The British Army has painted some of its Challenger 2 tanks in a new camouflage scheme that planners hope will help the 62-ton machines hide on city streets. But the government has withheld other, more important enhancements. Posted on 08/29/2017 7:10:41 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Edited on 08/29/2017 7:35:03 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
The British Army has painted some of its Challenger 2 tanks in a new camouflage scheme that planners hope will help the 62-ton machines hide on city streets. But the government has withheld other, more important enhancements.
The tanks’ blocky, white, gray and brown scheme is actually a throwback to the Cold War, when British tankers prepared to defend West Berlin from the Soviets.
Ajax Squadron of The Royal Tank Regiment applied the “Berlin Brigade” scheme to at least two Challenger 2s in late August 2017. The repainted tanks “will be used for U.K. training as part of an ongoing study into proving and improving the utility of main battle tanks in the urban environment,” the regiment stated.
“Ajax are the urban specialists within the regiment and will be looking to test current doctrine, tactics and procedures whilst experimenting with other techniques from across NATO and the rest of the world.”
The Berlin Brigade scheme originated with the officer commanding the 4/7 Royal Dragoon Guards tank squadron in Berlin in 1982, Wayne Davies explained in a 1999 article.
Chieftain tanks in the Berlin Brigade scheme in the 1980s. Photo via Wayne Davies
The major “felt that the normal deep bronze green paint scheme of the British Army was incompatible with [Berlin’s] urban environment,” Davies wrote. “Straight lines are hard to find in nature and the standard patterns of black and green are equally unnatural amid the masonry, brickwork, timber and steel window frames of a city.”
According to Davies, the officer experimented with cardboard silhouettes of the Chieftain tank. “He noticed the repetition of vertical lines and by careful placement of different size squares and rectangles was able effectively to disguise the shape of the tank. The colors chosen, gray, white, brown and black, resembled the shades found on buildings, windows and doors.”
The scheme was unpopular with the troops at first. But they grew to accept it after realizing its effectiveness. At a distance of 100 yards, a tank in the Berlin Brigade camo “almost disappeared,” according to Davies. “I can’t see your ******* tank,” a corps commander reportedly quipped. “Must be a good idea.”
Spot the tank. Photo via Wayne Davies
To be sure, the British Army’s fleet of around 200 Challenger 2 tanks needs all the help it can get. While other countries rush ahead with new and modernized tank designs, the United Kingdom has all but abandoned tank development. BAE Systems is upgrading the Challenger 2s to the “Mark 2” standard under a 2016 contract worth $800 million.
The upgrade replaces old components, adds some new equipment and extends the tanks’ service lives to around 2035. But the program doesn’t substantially enhance the Challenger 2s’ firepower or protection. With their new camo, British tanks might be harder to see on city streets. But they’re still getting steadily less lethal.
Never, but never deploy tanks in an urban environment where there are tall buildings.
Gee....who do they think the enemy might be in THEIR urban streets?
Really. Tanks in an urban environment. Isn’t that chapter one in the infantry manual? It’s Christmas and Easter rolled into one if you can lure the enemy into it.
Your 58 ton multi million dollar investment becomes a human barbecue for anyone with a bottle of gas and a match.
A whole 200 main battle tanks is all that there is in the entire British Army...?
The PA National Guard has more main battle tanks.
Untrue. Modern tanks are not vulnerable to molotov cocktails. Hell, they aren't vulnerable to chemical weapons and radiological elements!
Paint them up to look like a rusted ‘85 Escort.
Should blend right in?
If the news can be trusted (which is a big if) most of their urban residents are Islamic gibs and libtards. Maybe they are starting to wake up. Still, tanks against an entrenched, urban opponent are useful only as artillery.
Not so. Foul the tracks with barbed wire and immobilize them and pour the bottles down on them. They will burn and they can’t move. Armor has it’s place but also it’s limitations. I know that and I was a Medical Corps officer.
“Modern tanks are not vulnerable to molotov cocktails.”
True, but it will piss off the crew because of the paint damage.
And they will take it out on anything within range.
Yeah immobilized is a different story.
But Thermite on the other hand...
Paint them up to look like a homeless person with their hand out.
A pink one in here too!
http://wikimapia.org/2013856/Pink-T-34-Stompie#/photo/4553594
But yours is better.
The UK is about the size of WA,OR and a bit of ID. So maybe 200 of them isn’t that far out of line considering country size. And perhaps one modern battle tank is the equiv. of maybe five or six WW2 types?
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