BY OWN CORRESPONDENT Debate has been raging about problems around the deployment of American armored vehicles in Ukraine.
We are talking about MaxxPro armored vehicles that were recently delivered in the interests of Kyiv.
These are 13-tonne armored vehicles with a 4×4 wheel formula.
They are positioned in the United States by the manufacturer as a “promising replacement for HMMWV armored vehicles.”
No more than a dozen of such armored vehicles (International MaxxPro) were delivered to Ukraine. The specific power of these pieces of equipment is up to 20 hp. per tonne.
The International MaxxPro, which arrived on Ukrainian soil, was reportedly previously used by US forces in Iraq.
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Now the Ukrainian military in social media networks share their impressions on the operation of these machines.
It is noted that on asphalt, concrete, hard ground, the car “goes confidently, it is comfortable for seven to nine fighters to be in it.”
But as soon as armored vehicles move out onto relatively loose ground, and even more so wet, problems begin.
Under its own weight, MaxxPro literally buries its wheels into the ground.
It becomes impossible to get out of such a “ground trap” on your own.
You have to use another armored vehicle to pull out the stuck one on a cable.
According to the Ukrainian military, the ground can hardly be called too wet, but this option is enough for the International MaxxPro to get bogged down almost on the upper edge of the wheel.
In such a situation, MaxxPro turn into easy targets for tanks or ATGM calculations.
The 155-mm M777 howitzers supplied by the Americans to Ukraine do not meet the requirements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Kyiv had asked the United States to supply some other howitzers, but not these.
Also, Ukraine is in great need of ammunition for the American MLRS.
This was stated by the smbassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova.
Kyiv outlined its new “Wishlist” to Washington by handing over a new list to the US military.
In principle, there is nothing new there, Ukraine still asks for the supply of artillery, ammunition for it, as well as shells for the HIMARS MLRS.
Kyiv is no longer asking for the complexes themselves, earlier in the Pentagon they said that they had delivered “a sufficient number” of MLRS to Ukraine.
I was surprised by the request to supply howitzers of a different type, “different from those already supplied” M777, apparently the “three axes” turned out to be really not suitable for intense hostilities.
According to Ukrainian sources, the guns seem to be good, but too capricious.
It is possible that the United States will delve into its arsenals and find something else old that it was a pity to throw away, but for Ukraine it will be just right.