British Challenger 2 battle tank
DNYUZ/The Telegraph: The tank’s critics are about to be humiliated in Ukraine
The brutal invasion of Ukraine in February last year, and the humiliation of the Russian army on the outskirts of Kyiv was, for some, a turning point in the history of warfare. Armchair generals pointed to the smouldering wrecks of Russian tanks – many destroyed from above – and declared that the age of armour had passed and the long-predicted era of the drone had finally arrived.
Well, try telling that to the Ukrainians. Now, as a new year dawns and a renewed cycle of offensives and counter-offensives seems inevitable, they are desperate for the West to give them the most advanced tanks possible, seeing them as vital for the next phase of the war. They are right to do so. Far from the age of the tank being over, a new one is just beginning. As such, Downing Street is entirely right to be considering supplying Ukraine with Challenger 2 models that could deliver the knockout blow against Vladimir Putin’s forces.
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WNU Editor: I am sure these tanks will help Ukraine in this war. But the Russians also have the means to destroy them like the Ukrainians do, and these tanks will have a lot of problems over long supply chains to receive the fuel that they need to conduct operations.
Ukraine has been experiencing fuel and diesel shortages since the start of the war. Supporting a tank force that will make a difference on the battlefield will only make these shortages worse.
13 comments:
yes
The Americans are just going to fly fuel in. The Russians will see this sometimes and think we will shoot that plane down and then the Americana will look bad and have to withdraw. Then war will be declared on Russia with its gutted military.
10-12 tanks of an unknown make & model to the crews are a liability, not an asset.
The Germans are rightly concerned about their armor being expended in single-use attacks and then winding up on some Telegram kill compilation video. Leopards have a thriving export market and that's bad for business. The British Challenger 2's however, nobody wants. There are a lot fewer corporate/political interests involved in maintaining the Challenger's image, and fewer hoops to jump through in order to get them sent over. That doesn't sound like the backstory to a wunderwaffen to me.
All tanks will come with fuel, training and logistics.. but his is very bad for Russia as many of these tanks can now launch drones.. even Abraham’s will be heading to Russia … very very bad news for Russia,don’t fool yourselves..
There is a case where 2 tanks at a crossroads destroyed 60 opposing tanks.
Russian tanks like to brew up like roman candle when hit. You do not have to ask a Russian tanker, if they want to be buried or cremated. They already know the answer.
Ah yes, the Ghoul of Kiev in his mystical T-1000 tank.
^^^ Hey, it is a party, the Russian trolls showed up.
This will put a lot of political pressure on the Germans to stop dragging their feet. If they finally agree, NATO could probably provide up to 200 of their Leopard IIs. That would create the means for 2-3 armored brigades. They won't be ready for spring, but they might be available for a late summer/early fall offensive.
I don't think the Abrams will be sent to Ukraine. The logistical challenges of it will be too much for its turbine engine. But the Leopards and Challengers are diesel and already in Europe. The time for penny packets of equipment to Ukraine should end. To wield large numbers of weapon systems, Ukraine will need a sustained logistics efforts which means common equipment. Leopards make the best fit for a Western tank for Ukraine.
WNU Editor is right that such small initial numbers won't make much difference. But Ukraine does not need hundreds to make a difference given Russia's losses. If I recall correctly, WNU Editor was initially dismissive of the small number of HIMARS and would report every Russian claim of one being destroyed. Yet Russian artillery fire is now only 25% of what it was during the summer.
We'll likely know more by late January what the NATO countries will decide. But there is increasing realization in the West that if we want the war to end, the answer is not hoping Putin will give up. It is providing Ukraine the means to win the war and not just hold out.
Chris
"Yet Russian artillery fire is now only 25% of what it was during the summer."
That is partially due to Himars doing such things as blow up ammo dumps. Part of it is due to the Russians not being able to keep with the burn rate.
I have no clue as to how artillery duels or artillery attrition on both sides is going.
Nonetheless your post is excellent.
Targets for tac air assuming the Russians have the right radar systems, which I'm sure they do.
Using combined arms and good tactics the Challenger 2 in Ukrainian hands will show as it has done before what it was made for war.
Better than the Arfarta properganda tank that is only good in parades.
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