@thatbrickster @mangeurdenuage A tank that works well enough to drive is never obsolete, as that's a target of limited strategic value a enemy could waste their expensive anti-tank weaponry on, rather than on the tanks of strategic value.

It's 59 and not 49 tanks; https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-has-mothballed-a-550m-tank-fleet-ukraine-would-like-a-word-20240919-p5kbsx.html

The tanks are in working order, but it seems the Australian military can't be bothered to maintain them and instead are buying new ones of the same model.

The money has already been burnt, although some money could have been recovered via a resale to someone who wants them (i.e. for more war crimes).