[News in War History] The 'Great Plains' Terrain of Ukraine Opens the Era of Tanks After 70 Years

First Combat Deployment in Europe During World War I
From Infantry Support Role to Battlefield Main Player
Fuel and Ammunition Supply Challenges for Both Russia and the West

Editor's Note[News in War History] is a content series created to provide multifaceted perspectives on the constantly evolving global war and conflict news. Through 'News,' we first understand the current situation; through 'History,' we analyze the hidden meanings behind the news; and through 'Implication,' we offer insights into the near future. We visit you every Sunday, and after 40 episodes, the series will also be published as a book.

Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1991, tanks sealed in military warehouses across European countries have been put back into active maintenance. With the announcement of large-scale tank support for Ukraine, European tanks are heading to the front lines for the first time since World War II.

As the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war approaches, there are forecasts that Russia will prepare a major offensive with the forces amassed since last summer, prompting Ukraine to request hundreds of tanks to defend the front lines. Ukraine, characterized by mountainous terrain and vast plains with almost no cover, is particularly concerned about Russia launching a large-scale tank battle.

How much tank support from Western countries will arrive before Russia's major offensive is also a key issue. Ukraine is eagerly awaiting Germany's Leopard 2 tanks, which have lower maintenance costs compared to the U.S. Abrams tanks, which are the strongest in terms of power but have high upkeep expenses.

Securing the tanks themselves is important, but maintaining the supply of fuel, ammunition, and parts to keep the tanks operational is even more crucial. Historically, tank battles have often been decided by attacks on and defense of supply lines.

Maintaining supply lines for tank units is also a critical ground task for the Russian military. Early in the war, Russia suffered a painful lesson when many tanks were abandoned on the road due to fuel supply failures. How much the Russian military has improved its previously poor supply system is expected to determine the outcome of the war.

On the 1st (local time), Boris Pistorius, Germany's Minister of Defense (right), visited the 203rd Armored Battalion of the German Bundeswehr in Augustdorf, where he personally test drove a Leopard 2 tank to be sent in support of Ukraine, testing its performance. Augustdorf=Reuters·Yonhap News

◆News: Germany Supports Export of 178 Tanks to Ukraine... Exact Dates Not Confirmed

News about tanks being sent to Ukraine has recently become a major issue in European media. After the U.S. announced support for its main battle tank, the M-1 Abrams, Germany has decided to support Leopard 2 tanks followed by Leopard 1 tanks.

According to CNN, the German government approved the export of 178 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine on the 7th (local time). This approval came two weeks after the decision to support the newer Leopard 2 tanks. German defense company Rheinmetall is expected to supply about 20 to 25 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine this year. The 14 Leopard 2 tanks, which were decided to be supported earlier, are scheduled to be delivered between March and April, and the Leopard 1 tanks will be delivered from this summer through next year.

Not only Germany but also major European countries such as France, Spain, and the Netherlands have begun reassessing their remaining tank forces. Before Germany announced its support, Spain had said it would send about 10 tanks but later revealed it could only send 2 due to poor maintenance conditions.

On the 1st (local time), the German Bundeswehr's 203rd Armored Battalion in Augustdorf is seen maintaining Leopard 2 tanks for a demonstration event of tanks to be supported to Ukraine. Augustdorf=Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News

The UK’s Guardian reported that although there are about 2,630 Leopard 2 tanks left in European countries, there are concerns that not many of these tanks are actually operational. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, most have been stored in warehouses without regular training or maintenance. Even the relatively modern Leopard 2 tanks date back to 1979, and due to ongoing military downsizing, spare parts inventories are limited, making maintenance more difficult.

As the first anniversary of the Ukraine war approaches at the end of February, attention is focused on how many tanks will actually arrive in Ukraine. With Russia announcing a major offensive around the first anniversary, Western tanks are expected to play an essential role in stopping this massive assault. Ultimately, the question of which side?West or Russia?can deploy more tanks to the battlefield first will likely be the decisive factor in the war’s outcome.

◆History: Originating from a Hindi Word Meaning 'Lake'... Becoming the King of Land Warfare

The Mark-1 tank of the United Kingdom, first deployed in combat during World War I in 1916. [Image source: Imperial War Museum (IWM), UK]

The 'tank,' which has emerged as a new topic in the Ukraine war, is a modern weapon born in Europe during World War I. However, the word itself is said to have originated in India. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary (OED), the word "tank" derives from the Hindi word 'tankh,' meaning a lake or reservoir. The term spread to Europe around 1610 through the Portuguese, who established colonies in southern India.

Because of this etymology, the word "tank" is still used not only to mean an armored vehicle but also a container for holding water, liquids, or gases. There are many derivative terms such as water tank, gas tank, and tank lorry. The term "think tank," referring to a research institute, also originates from this root.

Interestingly, the word, which originally referred to water, is somewhat incongruous with the armored vehicle known as the "king of land warfare." The name "tank" became fixed because the British code-named the Mark-1 tank, first deployed on the front lines in 1915, as "tank." Originally, the tracked armored vehicle with caterpillar tracks rather than round wheels better describes the essence of a tank.

The appearance of the tank sketched by Leonardo da Vinci in 1490. [Image source=Leonardo da Vinci Museum, Florence, Italy]

Most books on the history of weapons trace the origin of the tank to a prototype tank sketch by Leonardo da Vinci in 1490. Although this tank was never actually built and no power source was found to move it, it is widely recognized as a forward-thinking idea for its time.

The actual design of tracked armored vehicles began in the early 1900s among soldiers and inventors in Western countries such as Britain, Austria, and the United States. However, budget issues always held back development. Governments, already struggling to supply millions of soldiers prepared for war, refused to develop tanks due to the enormous expected costs.

This situation changed with the trench warfare of World War I, which began in 1914. Charging fortified trenches filled with machine guns and mortars with just a rifle was tantamount to suicide. A new paradigm was needed to break through these trenches. Despite the huge budget required, countries began serious tank development. However, until then, tanks were merely auxiliary weapons to help infantry break through trenches.

The Tiger-1 tank of Germany, notorious during World War II. [Image source: Bovington Tank Museum, UK]

Tanks became a major ground combat force starting from World War II. The concept of tanks shifted from being infantry support or defensive weapons to powerful decisive weapons with mobility, as advocated by officers across European countries.

The leading proponent of combined operations involving tanks, mechanized infantry, and newly developed air forces was General Heinz Guderian, Chief of Staff of the Nazi German Army. During World War II, tanks emerged as the main weapon of mobile warfare and became the most important ground weapon in all countries after the war. Germany’s reputation as the "land of tanks" was established due to the successes of its tank units in mobile warfare during this period.

Following this, the United States, which fought Nazi Germany, began developing next-generation tanks with West Germany from the 1960s. To deter Soviet provocations, the two countries jointly developed prototypes named MBT-70 (U.S.) and KPz 70 (Germany) from 1963 to 1968. The tanks developed from these prototypes are the U.S. Abrams and German Leopard 2 tanks, which are now being seen again in Ukraine.

◆Implication: The Battle Is Over Who Can Sustain Rear Support Longer... Impact on the Defense Industry

On the 3rd (local time), a view of the T-80 tank machine gun magazine set up at the Bamburovo training ground in the Primorsky Krai region of Russia. The Russian military is presumed to be preparing a large-scale airstrike in an area far from the Ukrainian front line. Bamburovo=Photo by TASS and Yonhap News Agency

Even if Western and Russian tanks gather on the Ukrainian front, the decisive factor is expected to be who can maintain the supply of these tank forces longer. Armored units like tanks consume enormous resources such as fuel, ammunition, and parts, so having firepower alone is not enough to fight.

Although the Ukrainian military reportedly captured hundreds of tanks abandoned by the Russian army early in the war due to supply failures, they have not been able to fully utilize these tanks because of supply maintenance issues. Along with tanks, large numbers of Russian armored personnel carriers (APCs) and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) were also captured, but once deployed on the front lines, they are almost impossible to maintain and thus cannot be used as main forces.

Therefore, it is expected that support of Abrams and Leopard 2 tanks will not immediately reverse the course of the Ukraine war. The UK’s International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a think tank specializing in foreign affairs and defense, previously reported that Ukraine would need at least 100 attack tanks before Russia’s major offensive to stop the onslaught.

The number of tanks promised by the West has already exceeded 100 and is approaching 200, but the problem is that there is no definite timeline for their arrival, and it is uncertain when the supply systems to operate them will be established. Ultimately, significant support is expected not only from the U.S. and Europe but also from non-Western allies. The global defense industry is also anticipated to face a new large market following this trend of tank support.