Ukraine's hybrid tanks: Blending US power with Soviet armor

The Ukrainians from the renowned 47th Mechanized Brigade showcased the M1A1 Abrams tank, which, in addition to the TUSK reactive armour package, also includes a comprehensive package of Soviet-style Kontakt-1 reactive armour tiles. We explain why this variant was developed and what the modifications offer.

For a long time, the 47th Brigade, along with other units, defended regions initially around Avdiivka and then areas stretching westward up to Pokrovsk. The brigade is known for its daring raids on Russian positions using M2A2 Bradley ODS infantry fighting vehicles and M1A1 Abrams tanks.

After initial issues, these vehicles were adapted to the specific conditions of the Ukrainian theatre of operations. This involved the application of drone jammers and the use of a large number of Kontakt-1 reactive armour tiles in areas not protected by American ARAT tiles.

Although Ukrainians praised the Abrams for its powerful armament, advanced fire control system (FCS), and effective isolation of ammunition from the crew, there was criticism regarding its vulnerability to FPV drones.

The Abrams didn’t explode like Russian tanks when hit, even in the ammunition compartment. However, some units were still lost. Therefore, Ukrainians decided to mount Kontakt-1 reactive armour tiles on selected parts of the tank that were not protected by the ARAT armour, which is part of the TUSK package.

K-1 tiles were applied extensively, starting from the drone-vulnerable upper front plate to the front and sides of the turret or hull. Moreover, K-1 tiles containing about 250 grams of a strong explosive charge were placed even on the turret roof and, unexpectedly, on the gunner’s sight.

In such cases, the detonation of a K-1 tile could potentially damage the FCS, blinding the tank. Although K-1 tiles are difficult to detonate—something like a 14.5x114 mm calibre rifle wouldn’t suffice— a 30 mm calibre cannon certainly could.

It's significant to note that this armour considerably increases resistance to strikes from FPV and Lancet-3 drones, but also significantly adds to the tank’s weight. The M1A1 Abrams tanks generally weigh around 70 metric tonnes, and the addition of Kontakt-1 reactive armour can increase the weight by over 2 metric tonnes. For T-72 tanks, the Kontakt-1 tile package weighs about 1.3 metric tonnes, and since the Abrams is larger, it requires a dedicated mounting frame.

This leads to overloading and faster wear on the suspension and engine, resulting in more frequent breakdowns. Additionally, it's unknown how the Ukrainian package affects the Abrams' blowout ammunition compartment system, which is designed to safely expel damaged sections in case of ammunition ignition.