement, and follows a prolonged delivery process that was delayed by bureaucratic hurdles in the US.

Until recently, the tanks had remained in Australia due to extended delays by the US in approving their export.

In April, The Australian revealed that the vehicles were still on Australian soil, with the US State Department only seeking congressional sign-off for the transfer about three weeks prior.

In a statement announcing the transfer, Defence Minister Richard Marles said the federal government remained “steadfast” in its support for Ukraine.

Mr Marles said he had met with Australian Defence Force personnel who had helped deliver the first tranche of tanks.

“The M1A1 Abrams tanks will make a significant contribution to Ukraine’s ongoing fight against Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion,” he said.

That view was shared by Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy, who said the promised military hardware would provide Ukraine’s armed forces with “more firepower and more mobility”.

“They meet a direct request from the Ukrainian government and form part of Australia’s unwavering commitment to protect the global rules-based order,” he said.

Once completed, the tank transfer will bring Australia’s contribution to Ukraine since the start of the conflict to $1.5bn, while the ADF also continues to contribute to efforts to train Ukrainian military personnel.

Despite the pledged military support, neither Australia nor the US has committed to covering maintenance costs or providing ammunition for the tanks — potentially limiting Ukraine’s ability to deploy them effectively.

The first tranche of M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks gifted to Ukraine are prepared for servicing at a port in Europe. Picture: Australian Defence

Sources have previously told The Australian it would cost about $US100m ($153.7m) a year to keep the tanks in working order on the battlefield.

The arrival of the first tranche of Australian Army tanks comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stretches into its 41st month and efforts to broker a ceasefire between the two countries have stalled.

This week, US President Donald Trump, in conjunction with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, announced a major arms package to build up Ukraine’s defences.

With Russian President Vladimir Putin ramping up missile and drone bombardments of Ukraine in the hopes of ending a deadlocked conflict, Mr Trump also threatened on Monday (Tuesday AEST) to slap “very severe” tariffs on Moscow unless it agreed to a ceasefire within 50 days.

Mr Trump’s increasingly tough stance against the Kremlin comes amid ardent efforts by European leaders to convince him to bolster armaments for Kyiv and drag Mr Putin toward serious negotiations that would bring about an end to the conflict.