The UK Invented The First Tanks. Now It May Retire Them For Good.

[Dial H For Hero]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sebastienroblin/2020/09/01/the-uk-invented-the-first-tanks-now-it-may-retire-them-for-good/#6e228ef23633

Over a century ago, as trench warfare imposed a seemingly perpetual blood-soaked stalemate in World War I, a commission in the United Kingdom made military history. It adapted technology from ‘Creeping Grip” treaded tractors imported from Chicago into armored war machines that could negotiate mud-soaked battlefields and trenches, seemingly impervious to bullets and shrapnel, and blast enemies with their own sponson-mounted cannons and machine guns.

These breakdown-prone, rhombus-shaped “land ships” are considered to be the world’s first tanks.

Today, the UK may make history again as an integrated review of defense and foreign policy mulls retiring the British Army’s fleet of Challenger 2 main battle tanks in favor of more funding for satellites and cyber-warfare. That could make the UK potentially the first major military power to give up on the main battle tank entirely.

The fate of the British Army’s armored fighting vehicles is linked to fundamental questions as to what role the UK should play in NATO and future military coalitions.

(excerpt)

[winstars]

1. WHAT, NO TANKS? Thats how we lost the Battle of Bowling Green!!!

[underpants]

5. 🕯

[qazplm135]

2. if they really needed tanks in the future

it would probably be a lot cheaper to just order and buy whatever main battle tank we are selling at that point, than to modernize, build, and maintain their own tanks.

The problem though might be the lack of trained crews.

[sl8]

3. And the Swiss Army is ready to take advantge.

[underpants]

4. Dammit Karl! Where's the can opener?

[Massacure]

6. I'm not convinced abandoning the tank is in the UK's best interest

That said, it would probably a lot cheaper for them to procure Abrams from the US or Leopards from the Germans. At four tank regiments with 56 tanks each, it's probably cost prohibitive continue development on their own.

[unc70]

7. US Marines are phasing out their tanks

[Sherman A1]

8. Tanks for posting

[OnDoutside]

9. Tanks for the memories ...

I had to.

[hunter]

10. Aircraft carriers and manned fighter jets are more obsolete war technology...

... but the U.S.A. is still building them.