Abrams tanks outfitted with reactive armour debut in the Ukraine conflict

A photo has surfaced on social media from the front line, showing an M1A1 Abrams tank in service with the Ukrainian army. Notable are the reactive armour blocks mounted on it. This is the first confirmed instance of Ukrainians using this type of modification on the Abrams. We will explain exactly what was applied and why.

The photo shows Kontakt-1 blocks, which were designed back in the 1980s but are widely used by both sides of the ongoing conflict. They have been seen on many different armoured vehicles, but not on the best Western tanks, including the Abrams. The use of this solution may be due to the actions of the Russians, who have already managed to destroy several of these machines.

The solution in question is nothing more than small boxes (weighing about 5 kg) containing explosive material. They detonate at the right moment to damage or change the trajectory of an incoming threat and protect the vehicle’s main armour and the crew inside. The entire solution is based on prematurely detonating the shaped charge warhead of the enemy projectile.

Reactive armour blocks (explosive reactive armour) can be effective but mainly against the simplest anti-tank weapons, such as single-head grenades, and small, improvised drones. Earlier reports from the front indicated that Abrams tanks were targeted by the Russians, who managed to eliminate several of these tanks already. Importantly, the drones mentioned also turned out to be a significant threat to the machines provided by the USA.

It is worth recalling that the standard configuration of these American tanks includes armour panels made of depleted uranium. However, the variants sent to Ukraine were modified, and the differences from the original included the armour. The Abrams tanks sent against the Russians have tungsten inserts. According to assurances, their durability was expected to be similar to the older depleted uranium panels, whose potential capture by the Russians could reveal sensitive American technologies.

Gen. Waldemar Skrzypczak recently noted in a conversation with WP Tech that Abrams tanks are not invincible and further losses should be expected. So far, 31 Abrams tanks have been delivered to Ukraine. The Russians have already destroyed five of them, and at least three others have been damaged.