Justin Crump, the former commander of the British Challenger 2 tank, which fought in Iraq in 2003-2004, spoke about the presence of a water heater on board. Reported by inews.co.uk.
According to the publication, Crump called the water heater “the best thing in the Challenger 2 tank.”
“This device, unique to British tanks, is monitored by a loader. The kettle provides rations from bags as well as hot drinks to the crew without the need to park and get out of the car,” he said.
According to him, the presence of a kettle on board was “of great importance to the morale” of the crew, and all the foreign tankers with whom he spoke were “deeply jealous” of the British.
The publication also notes that to reduce visibility, the tank driver’s seat is placed almost horizontally, so the driver-mechanic is in a semi-reclining position. Because of this, tankers sometimes fall asleep while the tank is in motion.
At the same time, Kramp expressed his confidence that the Challenger 2 is superior to Russian tanks, including the T-72 and T-90.
Challenger 2 entered service in 1994 and was used in combat operations in Kosovo and Iraq. In 2009, the concern BAE Systems completed the production of these tanks due to the lack of orders. In total, about 400 were produced.
The mass of the tank is 62.5 tons, the engine power is 1.2 thousand hp, the speed on rough terrain is 40 km / h. The tank is armed with a 120 mm gun with 52 rounds of ammunition, equipped with a stabilized sight that allows you to shoot on the go.
Earlier, the American edition of the Washington Post published an article about the difficulties that Ukraine will face after receiving a “tank mess” from NATO countries – the German Leopard, the British Challenger 2 and the American Abrams.
According to military experts, the new equipment is unlikely to give the Armed Forces an advantage, since the country will receive three different models of tanks, each with its own characteristics, different delivery times and different ammunition in the administration.
A separate problem is the supply of spare parts and shells for tanks and training for their maintenance.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.