Western tanks with ERA armour in Ukraine

[+Gepard]

For the Ukraine terrain we have western tanks, like Abrams, Leo1 and 2, in the basic shape, as they are used in the western military. I the last year the ukrainians found out, that the armour protection of this tanks was not good enough to defeat russian ATGM or bigger drones, like the Lanzet. Thatswhy they fitted the tanks with Kontakt 1 ERA blocks from soviet times.

Here some photos:

This Abrams was captured some day ago in Sumy region. It has ERA blocks on the turret front and sides, but no side skirt.

This captured Abrams has massive thick side skirts.

So does the Abrams look with ERA and folded turret cage, short after delivery

Here a sideview with unfolded  cage. Good to see is the massive side skirt.

Leopard 2 with ERA blocks on turret and side skirts. Nice to see the anti drone jammer antennas on the turret roof.

Perhaps one of our talented modders could make Abrams and Leo 2 models in 2025 standard.

Edited June 5 by Gepard

[Righteous26]

Look up the M1 TUSK and TUSK 2 modifications that the US used in Iraq. The fourth picture looks like TUSK blocks on the skirts. The issue with putting all that ERA on the M1 is that it quickly exceeds 70 tons total. This would cause it to bog down in muddy terrain.

[EricJ]

I wouldn't mind seeing some of the newer stuff in the game too, need to update it and stuff.

[Wrench]

in the meantime, maybe as a stop-gap measure, data ini edits could raise/increase the armor protection.  I'd double the thickness, and make sure TITANIUM is used. Apparently, that's the strongest material we have in game.

I remember when doing the up-armoring for the original Desert Strom mods, it took 3 rounds from a T-72 to kill an Abrams

[simonmiller416]

huh, it will takes two weeks to ctrl+c and ctrl+v

[+streakeagle]

M1's sent to Ukraine had their advanced armor plates removed to prevent capture by the Russians, not unlike export T-72's sent to the middle east that didn't have their advanced laminate armor plates installed, which allowed M60A1 tanks to 1-hole them with 105mm at maximum range.

[+Gepard]

9 hours ago, streakeagle said:

M1's sent to Ukraine had their advanced armor plates removed to prevent capture by the Russians, not unlike export T-72's sent to the middle east that didn't have their advanced laminate armor plates installed, which allowed M60A1 tanks to 1-hole them with 105mm at maximum range.

The ukrainian Abrams have no armour plates made by depleted uranium. Thats true. But depleted uranium is not much better than steel, when attacked with HEAT warheads. And drones with HEAT warheads are the most dangerous enemy of a modern tank in Ukraine.

[Righteous26]

There is more to the M1s armor than the DU. The armor is a modular package that can be replaced by welding a new package onto the hull or turret. The DU is not the only change in those tanks. The shaped charge protection is not the same. There have been at least five iterations of the Burlington/Chobham armor since its inception. The tanks the US gives some countries, Iraq for example, likely are Desert Storm veterans with no DU in the armor or ammunition, older versions of the Burlington armor and a different fire control system. One advantage the downgraded M1s likely still retain is the kevlar spall lining that protects the interior of the tank. Russian vehicles generally do not have this which leads to even a non-penetrating hit creating fragments that can injure or damage people and ammunition. This is part of the reason the UK Army uses HESH rounds.

[EricJ]

It's simply saying that export M1s (not just Ukraine) don't have the DU inserts because local USA tanks have an advantage, should the friend turn into an enemy. That's been since I deployed to Kuwait in December 2000 or so. It's that simple.

[+daddyairplanes]

all of this is forgetting that you'd need some ecm entries, if ground vehicles can have that

On 6/6/2025 at 2:11 PM, Wrench said:

 make sure TITANIUM is used. Apparently, that's the strongest material we have in game.

did TK not add ADAMANTIUM or VIBRIANIUM  as options?

[KJakker]

Leopard I

https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/06/20/ukraine-leopard-sniper-tank/