EXPLAINED: These are the weapons Sweden is sending to Ukraine

[Aristus]

38. What Emrys said.

The Abrams didn't have an adaptation; the engine just naturally ran on diesel, as well as any number of other fuels. We tankers used to joke about the range of fuels - "From jet fuel to Jack Daniels". In actual fact, while I was in at any rate, we never used anything but diesel. I hated diesel; it stinks and leaves an oily film on everything if you spill it. We never used gasoline, which smells sweet and evaporates quickly.

I will say I feel confident that the Ukrainians will learn the targeting computers of Western tanks very quickly; they're certainly very well-motivated to do what it takes to win the war and drive the Russians out.

Whether the Ukrainians end up with German Leopard II's or American Abrams tanks, I think they will like them much better than their own Russian-designed tanks. The Leo and the Abrams are very roomy inside, relatively speaking, easy to live in for long periods, and much more suited to be a home away from home for the crewmen. The ammunition is kept separate from the crew compartment by armored doors that the loader only opens when feeding the main gun. This way, catastrophic ammo explosions of the kind that are popping the turrets off of Russian-made tanks and killing entire crews can be avoided.

The turrets of the Russian-made T-72, T-80, and T-90-series tanks that both sides are using were designed with no kind of crew comfort in mind. The gunner and commander crew positions are more like the cockpit of a fighter jet, cramped, and almost impossible to move around in. The contributes greatly to crew fatigue, which in turn lessens combat capability.