US-donated Abrams tanks have been quickly sidelined in Ukraine amid fears that they are too easy to detect with Russian drones.

While Ukraine is under direct attack, the Abrams M1A1 battle tanks are too difficult for Ukraine to operate smoothly, according to US officials.

The arrival of Russian surveillance drones and hunter-killer drones has changed the status quo on the battlefield. 

The proliferation of drones on the Ukrainian battlefield means “there isn’t open ground that you can just drive across without fear of detection,” a senior defence official told AP on Thursday.

Massed armour in an environment where unmanned aerial systems are “ubiquitous” can be at risk, added another expert.

Five of the 31 tanks sent by the US for $10m a piece in 2023 have already been lost to Russian attacks.

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