The War In Ukraine: Teaching New Dogs Old Tricks

 

 

Picture: Adrian Weale,Crown Copyright

 

Logic,history and Grand Logistics tell us that,for a Main Battle Tank,other tanks "are rarely engaged as they make up only a very small percentage of battlefield targets,more common targets such as Kornet missile teams being best engaged by a large calibre rifled gun",but while combat in Ukraine yet again demonstrates that infantry is the primary target for an armoured vehicle,the British Army is sidegrading it's Challenger 2 tanks with a smoothbore gun optimised for engaging last generation Russian medium tanks.

 

The War In Ukraine: Challenging Cultural Norms

  

 

Picture: Marcus Jacobs,Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land photograph

 

The current unpleasantness in Ukraine has discredited the British Army's approach to armoured reconnaissance,which was in any case more the product of institutional cultural norms than logic,but while it may take many years to develop a solution,such as the proposed Charlatan Cavalry Heavy Armoured Vehicle,in the short term the two hundred or so spare Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks (upgraded to the Challenger 3 standard and either with some ammunition stowage sacrificed to free up space and weight for additional equipment operated by the loader or with the gun replaced by a dummy,both to free up weight for armour upgrades and to free the loader and gunner to operate other equipment) may provide enough reconnaissance,command and artillery forward observation vehicles to equip an entire heavy division.

 

The War In Ukraine: The Charlatans

 

 

Picture: Marcus Jacobs,Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land photograph

 

Ukrainian infantry ambush Russian medium tanks in confined spaces,where they are unable to compensate for their lack of situational awareness by operating en masse,which is one of the reasons why the heavy cavalry regiments of An Independent Army For An Independent Nation have close reconnaissance troops with Charlatan Cavalry Heavy Armoured Vehicles whose dummy turrets allow them to carry a greater weight of armour,sensors and countermeasures than standard Chargers,despite looking similar,making them particularly suited to finding targets for Four Inch Mortars and Chastisers (upgraded Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks could be adapted to perform a similar role,were the Ajax fiasco to be cancelled).

 

How To Tell If You Are A British General: Part Thirteen

 

 

Picture: Unknown photographer,Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land photograph

 

You know the Rheinmetall Rh-120 L/55 120mm gun is obsolescent,but you thought sidegrading Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks with it would be transformational.