UK eyes delivering Challenger tanks to Ukraine

The United Kingdom is reportedly looking to give Ukraine tanks that a military expert told Newsweek could deliver a significant boost to Kyiv's troops and push other countries to increase their weapons supplies to fight Russian aggression.

Citing a Ukrainian source, Britain's Sky News reported that discussions have been ongoing for the UK to give Kyiv 10 of the British Army's Challenger 2 main battle tanks (MBT), which would be enough to equip a squadron.

"The Challenger is a frightening beast," said Glen Grant, a military analyst with the Baltic Security Foundation who has seen the tanks in action during drills in the UK "They're bigger, and much more of a monster than Soviet vehicles and tanks."

Ukraine's military is operating Soviet-era tanks such as the T-72 which include vehicles supplied by allies that also use them. Russian forces have also mostly been using Cold War-era tanks.

"It is not going to have the same systems inside in any way, as any of the former Soviet tanks, so there will be there will be some learning needed but they'll do that," he said.

The Challenger 2 would be most effectively used in a group rather than spaced out separately, according to Grant.

"One would hope that the UK would teach them to fight as a tank squadron. If they put them into a key position where they want to break through...then you could actually see something quite positive from them," he said.

"They want to be used as spearhead because if they drive them towards semi-trained or untrained troops, they'll just run away and are not going to stand around and wait for these monsters to come in and attack them," Grant added.

Built by BAE Systems, the four-man tank has seen operational service in Bosnia and Kosovo and was deployed on active service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

It can fire a wide variety of standard NATO 120 mm tank munitions and its turret and hull are protected with second-generation Chobham armor, making it one of the most protected tanks in the world, according to Military Today. The outlet said that the Challenger gun claims the longest-distance tank kill in history, defeating an Iraqi tank at a range of 4 kilometers during the Gulf War.

No final decision has been made by the government of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, but the move could prompt other allies previously cautious to be seen escalating Vladimir Putin's invasion to answer Kyiv's calls to step up weapons supplies.

The UK will be among a United States-led grouping of some 50 nations delivering military support to Ukraine which will meet on January 20. An announcement about new assistance, such as tanks, could be made at that time, Sky News reported.

A Ukrainian source told the outlet that the supply of the Challenger 2 could spur Germany to supply the Leopard II tanks which Ukraine has long requested.

Warsaw and Helsinki have already signaled they would give their Leopard tanks to Kyiv but this requires approval from Berlin because Germany holds the export license.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has faced calls to beef up military support for Ukraine, following France's announcement it was sending AMX-10 RC combat vehicles.

In a policy shift, Berlin said last week they would give Ukraine Mardar infantry fighting vehicles. The U.S., which has been the biggest donor of military aid to Ukraine, has said it would supply Kyiv with the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.