US, Dutch, and Czechs partner to supply T-72B tanks to Ukraine
Ukraine's 90 T-72B tanks will benefit from advanced optics, communications, and armour packages. (Photo: DVIDS)
The US and Netherlands will each provide funding for 45 T-72B tanks from stocks in the Czech Republic to Ukraine under the trilateral agreement.
The US, Netherlands and Czech Republic have partnered to provide Ukraine with 90 overhauled T-72B main battle tanks, according to a 4 November announcement.
Deliveries of the tanks to Ukraine will begin before the end of December and last through till 2023.
The supply of the tanks will bolster Ukraine’s armoured fighting capacity and complement T-72s already provided by other countries.
The US and Netherlands have agreed to jointly fund a Czech industrial initiative – coordinated by the Czech MoD. The 90 tanks will come from Czech defence industry inventories. While the Czech industrial partners were not specified, both Excalibur Army and VOP CZ list T-72 upgrade work among their capabilities.
The tanks are part of $400 million in security assistance for Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
The latest USAI package also provides for refurbishing Hawk air defence missiles so they can be included in a future Presidential drawdown.
Other support includes 1,100 Phoenix Ghost UAS, 40 armoured riverine boats and funds to refurbish 250 M1117 armoured vehicles.
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