Ukrainian tank crews have already arrived in the United Kingdom to start training on the Challenger 2 tanks committed by the British government two weeks ago, Defense Express reports with reference to the Ministry of Defense of the UK.
Earlier British media assessed that four tanks out of the totality of 14 promised to Ukraine will be used for practice and training of the Ukrainians. The rest of the tanks is expected to come later.
Read more: After Approving Challenger 2 Tanks For Ukraine, Britain is Talking About Fighter Jets Although It Takes Several "Ifs"
As a reminder, the Challenger 2 main battle tank is a peculiar weapon to learn. In particular, it is a rather heavy vehicle with a combat mass of 75 tons when equipped with additional armor modules which makes it one of the heaviest tanks. For comparison, Ukrainians use T-72 and T-84 tanks with a weight of 41-48 tons.
Without the additional armor, however, the Challenger 2 is 64 t, which is the same as the Leopard 2 in the 2A7 version. The surplus weight is due to the considerable level of protection that remains undisclosed to the public.
We should also note the unique 120mm gun of the Challenger 2 that is not unified with other NATO tank guns such as the Leopard 2 or M1 Abrams that are expected to reinforce the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the near future, too.
Defense Express covered in detail all its features in a separate article, including its unique plastic HESH ammunition and capabilities.
Read more: The Tank Zoo: How Many Models of Tanks And Their Versions Ukraine Has And What More Is Expected
