Australia, which announced its last package of assistance in October, has committed 90 Bushmaster troop carriers and 28 ageing M113 armoured personnel carriers to Ukraine.
Australia has provided Ukraine with a total of approximately $655 million in support, including $475 million in military assistance. This commitment demonstrates Australia's continued support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It started on Wednesday when Emmanuel Macron announced he was sending “light tanks” — AMX-10 RC armored fighting vehicles — to Ukraine. Macron decided to “amplify help” in response to “needs expressed by Ukraine,” the French presidency said.
The Australian government will send an extra 34 armoured vehicles to Ukraine to aid the fight against Russia.
Another 30 Australian Bushmaster vehicles will head to Ukraine's frontline while defence personnel help train troops as part of the latest aid package.
“Since their arrival, the Bushmasters have been used extensively by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with more requested by the Ukrainian President, Minister for Defence and the ambassador.” Australia has provided Ukraine with about $655 million in support, including $475 million in military assistance.
Australia is supporting Ukraine though: AUD 475 million in military assistance to deliver important capabilities to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and support its defence.
With the Australian Army only possessing a total of fourteen tanks – 10 Mark VIs and four Mark IIs – orders for modern types were quickly placed in Britain and the United States.
Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Rick Burr, said the tanks would be essential in Australia's participation with coalition forces. "Because of their versatility, tanks can be used in a wide range of scenarios, environments and levels of conflict in the region," he said in a statement at the time of the announcement.
Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, “I am grateful to the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and the U.S. for their joint decision to provide 90 T-72 tanks to Ukraine.
The US is the largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine, having committed $20 billion since the start of the Biden administration. $19.3 billion of that assistance has been provided since February 2022.
The United States has by far provided the most military assistance to Ukraine, more than every other country combined.
Looking at pledges of military aid to Ukraine between Jan 24 and October 3, the U.S. government has committed to providing the most arms, weapons and other equipment by far.
The Australian Government will provide an additional AUD 100 million for military assistance to Ukraine, including 20 more Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles.
Australia will deliver six M777 155mm lightweight towed howitzers and ammunition to Ukraine as part of a 26.7 million Australian dollar ($19 million) package to bolster the country's defenses against the Russian invasion.
Although Australia is not a member of NATO, it has cooperated with NATO forces by sending military units to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The first F-35A squadron, No. 3 Squadron, became operational in 2021. All 72 aircraft are expected to be fully operational by 2023.
The top ten tanks today are the German KF51 Panther, the American Abrams M1A2, the Russian T-14 Armata, the Korean K2 Black Panther, the Chinese T-99, the German Leopard 2, the French Leclerc XL, the British Challenger 2, the Israeli Merkava V, and the Japanese Type-90.
The RAAF provides support across a spectrum of operations such as air superiority, precision strikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air mobility, space surveillance, and humanitarian support. The RAAF has 259 aircraft, of which 110 are combat aircraft.
The Abrams has the firepower, mobility and survivability to provide the key component in the combined arms team. The Army's operational fleet of Abrams is held by Army's three Armoured Cavalry Regiments in Adelaide, Brisbane and Townsville.
“The M1A2 Abrams will incorporate the latest developments in Australian sovereign defence capabilities, including command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems, and benefit from the intended manufacture of tank ammunition in Australia.”
The ADF is technologically sophisticated but relatively small. Although the ADF's 60,330 full-time active-duty personnel and 29,560 active reservists as of June 30th 2021 make it the largest military in Oceania, it is smaller than most Asian military forces.
The Government has deployed Australian Defence Force personnel to operations overseas and within Australia to protect Australia and its national interests.
Australia invested $53 million in Ukraine in 2020. On 1 April 2016, Australia and Ukraine signed a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, which would enable Australia to export uranium to Ukraine – one of the world's top ten generators of nuclear power.
Howitzers. At the start of July, Australia, Canada and the US had also sent more than 100 M777 howitzers and 300,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition to Ukraine. The range of the M777 is similar to Russia's Giatsint-B howitzer, and much longer than Russia's D-30 towed gun.