Russian drone hits rare and complex NATO tank in Kursk region

A "rare and complex" British Challenger 2 tank that Ukraine received from the UK was spotted in the Kursk region of Russia.

Photo: defenceimagery.mod.uk by Graeme Main is licensed under Open Government Licence version 1.0

"The destruction of a heavy British Challenger 2 tank, a rather rare and complex tank to operate, by the marines of our 155th brigade indicates the concentration of enemy efforts," Two Majors Telegram channel said.

The fact that such rare military hardware was transferred to the Russian region indicates the intention of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to use all opportunities to hold positions in the Kursk region, authors of the channel added.

Russian army fighters destroy Ukraine's Western tanks on a regular basis. The Ukrainian forces have lost a number of German Leopard tanks lately, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Thus, Russian troops in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) destroyed a Leopard-2A4 and towed it to the rear.

"The NATO tank was hit by an FPV drone, despite the fact that its armour was covered with Soviet-made Kontakt-1 dynamic protection," War Correspondents of the Russian Spring Telegram channel said.

Details

The FV4034 Challenger 2 (MoD designation "CR2") is a third generation British main battle tank (MBT) in service with the armies of the United Kingdom, Oman, and Ukraine. It was designed by Vickers Defence Systems (now BAE Systems Land & Armaments) as a private venture in 1986, and was an extensive redesign of the company's earlier Challenger 1 tank. The Ministry of Defence ordered a prototype in December 1988. The Challenger 2 has four crew members consisting of a commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The main armament is a L30A1 120-millimetre (4.7 in) rifled tank gun, an improved derivative of the L11 gun used on the Chieftain and Challenger 1. Fifty rounds of ammunition are carried for the main armament, alongside 4,200 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition for the tank's secondary weapons: a L94A1 EX-34 chain gun mounted coaxially, and a L37A2 (GPMG) machine gun. The turret and hull are protected with second generation Chobham armour, also known as Dorchester. Powered by a Perkins CV12-6A V12 diesel engine, the tank has a range of 550 kilometres (340 mi) and maximum road speed of 59 kilometres per hour (37 mph).