A delivery that will make a difference for Ukraine? The United Kingdom announced on Saturday the sending of several “Challenger 2” tanks -14 according to information from the BBC- to the Kyiv forces. This handover should allow London to “intensify its support for Ukraine”, according to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. A first for a Western country in this conflict and significant support for the Ukrainians.
“The last”
At 3.04 meters high and 8.3 meters long, the “FV4034 Challenger 2” tanks should constitute a strong reinforcement for Ukraine.
“It’s the ultimate British tank,” summarizes General Jérôme Pellistrandi, BFMTV Defense Consultant.
Initially designed to deal with Russian armored vehicles, this tank was put into service in 1998. It was used in particular during the war in Iraq starting in 2003. If therefore not recent, it would be the “most modern” tank ” that Ukraine has at the front, according to the BBC.
The tank weighs 64 tons in combat order, which does not prevent it from exceeding 50 km/h. It can accommodate up to four soldiers at a time and has a “very powerful, very accurate, very high mobility” weapon, according to the general.
A turning point for Kyiv?
could serve asgame changer“For the Ukrainians, according to our Defense consultant, that is, the tank could be a game changer for Kyiv in its battle against Moscow.
If the BBC is more reserved about the tank’s ability to constitute a turning point in the conflict, the British outlet believes that this delivery could “push other countries to provide more modern equipment to help Ukraine.”
“(This) shipment is somewhat a consequence of the decision that France made about three weeks ago to send a medium armored vehicle, the AMX-10 RC,” and of the one that the United States made since “the Americans decided that they would send vehicles infantry combat”, explains the general.
“We are really changing ranks,” says Jérôme Pellistrandi.
kyiv’s European allies have already delivered nearly 300 modernized Soviet tanks since the start of the conflict. Delivery of “Challenger 2” is expected in about two months in Ukraine.
Source: BFM TV
