Ukrainian soldiers complain that Challenger 2 tanks are heavy and difficult to maintain.

Ukrainian soldiers said the Challenger 2s were heavy, difficult to maneuver and prone to getting bogged down, while logistical constraints prevented many of the vehicles from participating in combat.

"Everything has its pros and cons. The problem with the Challenger 2 tank is its maneuverability. It gets bogged down and stuck in the mud because it is so big and heavy," Chol, chief of the technical branch of the Ukrainian army's Challenger 2 tank battalion, told British reporters who visited a training ground near the front line last week.

Images released by British media show a Challenger 2 submerged in mud, while the crew tried every way to get the car out of the mud but to no avail.

Ukrainian soldiers try to free a stuck Challenger 2 tank in this photo released on March 10. Photo: Sun

The battalion commander, nicknamed “Kayfarick,” yelled at the crew for moving too slowly through the mud, causing the tank to lose momentum and become completely stuck. The Ukrainians had to mobilize a Challenger 2 to pull the bogged tank to dry ground.

Kayfarick admits that one of the Challenger 2’s biggest weaknesses is its massive size and excessive weight. The original tank weighed 64 tons, 20 tons heavier than the T-80 series that Kayfarick piloted. It can weigh up to 75 tons when fully equipped with combat modules and enhanced armor.

The Challenger 2's V-12 diesel engine produces more than 1,200 horsepower, giving the tank a top speed of 59 km/h on the road and 40 km/h off-road. However, its power-to-weight ratio is still 30% lower than the T-80 in Ukrainian service.

Ukrainian soldiers revealed that only seven of the 14 Challenger 2 tanks the country received from the UK are still combat-capable. Of the remaining seven, one was destroyed by Russian forces in September 2023, one is being used for rear-area training, and five are damaged but have no spare parts. Two were also damaged in combat but have been repaired, one of which had to have its gun barrel replaced.

A Challenger 2 tank pulls a bogged down vehicle at a Ukrainian training ground in this photo released on March 10. Photo: Sun

Kayfarick said the reliability of the Challenger 2 is also a headache for Ukrainian forces, especially in the context of a shortage of components and skilled mechanics.

“The rubber pads covering the tracks and the wheels are constantly wearing out. The equipment in the turret and the high-precision aiming system have a short life span, they start to fail right from the moment they are received. We have to wait a long time, often several months, for spare parts to arrive from the UK. The logistics are very complicated on both ends,” the Ukrainian officer said.

The Challenger 2 series delivered by London to Kiev did not come with the 12-ton armor that British tanks used in Iraq had. Ukrainian soldiers had to buy the materials themselves and weld additional armor blocks to the front, sides and roof of the turret to increase protection.

Nevertheless, Ukrainian crews praised the Challenger 2's firepower, saying it had "sniper-like" accuracy and claimed to regularly hit targets at ranges of 4.5 kilometers. They revealed that most of the missions were against Russian fixed positions and trenches.

"The Challenger 2s have not participated in any tank battles, because the terrain does not allow it," said the Ukrainian battalion commander.

Ukrainian Challenger 2 tank crew fires at the training ground. Photo: Sun

Kayfarick and Chol said that the Challenger 2 tanks were used to intimidate Russian infantry by accelerating straight into enemy trenches. Neither of them commented on the effectiveness of this method, but stressed that the Ukrainian Challenger 2 unit did not have the right ammunition to deal with infantry.

Ukrainian officers also worry that many Ukrainian commanders and crews do not understand the different roles of NATO and Soviet tanks, preventing them from fully exploiting the features and minimizing the disadvantages of the Challenger 2 series.

"Soviet tanks were designed for multiple missions, while NATO equipment focused on direct tank battles. Ukrainian military leaders were torn between Soviet thinking and NATO combat doctrine," Kayfarick added.

Vu Anh (According to Sun )

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