Britain sends DOZENS of Challenger 2 tanks across the Channel to prepare for World War III and take part in the biggest NATO war games since the Cold War
Dozens of British tanks will rumble through the Channel Tunnel during exercises to prepare for war with Russia.
Top Brass has ordered tank crews to pull out of storage Challenger 2s, fearing an impending conflict.
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The Army said it was part of the largest deployment of armor in Europe since 1984, when 132,000 Britons staged Exercise Lionheart.
That exercise, almost forty years ago, was the largest British mobilization since the end of the Second World War and saw 55,000 troops go into action. Germany on 290 flights and 150 sea voyages.
More than 50 British main battle tanks will take part in the big battle NATO war games, with the codeman Exercise Steadfast Defender, together with 90,000 allied troops.
A dozen British tanks will come from a base in Sennelager, Germanytaken from storage by the handful.
The rest of the 62-ton beasts will be loaded onto specialist trains in Britain in May for the journey to Eastern Europe.
The exercises are part of Steadfast Defender, the largest NATO exercise since the end of the Cold War.
More than 600 British armored vehicles and 1,500 Desert Rats troops have already set sail for Poland for the opening phase of the five-month exercises.
Warships, submarines and a Royal Navy aircraft carrier also participate alongside RAF jets, sub-fighters and Britain's new cyber power.
The Army has 213 Challenger 2 tanks after giving up 14 of them Ukraine last year.
A was hit by a Russian drone but the three-man crew survived and the tank was recovered Ukraine'S summer counter-offensive.
Another 18 Challenger 2s are based in Estonia to strengthen themselves NATOis daunting.
They are not expected to participate in the exercises.
Many more are stored in Britain and many have been dismantled for parts to keep the active service fleet running.
A Army One source said moving armor to Europe was “what we did in two world wars”.
They added: “We don't have any British army of the Rhine no longer.
“If you want to fight on the continent, you have to get the vehicles there.
“It's what we do, it's what we've done in two world wars.”
The government plans to reduce the tanker fleet to just 148 when it upgrades to Challenger 3.
The existing Challenger 2 chassis will be equipped with new turrets and guns, as well as explosive reactive armor.
Former Minister of Defense Ben Wallace promised judgement last year's budget cuts in light of the war Ukraine.
He said: “Even if we give Challenger 2 Tanks as a gift [to Ukraine]I will look at the number of Challenger 3 conversions to see if there are any lessons to be learned Ukraine suggest that we need a larger tanker fleet.”
But his hopes were dashed when the extra defense money was earmarked for the nuclear deterrent and to replace equipment and ammunition donated to Ukraine.
Figures released this week show that Russia has lost more than 3,000 tanks since Putin unleashed his all-out invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
This figure is the equivalent of the entire Russian fleet, reports the International Institute of Strategic Studies.
According to the Militay Balane report, a benchmark for global military forces, Moscow had traded “quality for quantity” by pulling vintage tanks from long-term storage.
A Army A source said a handful of Challenger 2s destined for Steadfast Defender had been held in “light storage” but had not been “mothballed”.
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