 U.S. officially approves shipment of first batch of Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The United States approved the shipment of the first batch of Abrams tanks to Ukraine. They will arrive by early fall. Tanks are done. Now they have to get to Europe and then to Ukraine, along with all of the things that go with them. Ammunition, spare parts, fuel, equipment, repair facilities. So you know it's not just the tanks, it's the full package that goes with it. That's still on track. U.S. Army acquisition chief Doug Bush told. The U.S. began training the Ukrainians on the tanks in May in Germany. The 31 tanks destined for Ukraine had been undergoing refurbishment and preparation for shipment for several months. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden announced its intention to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine in January 2023. It took this step after months of insisting that the tanks were too difficult to maintain and repair in order to induce Germany to supply its leopard tanks. The U.S. significantly accelerated the time needed to send tanks by deciding earlier this year to transfer older M1A1 models instead of a more modern version of the tank. The U.S. promised to deliver 31 tanks to Ukraine. In June 2023, the media reported that the Biden administration was planning to approve the transfer of depleted uranium projectiles for Abrams tanks to Ukraine.