| Submit your comments on this article |
| Britain |
| Tanks for the memories... Britain ends tank production after 93 years |
| 2009-05-03 |
| In the week British troops formally ended their military operations in Iraq, BAe Systems, which makes the Army's Challenger 2 tanks, revealed it was closing its tank-making operation at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It is also shutting its armour business at Telford in Shropshire and at other locations because it sees no prospect of new Government orders. The closures could result in 500 job losses and means the Army is likely to go into battle in future with tanks using German guns and Swedish chassis. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #10 NB - apparently my eldest son is transferring to a Stryker unit. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-05-03 21:23 |
| #9 That is a point, GirlThursday. On the other hand, until that anti-tank thingy actually hits, the tank can be pretty useful, so long as the terrain is navigable and fuel is easily obtained. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-05-03 21:02 |
| #8 And nothing says you own a tank like shooting an anti-tank guided weapon at one. Like holes on swiss cheese, and the person inside is mincemeat. Not a nice thing. Better off parking extra tanks at military installation. They look nice sitting next to some cannons from the 1940's. And hey, they can be used if absolutely necessary. |
| Posted by: GirlThursday 2009-05-03 20:25 |
| #7 Wondered about that very point. Of course, nothing says you own a road intersection like an Abrams. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-05-03 20:07 |
| #6 The sad truth is that the tank is a victim of its own success. This is why the US is moving to Stryker vehicles. There are dozens of ways to kill tanks out there, their fuel consumption has long been a problem, the probable battlefields are not tank friendly, state of the art is expensive, maintenance is a headache, etc. Add it all together, and the tank is a reserve vehicle. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2009-05-03 18:04 |
| #5 Britain stopped being a military power soon after the Falklands. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2009-05-03 16:20 |
| #4 Like England still exists. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-05-03 16:05 |
| #3 A sad day, indeed... but not the end, hopefully. After all, the Abrams uses a German gum and British armour. Let's hope the Vickers plant is only mothballed. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2009-05-03 15:33 |
| #2 Perhaps the Mother Country will confine their wars to bitching and moaning via keyboards. |
| Posted by: .5MT 2009-05-03 15:22 |
| #1 Where are they going to get tanks? Or have they decided to "Make war no more". I wonder if it's time for a retaking of the "Mother Country" Before it falls , or is it already too late? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-05-03 13:45 |