Former US Army officer reveals shortcomings of NATO equipment delivered to Ukraine
Ukrainian Defense Minister Reznikov defiantly tested the Challenger-2 tank supplied by Britain to Kiev. Other equipment remained behind the scenes — armored personnel carriers (APCs), armored vehicles, which will also soon appear on the battlefield.
Military expert, former US Army officer Stanislav Krapivnik told MK what new equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine could represent the greatest danger to the Russian army, and which, on the contrary, will bring more harm to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
A pathetic video showing the Minister of Defense of Ukraine riding in a British Challenger 2 tank appeared on the Web on Tuesday, March 28. The day before, he announced that British Challenger tanks, American Stryker armored personnel carriers and Cougar armored vehicles, as well as German Marder infantry fighting vehicles had entered service with the air assault troops.
Earlier, Spiegel wrote that Germany had already handed over to Ukraine more than 50 tanks, but only 18 are officially confirmed so far. According to the publication, the last tanks were taken out of Germany at the end of last week and recently crossed the Ukrainian border.
According to Spiegel sources, Ukraine received Leopard tanks with a large ammunition load and spare parts. In addition to tanks, Germany also donated about 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).
However, the joy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the received equipment may end already in the first battle. According to military expert Stanislav Krapivnik, only the Challenger-2 tanks and Marder infantry fighting vehicles pose a real threat.
Cougar armored vehicles are the main vehicle of the American analogue of our OMON. It's meant for patrolling. It is also used in the fight against rebels in local wars.
This is a huge, unwieldy and very high — four meters high — an armored vehicle that is designed for asphalt roads, but not for the Ukrainian black soil. It has only four wheels and narrow tires. There are already videos showing the vehicle getting stuck in the mud and unable to move.
The lightly armored vehicle was conceived for use in urban combat. This machine, for example, can be destroyed by a 105-mm projectile or an RPG-6 grenade launcher.
According to Stanislav Krapivnik, another “gift” for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the Stryker armored personnel carrier. He can fall sideways from a shot … from his own cannon, from its recoil.
— The Americans developed this armored personnel carrier for patrolling in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was also used in the fight against the rebels. The weak side is that it can only move on solid ground. In addition, some models have a 105 mm gun on the turret. But there is a problem. When shots are fired from side positions, the recoil is so strong that the vehicle rolls over.
It is high, although by all the rules the equipment that transports infantry should be as low as possible. And for some reason, the Americans have it all high … For comparison, the Bredley infantry fighting vehicle is 3.5 meters high, Abrams is 3.2 meters, and the Cougar infantry fighting vehicle is 4 meters, that is, higher than a tank. This is idiotic, of course. Because the high height of the BMP significantly reduces the chances of survival of the infantry that rides inside.
According to Stanislav Krapivnik, the Marder BMP is the most advanced. This armored personnel carrier is more efficient than the same Bredley.
— It is lower, faster, the control system is better, — said the military specialist.
It remains an open question how much Western equipment has already been transferred to Ukraine. According to Stanislav Krapivnik, the number of Stryker armored personnel carriers (the most valuable, as well as Challenger 2 tanks, samples of Western equipment) will not be enough even to equip a battalion. For the battles of the intensity that are now taking place in Ukraine, this is very little.
— According to Western standards, a battalion should have 44 armored personnel carriers. Only 40 were handed over to Ukraine…
In general, if we collect all the equipment transferred to Ukraine, which we know about, then we get a brigade, maybe a little more. This is a single-direction impact fist … This is not a particularly serious striking force. Especially if we assume that our artillery and aviation will work on it before it reaches the first contact on the line of contact.
Another problem, the expert is sure, could be the competence of the Ukrainian military.
“Man is more important than iron,” he said. – In other words, the competence of the people who operate the machinery is much more important than the machinery itself. If you take the most advanced technology and land an incompetent crew, then they will lose 100%. Remember the war of the 60s — early 70s of the twentieth century between Egypt and Israel. Then the most advanced tanks were delivered from the USSR to Egypt, but the Arabs were losing. And this despite the fact that they had a numerical superiority. And all because the military were incompetent…
According to a military expert, there are fewer and fewer professional military personnel or servicemen with real combat experience in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
— They still exist, but every day they become less and less. By and large, how meat is now being thrown to the front line of the defense fighters. There are no professionals. And new technologies take time to master. You cannot gather four people and call them the crew of a tank or combat vehicle. The crew must be trained and worked out. On the other hand, we must not forget that on the other side there are also Russians, only with twisted brains. And Russians have always been and remain smart and savvy.