"French light tanks are useless"… Ukrainian troops dissatisfied due to weak protection

France Supported Light Tanks to Ukraine Last January
"Armor Thickness Too Thin for Offensive Use, Unrealistic"

Ukraine's light tanks supported by France are on the verge of becoming burdens on the battlefield due to their vulnerable armor protection.

According to AFP on the 2nd (local time), Ukraine has been operating the AMX-10RC light tanks, developed by France in the 1970s, on the battlefield since last April. However, the armor protection issue is so severe that it cannot even defend against shell fragments, reportedly receiving a cold response on the ground.

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron promised to support the AMX-10RC light tanks during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in January. This was the first case of a Western country sending tanks to the Ukrainian military.

French AMX-10RC light tank. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

This model was designed for reconnaissance, boasting the advantages of being light and fast. Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine's Minister of Defense, also released a video in April showing him test-driving the AMX-10RC light tank. In the video, Minister Reznikov appeared surprised by the tank's high speed and exclaimed. He also stated on his Twitter, "Ukraine welcomes the French-made AMX-10RC light tanks."

However, the light tank has been found to have vulnerable armor protection and is currently treated as useless within Ukraine. A Ukrainian military commander pointed out, "The weapons are good and the observation equipment is excellent, but unfortunately, the armor thickness is thin, making it unrealistic to use it offensively on the front lines."

He added, "There was a case where a 152mm shell exploded nearby, and shell fragments penetrated the AMX-10RC light tank, killing all four crew members. Sending this model into battle puts the crew at risk, so I think it is unrealistic and unnecessary."

The photo shows French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attending a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 16 last year. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, it is not known how many French-made AMX-10RC light tanks the Ukrainian military currently possesses. Oryx, a Dutch open-source intelligence website, has counted that Ukraine lost three AMX-10RC light tanks during engagements. The French Ministry of Defense stated that the AMX-10RC light tank's armor protection "can withstand light infantry fire."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.