The silent vehicles that help Ukraine counterattack

Ukraine relies on non-firing vehicles such as engineer vehicles, bridge-laying vehicles and armored tankers to be able to launch counter-offensive operations.

In the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive, some of the most important military assets are not firing artillery shells or launching missiles. Instead, they are quietly helping to maintain the operations of combat vehicles and clearing the way for Ukrainian forces to advance into Russian defenses.

Among these military vehicles are armored tankers used to transport fuel and water, ambulances, maintenance trucks, bridge-laying or mine-clearing engineering vehicles. These vehicles carry ammunition, food, spare parts and lubricants for heavy mine plows.

“It’s hard for the average person to imagine the amount of support needed for a mobile attack,” said Brigadier General Peter DeLuca, who served in the US Army Corps of Engineers. These support vehicles are small in number and odd in shape, but play a very important role on the battlefield.

German Army Bergepanzer 2 recovery vehicle in Viereck, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state, June 2017. Photo: Wikimedia

Over the past year, the West has supplied Ukraine with a variety of heavy military equipment, including main battle tanks, self-propelled artillery, armored personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles. Less notable items on the list include eight logistics support vehicles, 18 bridge-laying vehicles, and 54 armored recovery vehicles delivered by the United States to Ukraine.

Engineer vehicles, which support and maintain the combat strength of mechanized units, became a very important factor in every Ukrainian offensive campaign, especially in the context of their efforts to break through the Russian defense line with its dense system of trenches, obstacles and minefields.

“The next stage is penetration, which means breaking through the defenses that Russia has been building for months,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently said. “The offensive requires more tanks and combat vehicles. Ukraine also needs highly specialized engineering equipment to operate its main battle tanks.”

In addition to the 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks, the UK also provided two Challenger Repair and Recovery Vehicles (CRARRVs), which used the Challenger 1 chassis. The CRARRVs were essentially mobile repair stations for the Challenger 2 main battle tank. The CRARRVs had cranes, winches and bulldozer blades, and could carry replacement engines and gearboxes, along with a team of mechanics to repair the tanks on the battlefield.

Leopard 2R engineering vehicles, Bergepanzer 2 recovery vehicles and armored vehicles left behind by Ukraine after a failed attempt to break through Russian defense lines last week. Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense

Western experts say engineering vehicles like the CRARRV are crucial in operations like the one Ukraine is currently conducting, where speed is key. If Ukraine breaks through the Russian lines, it will need to bring in as many reinforcements as possible before the enemy counterattacks.

Ukrainian counter-offensives were made particularly difficult by the fact that they had to advance on open ground for much of the front line, lacked air support and were constantly tracked by the Russians. When obstacles arose, engineering vehicles became crucial.

So far, Russian minefields have been the biggest obstacle, stopping at least one Ukrainian advance, disabling many tanks, armored vehicles and engineering vehicles.

During the counter-offensive in Zaporizhzhia, the Ukrainian army encountered dense minefields and fire from Russian artillery and helicopter gunships, causing them to suffer heavy losses. Some images recently released by Russia show a German-made Bergepanzer 2 recovery vehicle abandoned in a minefield along with three Leopard 2 tanks, apparently disabled after being hit by mines and rockets.

However, a Ukrainian mechanic said last week that a Bergepanzer 2 recovery vehicle had successfully brought a Leopard 2 from the battlefield to the rear. These vehicles could be repaired by Ukraine for further counter-offensives.

In some places, Russian forces have dug wide trenches to prevent tanks from crossing, so Ukraine needs armored bulldozers or bridge-building vehicles to allow tanks to cross. Some Western intelligence sources say armored bulldozers or tanks with bulldozer blades could push aside the Russian “dragon teeth” obstacles if they are not already deeply embedded in the ground.

A frontal assault can last for days or weeks. During this time, the attackers need to constantly resupply with fuel and ammunition. "A main battle tank cannot return to a supply station to refuel. Instead, fuel must be transported to the main battle tank," said NATO's Secretary General.

The United States has provided Ukraine with 89 armored tankers, 105 fuel trailers, and 30 M992 Artillery Ammunition Delivery Vehicles (FAASVs) that share the chassis with the M109 self-propelled howitzer.

The Ukrainian military would face a new set of challenges if it broke through Russian lines. Areas behind Russian lines may be depopulated, making it difficult for the Ukrainian military to find local supplies and may not even have access to drinking water. “They would have to bring everything they need with them,” said former Brigadier General DeLuca.

The US Army's M60 Armored Artillery Bridge Building (AVLB) vehicle. Photo: US Army

Even if Ukraine’s dream scenario of Russian troops retreating as they did in Kharkiv last year comes to pass, they will face a host of logistical challenges. Tanks and other heavy vehicles consume huge amounts of fuel. Ukraine’s counter-offensive in Kharkiv last year slowed down in part because it used up its reserves of fuel and supplies.

Former Brigadier General DeLuca said the logistical equipment provided by the US and the West suggests they are trying to enable a Ukrainian offensive of some scale, although the biggest hurdle lies in deploying it on the battlefield. "No one should underestimate the task that Ukraine faces," Mr. DeLuca said.

Nguyen Tien (According to WSJ )

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