There is no denying that unveiling the captured US Abrams and German Leopard tanks a week before the annual Victory Parade in Moscow is a big moral booster for the Russian Army. Not only does it reinforce the mendacious message about the “Special Operation” in Ukraine, but it also demonstrates to the Russian population that NATO does not have a technical advantage over Russian tanks.
There was always a high probability that this humiliation would happen, which was one of the main reasons why Western governments were reluctant to donate their heavy armour to Ukraine in the earlier part of the war.
For me, however, there is a more notable point that the mainstream news outlets have missed. The design of a main battle tank has three competing characteristics: firepower (the range and power of the gun); mobility (its speed and manoeuvrability); and protection (the thickness of the armour and survivability of the crew). I have always said that I would prefer to be in a British tank than a tank designed by any other nation because its protection is the best. Yes, there are some weak points that were exposed by tandem warhead missiles in Iraq, but pound for pound the Challenger 2 is the finest tank for European conditions.
Unfortunately, since 2007, successive governments have prioritised aircraft carriers over tanks, thinking that we can rely on American and German designs. Given what we have seen this week, it really is time that we invested in our own tank building capability again.
Challenger 2 Tank – Not On Display In Moscow!
Rupert Wieloch 