As the Cold War was coming to an end, Britain set about designing a tank to rule them all. They called it the Challenger 2; 64 tonnes of fast-moving metal equipped with a “sniper-like” stabilised turret and world-beating Chobham armour (a secret blend of ceramics and shock-absorbing compounds). Since 1994, it has seen action in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. Only two other countries were allowed to use it: the UK’s Middle Eastern ally Oman and Ukraine, which received 13 to fight the invaders earlier this year. Ukrainian crews said it outmatched the old Soviet tanks in every way. But now, a Challenger 2 has been destroyed in combat for the first time ever. Footage on social media shows one of the tanks in flames, probably somewhere in south-eastern Ukraine. The tank reportedly struck a mine, igniting the 450L of fuel stored on the outside hull. While ugly, this was not a fatal blow. But after the crew evacuated safely and the tank was lying idle, it was taken out by a Russian Lancet loitering drone. Unsporting, some might say. Still, Ukraine has 12 more.
