Modern tanks of Western Europe: Britain. British tanks and armored vehicles of the Second World War British medium tanks in world of tanks

A century ago, the British Army pioneered the use of tanks in warfare, but the strength of its current armored force has been greatly weakened and changed. What is their current state and plans for the future? Since the end of the Cold War, the British Ministry of Defense has been one of many that have taken it upon themselves to declare that there will be little need for main battle tanks (MBTs) in the modern operational environment.

This government position prompted a dramatic reduction in the number of tanks in the British Army and the crews on which they could serve, from 14 regiments (the British equivalent of a battalion) with a total of approximately 1,000 tanks in the late 1980s to three regiments in accordance with current army modernization program Army 2020.

Today, these regiments have sufficient tanks and trained crews to ensure that each of them can deploy a squadron (the British equivalent of a company) - approximately 18 tanks - in support of the leading LATF (Lead Armored Task Force) armored task force. This group, after receiving the order, must move out within 30 days.

Once the current cycle of transformation is completed, the time frame for fielding a full brigade, including 56 tanks, will generally be 90 days.

At the Castlemartin training ground in Wales, the British Army's Challenger 2 tank fires a short-range armor-piercing sub-caliber practical projectile. Live firing remains the key to maintaining a high level of combat training and crew coherence

Over the past 25 years, British armored forces have demonstrated their capabilities twice. The first demonstration took place in 1990-1991, when the reckless decision was made to send two armored brigades (including three Type 57 tank regiments with 171 Challenger 1 tanks) to liberate Kuwait as part of Operation Granby.

Later in 2003, two regiments of Challenger 2 tanks (and some elements of a third regiment) were to be hastily deployed to Iraq in Operation Telic 1. Their number was later reduced to one squadron, which remained in this theater of operations until the end of Operation Telic 13 in 2009.

Despite a request made in 2006, the British Army did not deploy to Afghanistan in Operation Herrick. However, since 2007, British forces in Helmand have often called upon the support of their allies' tanks: a platoon of three Danish Leopard 2A5DK tanks; US Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams tank companies; and between 2006 and 2011, a reinforced squadron of Leopard 2A6CAN and Leopard C2 tanks from the neighboring province of Kandahar.

Ultimately, the representation of heavy British armored vehicles Since 2010, Afghanistan has been limited to three Trojan clearance vehicles (an engineering version of the Challenger 2 tank) and two Challenger CRARRV armored recovery vehicles stationed in Helmand province.

Since the middle of the last decade, the British Army has been largely focused on peacekeeping operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has led to a corresponding reduction in combat training (in the form of tactical exercises and armored maneuvers) of the remaining combined arms formations in the UK and Germany.

However, the capabilities of the armored forces were supported by the participation of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles in basic training for hybrid warfare (the concept of the “war of three quarters”, the essence of which is that in a relatively small urban area one unit will be forced to conduct both fighting and peace enforcement and peacekeeping operations), which all combat units have already undergone.

A New Look

In accordance with the five-year review of strategic defense and security published in 2010 and the resulting structure of the British Army 2020 program, each of the three remaining tank regiments (equivalent to battalions) was assigned to one of the three motorized infantry brigades rapid response, part of the 3rd division. (The army includes eight more combat brigades: the 16th air assault brigade and seven infantry brigades subordinate to the 1st Division, none of which have attached armored units.)

Each tank regiment has its own name: the King's Royal Hussars (KRH), the Queen's Royal Hussars (QRH) and the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR). In addition, the expanded order of battle includes one reserve regiment, the so-called Royal Wessex Yeomanry, which provides all three regular tank regiments with spare tank crews, but does not have a single tank of its own.

All three regiments are armed with , which was originally developed in the late 80s by Vickers Defense Systems (currently BAE Systems). BAE Systems delivered a total of 386 production vehicles between 1994 and 2002; Current plans call for some of them to remain in operation until 2035.

An upgraded weapon system based on the Rheinmetall 120 mm smoothbore gun and a number of improvements to the chassis and fire control system were approved early last decade for the Challenger 2 tank as part of a proposed capability extension program, but due to funding problems it was withdrawn in 2008 stopped. In 2012, a capability extension program was included in the Challenger 2 tank life extension program, which will upgrade or replace various subsystems of the tank. In accordance with the service life extension program, 227 Challenger 2 tanks will undergo modernization.

A separate financing scheme adopted for the improvement and maintenance of standard ammunition, today allows for only such minimally costly restoration and modernization measures as are necessary to extend the shelf life of existing stocks. The depots stock ammunition that is at least 25 years old and is not currently manufactured in the UK. No type of standard ammunition is compatible with modern standards for insensitive (inert) ammunition.

Renaissance

The first tangible change in the fortunes of British armored forces came in 2012, when the troop drawdown of Operation Herrick, publicly announced before the British withdrawal in December 2014, allowed these units to avoid returning to Afghanistan and focus on their combat training for future missions.

The first tank regiment to return from its last Afghan tour in October 2012 was KRH, which operated there as the lead unit for the Lashkar Gah battle group. Having no tanks in this theater of operations, it mainly performed dismounted infantry tasks using mine-protected Mastiff 6x6 vehicles and Warthog all-terrain tracked transporters.

Battlegroup level Prairie Storm combined arms training exercises, held at British Base BATUS in Canada, allow British tank crews and infantry units to practice working with their support teams, including an engineering squadron dedicated to clearing minefields. In the photo, an extended Python mine clearance charge, fired from a Trojan engineering tank, detonates, thereby allowing the passage of Battle Group 1 Yorks

After the necessary recovery and combat training, two KRH tank squadrons ("C" and "A") were successfully assigned to support the intermediate armored group, the lead armored battle group LABG (lead armored battlegroup) and later the lead armored task force LATF deployed by its the head 12th armored brigade. Since late 2013, this brigade has been responsible for special missions (which theoretically include combat operations). It was decided that it would be replaced by the 1st Motorized Infantry Brigade in January 2016, which in turn would be replaced by the 20th Motorized Infantry Brigade in January 2017.

Currently, the British army is in an intermediate state, more precisely in the process of transitioning from old structures to new ones, changing areas of responsibility, changing the location of its bases and auditing military equipment. That is why the 12th Motorized Infantry Brigade was not relieved on time, and its combat duty was extended by 18 months. However, as soon as the “perestroika” turbulence calmed down, it became possible to establish a standard duration of readiness (12 months for a brigade and 6 months for a combat group), considered optimal for maintaining “correct performance of duty” in accordance with the revised adaptive mechanism for the operational readiness of combat units within Army 2020 (A-FORM) program, introduced in 2015.

The 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade entered its "training" year in early 2015, and its established RTR tank regiment, which provides armored capabilities for the brigade, began joint combat training in the UK and Canada (level of joint combat training Level 4/CT4).

The 20th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, which will be the last to leave Afghanistan, is currently undergoing rehabilitation and reorganization at its bases in Germany and the UK and will begin combat duty in 2017. By 2020, the last unit of this brigade, including the QRH, should finally (after almost 70 years) leave Germany and return to its home base in the UK along with other units of the 3rd (British) Division stationed in the Bulford/Tidworth area.

Feels like home at the training ground

In May-June 2015, live firing of Tank Squadron "C" KRH took place at the Castlemartin Artillery Range and platoon level tactical exercises (CT1) at the Salisbury Plain training area.

At basic levels, the essence of joint combat training (the ranges and target mix of British artillery ranges have not changed significantly in the past 40 years) remains traditional, although some changes may be worth making.

Since the end of the Second World War, British tank regiments have typically had three tanks per platoon, but the Army 2020 program adopted a four tanks per platoon structure. This provides greater organizational flexibility and combat redundancy, allowing each platoon to potentially perform more missions when divided into pairs, as well as being closer to the combat training of American and German tank platoons.

There are four training grounds in the UK where fire training with live firing is possible. These are Castlemartin, Kirkcudbright, Lulworth and Salisbury Plain, but none of them yet follow the completely new platoon structure.

The Castlemartin range has enough directrixes for the simultaneous operation of four Warrior infantry fighting vehicles, but the limitations of the firing sectors along the length make it difficult to conduct live firing at the platoon level of four Challenger 2 tanks. Due to the future installation of a new 40 mm gun on the upgraded Warrior infantry fighting vehicles, motorized infantry units and new Scout vehicles from reconnaissance units will also require improvements to these shooting ranges. This is the concern of the army headquarters, which keeps this issue under control.

While in the past there were many complaints regarding limitations on kilometers traveled, practical ammunition or fuel reserves, this is now not much of an issue for a tank squadron. This may be due to the fact that the existing stocks of spare parts and ammunition were at one time intended to provide significantly more more Challenger 2 tanks than the British Army currently needs for deployment.

The recent increase in politico-military activity in the Baltics brings with it the need to demonstrate the competence of the British Armored Expeditionary Capability and this will no doubt also be useful in resolving any such problems that impede the planning and execution process.

The 12th LABG's first expeditionary test was Exercise Black Eagle, held in Poland in October 2014. In the background is a Challenger 2 tank, crewed by KRH "C" Squadron, working in tandem with a Polish Army Leopard 2A4 tank. During the exercises, a methodology for the early reactivation of tanks in long-term storage was developed and consolidated. Interestingly, the British tank does not have the usual camouflage cape.

In order to complete the so-called annual crew test (ACT), the crew of the Challenger 2 tank can count on firing 83 rounds of ammunition from the main armament of the tank, as well as 2,940 rounds of ammunition from the 7.62 mm machine gun. During the training year (every three years), crews also conduct platoon-level live fire assessments, during which an additional 42 cannon rounds and 1,200 7.62mm machine gun rounds can be fired.

Before the start of live firing, personnel undergo intensive simulator training (including 20 exercises for gunner operators and 4 or 5 exercises for the crew as a whole, including annual comprehensive testing) in their unit. The targeting procedure is performed at the crew level (in simulators and on the range) and then at the platoon level as part of joint combat training.

The distance to targets fired from tank guns (mostly static tank hulls) at the Castlemartin training ground is 3 km or less, while for secondary weapons the maximum distance is about 1100 meters (tracer burn-up time). The gunner's and commander's gun hit percentage during the annual ACT must be at least 75%; the same standard applies when firing from a coaxial machine gun (7.62 mm L94A1 Chain Gun), but in the latter case the standard exercise consists of firing three bursts of five rounds (one sighting and two “kill”) on one target. Shooting from a coaxial machine gun is considered more difficult from a technical point of view, although even if you take a separate L94A1 machine gun, its dispersion characteristics are considered by some to be “too insufficient” for suppressive fire.

One of the “legacies” of Afghanistan was the assignment of one forward aircraft gunner to each company (in the 80s there were only three gunners per brigade). As a result, squadrons of Challenger 2 tanks are now accompanied by a modified version of the Warrior artillery observation vehicle, which houses the fire support team commander along with a forward observer and a forward air gunner, coordinating with jets or attack helicopters

The Challenger 2's original armament and fire control system requirements previously specified that the crew must be able to fire the L30A1 rifled 120mm cannon with separate ammunition at a rate of fire of 10 rounds per minute. However, the need for this kind of long-term firing will not arise very often: in a series of standard tests, one tank, as a rule, will need to fire within 55 seconds at five targets (including one for a machine gun), placed at random azimuths and distances in the sector more than 120°.

According to one of the squadron officers, creating the right “atmosphere” and crew interaction in the turret is the key to success in combat.

Upon graduation from Armored Forces Center, a crew member typically starts as a driver, then is promoted to gunner and loader operator, and eventually to vehicle commander with the award of a multi-specialty training certificate.

In addition to his main function of providing the main and auxiliary weapons with ammunition, the loader also serves as a radio operator and fires from a 7.62 mm universal machine gun mounted next to the hatch; it also makes a significant contribution to target acquisition for the gunner operator and commander. The driver also contributes to short-range targeting by taking advantage of his day and night vision devices with a wider forward field of view; it can also help the loader by counting the number of shots remaining in the magazine, thereby ensuring that when firing at a target the shells will not run out at the most crucial moment.

Tank crew commanders are either in the rank of corporal (junior sergeant), sergeant (aged 22-25 in the position of loader, or older in the case of a platoon sergeant), or officer (platoon commander, deputy squadron commander, squadron commander and in an armored battle group unit commander). Having completed 44 weeks of general officer training at the Royal Military College ground forces at Sandhurst, armored officers attend a six-month crew chief course at the Armor Center at Bovington, where they are trained in driving, gunnery, communications and tactics. Platoon corporals who have passed through the ranks of non-commissioned officers attend the same courses.

After completing the mandatory educational training required to qualify for the ACT, new officers initially assume the position of platoon leader under the supervision of their more experienced drill sergeant. After the new platoon commander has undergone joint training in tactics and combined arms combat at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) training base in Canada, his dependence on the supervising drill sergeant may be noticeably reduced (depending on the qualities of the newly minted officer).

As a result, a candidate for the position of officer can already command soldiers just two years after joining military service. (For example, in the German Army, a newly appointed tank officer can take up a position in his battalion no earlier than 79 months after the start of his military career.)

Decisive test

Advances in the field of simulation modeling allow significant savings, including on ammunition consumption. At the same time, live firing still remains the most important part of the educational process; they confirm practical skills in materiel and gunnery and allow for system performance checks and annual testing of the ACT crew.

The ACT score is determined to a greater or lesser extent by to a lesser extent operational parameters of the tank systems and, as it ages, the degree of their “looseness” in the turret, especially the control system. As the crews undergo their tests, they begin to understand that much depends on the efficiency and coordinated operation of all the systems of a particular tank and that their readiness and the readiness of their commanders to carry out combat missions depends on this.

By the end of the training, all 18 Tank Squadron "C" crews passed their ACT tests. The squadron commander, Major Peter Pirone, said that "C Squadron now has confidence in each of its 18 tanks." This is a significant improvement compared to 2014, when the squadron had only 14 tanks at its disposal, and the crews of only three tanks showed sufficient combat training and met ACT standards.

Shelter

As part of the Army's fleet management program, which has been gradually introduced by the British Ministry of Defense over the past ten years to all registered vehicles, the Challenger 2 tanks of two of the three squadrons tend to remain in long-term storage at the army's equipment depots in Ashchurch. The storage conditions there allow the tanks to be kept in working order, but if contracts are awarded, the industry will be able to modernize them in accordance with the agreed plan and standards without negative influence for planned combat training of units.

Although this approach has not met with general approval, "collectivization" or pooling of this kind has its advantages in terms of significant savings, as well as the impact on the coordination of military actions. This gives regiment personnel who are unable to work with their tanks the “room for maneuver” necessary to improve their individual skills, that is, the opportunity to leave the unit, enroll in courses and improve their professional level. As one officer put it, “The regiment cannot go full throttle forever, otherwise it will not be able to do the extra work required of it while maintaining its entire fleet.”

The commander of the tank squadron currently serving as the armored component of the leading LABG armored battle group, Major Piroun noted that, unlike his colleagues in the other two tank squadrons ("A" and "B"), he "owned" only 18 tanks, which are held in position as part of the regiment's base unit. This basic unit typically consists of 20 tanks, with two additional tanks serving as spare vehicles in case of breakdown and also as reserve vehicles for training.

The Challenger 2 TES tank, designated Megatron, was created by the armored vehicle development and testing group for urban operations in Iraq. Note the system of suppressors for improvised explosive devices (similar to a bird feeder), the remote-controlled Enforcer combat module installed on the loader's hatch, as well as the electronic signature control systems installed in the front. CoolCam plastic mesh draped over upper surfaces tank, reduces heating from sunlight.

The KRH Hussars have half the vehicle spaces at their base at Tidworth, which has 'garage' capacity for 72 tanks, with the remaining 36 spaces allocated to the RTR. The latter is also tasked with providing a tank squadron for the LABG 1st Brigade Combat Team, that is, providing reinforcement to the base unit with additional tanks so that the second squadron can carry out required firing or tactical training or preparation for large exercises.

The Challenger 2 tank must be kept in a secure hangar (whether for long-term storage or military use) even if it is not equipped with electronics and additional armor in accordance with the Theater Entry Standard (TES) upgrade. In this regard, it is unique, but similar restrictions will apply to the promising Scout vehicle, which should replace the eight Scimitar vehicles in service with the reconnaissance group of each regiment.

Current plans provide for the redeployment of the third armored regiment QRH from its “home” base in Germany also to the base in Tidworth and in this case difficulties may arise when placed in existing hangars with a capacity of 72 tanks; Moreover, there will definitely be no additional places to accommodate the promising Scout vehicle. However, as one of the officers said, “new funding will make it possible to build appropriate hangars in Tidworth to accommodate base units all three armored regiments."

The operational readiness of base unit tanks is also increased due to the greater availability of squadron mechanics and mobile regimental repair shops. Tank crews also contribute, enthusiastically using unofficial means. Major Piroun cited as an example a simple vacuum cleaner (it is extremely popular among German tank crews and artillerymen), which “fastidious crews” can use in the field to keep the armored space and turret systems relatively clean, and, most importantly, allows you to get rid of annoying sand.

To be continued…

Tanks of Great Britain Challenger 1 Challenger belongs to the third post-war generation. It represents a further development and has been developed since the mid-1970s. Technical Directorate of Military Vehicles and Equipment and Vickers. The prototype for it was the export Shir2, the design of which was modified, thereby creating the Challenger I. From 1983 to 1989, 420 of these vehicles were produced for the British army. They were withdrawn from service at the end of 2000, but since 1999 these tanks have been supplied to Jordan under the name ALHussein. A total of 303 units were sent.

British Challenger tanks

"Challenger 1" is a tank with a classic layout. Combat weight 62 tons. The hull and turret are welded, made of Chobham combined armor. The bottom of the hull is V-shaped to reduce the impact of anti-tank mines. At the front of the machine is the control compartment. The fighting compartment and turret occupy the middle part. The engine and transmission compartment is in the stern. The turret is equipped with a 120 mm L11A5 rifled gun. Gun pointing angles in the vertical plane range from -10 to +20 degrees.

L11A5 120mm rifled gun, the rest of the world's tanks use a smoothbore gun

Ammunition consisting of 64 rounds of separate loading is located in the control compartment and in the fighting compartment. To the right of the gun is a 7.62 mm machine gun, coaxial with a cannon. The anti-aircraft machine gun is located above the hatch of the commander's cupola. The vehicle uses an automated fire control system, consisting of a laser sight-rangefinder and an electronic ballistic computer. If necessary, it is possible to fire from the commander's position. There is also a laser irradiation indicator with a signal to the crew.
The engine-transmission unit weighing 5.49 tons is located in the stern. Typically, replacement in the field requires only 45 minutes. The main engine is a 12-cylinder V-shaped diesel Condor with turbocharging with a power of 1200 hp. There is also an auxiliary diesel engine with a power of 37 hp, which serves to drive the electric generator, start the main engine and recharge the batteries.

Tank Challenger 1 performed in leading role from Great Britain in the war Persian Gulf for Operation Granby

On "Challenger 1" For the first time, an automatic hydromechanical transmission with hydrostatic transmission was used to drive the turning mechanism. It allows you to turn the car smoothly, which improves handling.

• Speed ​​- 56 km/h.
• Power reserve - 400 km.
• The tank's suspension is non-adjustable piston hydropneumatic.

Each side has six double support and four double support rubber-lined rollers. Caterpillar with metal and hinges and removable rubber pads.
The Challenger 1 has three modifications: Mk 1, Mk 2 and Mk 3. The Mk l tanks were equipped with a 120 mm L30 gun, the ammunition of which included depleted uranium shells. On the Mk 2 there are two additional 200-liter external fuel tanks in the rear; on the MkZ there is additional active and passive protection for the front part and sides.

Challenger 2 is the last of the UK's main battle tanks. Weighs 63 tons

Tank UK Challenger 2 developed by Vickers in 1988. It is a modernized Challenger 1, in which the design of the turret, gun and weapon control system has been changed. Serial production began in 1994. Currently, 386 tanks are in service with the British Army, 38 in service with the Omani Army.

Challenger 2 will remain in the British Army until 2035

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Germany. 1998 combat vehicle color

The hull and turret of the Challenger 2 are made of second-generation Chobham combined armor. The turret was designed taking into account experience from the creation of the Mk7 and . Combat weight 62.5 tons.
The ammunition load of the L30A1 rifled gun includes armor-piercing sub-caliber projectiles with a depleted uranium core. Ammunition - 52 separate-loading shells.

Shot photo from CHALLENGER 2

Fire control system - upgraded computer American tankМ1А1 Abrams (“Abrams”), the commander’s stabilized day sight is similar to that installed on the French Leclerk tank, the gunner’s main sight is also French with a laser rangefinder and a thermal imaging unit.

A thermal imager is located above the Challenger 2 barrel, it is clearly visible in the photo. This allows the crew to see thermal images of any hot spots, vehicles, soldiers, etc.

The transmission is new, hydropneumatic suspension and chassis modernized. There are two external fuel tanks on the hull. The engine is the same - Condor.

The 1200 horsepower Condor engine allows the tank to reach a maximum speed of 37 miles

A filter-ventilation unit and automatic fire-fighting equipment have been installed. There are variants of command tanks.
Challenger 2, modified for hot climates, were supplied to Oman.

Challenger 2 against the backdrop of burning oil wells in the Persian Gulf

The developer has created an export modification of the Challenger 2E, which is considered as an option for modernizing tanks in service with the British army.

Hello, fellow tankers! Today we will look at British branch tank development(V game World of Tanks), or rather, I will describe to you all its pros and cons in as much detail as possible from my point of view and, perhaps, help you decide on the choice of nation.

Popularity of British tanks in World of Tanks

Advantages and disadvantages of British tanks

A little history

Now let's return to the advantages and disadvantages, based on historical significance.

• A definite plus we can say that in the “cruising” sense the British achieved their goal: Covenanter, Crusader, Cromwell, Comet are ideal for entering the rear at speed and cutting out enemy artillery. The advantages include frontal armor some vehicles (such as Black Prince, Matilda, Valentine and almost all British anti-tank self-propelled guns). Medium tanks have worse armor, but some tilt gives a chance of not being penetrated, and the turret can traditionally take a good hit. The British also have good guns: They have good armor penetration, fast aiming and a not too long reload. Some machines have mobility, speed and maneuverability. British tanks have good visibility.
• On to the cons applies one-time damage per shot, because it is very small (except for high explosives and the top tank destroyer FV215b (183)). Some of the equipment has poor hull armor. The huge disadvantages of heavily armored British tanks are speed, maneuverability and extensive “soft” points that are easily accessible for penetration.

General

Fri-Sau

"Cruising" light tanks

Light tanks (up to heavy tanks)

Medium tanks

Bottom line

For a long time, the prevailing opinion among the British military was that reconnaissance should be carried out by wheeled armored vehicles (BRM - “combat reconnaissance vehicle”, English Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance). However, in the mid-60s, when armor based on aluminum alloys appeared, it became possible to create a lightweight air-transportable tracked vehicle using automotive components and assemblies, which significantly reduced the cost and speeded up production. In 1964, the Elvis company began creating such a tank.

In 1968, the first samples successfully passed tests, and in 1972 it was put into service under the name "Scorpion" FV-101. The car uses a commercial 6-cylinder liquid-cooled petrol engine "Jaguar" with a power of 195 hp. With. The transmission is mechanical, planetary with a differential rotation mechanism. The gearbox provides 7 forward and reverse gears. The design of the transmission is similar to that of the Chieftain, but is significantly smaller in size and weight. Individual torsion bar suspension with hydraulic shock absorbers on the front and rear units.

The British are the pioneers in world tank building, for which we must thank W. Churchill. As you know, it quickly developed into a positional war. To give it at least some dynamics, in October 1914, Secretary of the Defense Committee Colonel E. Swinton made a proposal to create an armored vehicle on a tracked vehicle that could break through defense lines: cross trenches, trenches and wire fences. The Minister of War did not react to the idea, but the First Lord of the Admiralty (Naval Minister) W. Churchill supported the idea, and after some time the Land Ships Committee was created under the Navy Department.

History of the development of British tanks by model

The commander of the British troops in France, General J. French, impressed by the ensuing battles, formulated the basic requirements for the “land dreadnought”:

• Relatively small dimensions.
• Bulletproof armor.
• Crawler mover.
• Ability to overcome craters up to 4 m and wire fences.
• Speed ​​not lower than 4 km/h.
• The presence of a cannon and two machine guns.

In fact, these were the world's first requirements for tank performance. And in January 1916, the committee presented the world's first tank capable of taking part in battles. Thus, with the light hand of Churchill, tank building began in Britain, and a few years later throughout the world.

The first tanks were created solely for breaking through defenses and suppressing enemy machine guns, which was facilitated by the special shape of the hull. It was a parallelogram with tracks along the outer contour for overcoming vertical obstacles. That's how he was.

Even after tangible successes from tanks in battle, the British military leadership considered their use to be of little promise, and only thanks to the real successes of the high-speed French Renaults did the idea of ​​mass production of tanks take possession of the minds of military leaders. J. Fuller, a later famous tank theorist, for example, advocated the mass creation of high-speed tanks.

British tanks of the First World War

There were several tank qualifications in the British forces at the time.

The first is weight: up to 10 tons - light, from 10-20 tons medium and about 30 tons heavy. As is known, preference was given mainly to heavy tanks.

The second qualification concerns weapons: tanks with exclusively machine gun armament were called “females”, those with cannons were called “males”. After the first oncoming battles with German tanks, which showed the inconsistency of machine gun models, a combined type with cannons and machine guns appeared; such tanks were called “hermaphrodites”.

As for the doctrine of using tanks in battle, the opinions of the military were divided into two halves. One half wanted to create and use purely “infantry” tanks, the other “cruising” ones.

Infantry type - used for direct support of infantry, had low mobility and was well armored.

The cruising type is a kind of “armored cavalry”, quite fast, and in comparison with infantry, lightly armored. On their shoulders, together with the cavalry, fell the tasks of quickly breaking through the defense, enveloping and raiding the enemy’s rear. The armament of both types was the same, mainly machine guns.

The British retained this concept of using tanks until the beginning of World War II. If you delve deeper into it, you will see that tanks play a supporting role, the main tasks are carried out by cavalry and infantry.

Before the end of the First World War in England, after the heavy MK-I, its modifications were produced up to Mk VI and Mk IX and medium ones: Mk A (unofficially “Whippet”), Mk B and Mk C.

Of course, the quality of the first production tanks was quite low.

In the diaries of German soldiers and in official reports there are many interesting facts. For example, due to gas pollution inside the tanks, there were frequent cases of suffocation of the entire crew. Due to the primitiveness of the suspension, the tanks created such a roar that, in order to disguise the movement of tank units, the British accompanied them with artillery cannonade. Due to the narrow tracks, there were cases when tanks became muddy in the ground right in front of the enemy trenches.

One case speaks about security.

In November 1917, in the battles near Cambrai, on the outskirts of the village of Flesquières, one German officer was left with a cannon abandoned by servants; he, slowly, loading himself, pointing and shooting, destroyed 16 British tanks in order.

It seemed that even then it was necessary to think about strengthening the armor, but not one of the tank manufacturers did this until the conflict in Spain.

Be that as it may, the British, with their tanks, added a new level to the conduct of wars; they transferred them to other speeds. Before the end of the war, they managed to be the first in the world to create amphibious tanks and communication tanks.

Tanks between the great wars

England ended the First World War as a leader in tank production, but very soon all the advantages disappeared.

Firstly, due to the fact that they strictly separated the types of tanks and their use: the British continued to build “infantry” and “cruising” types.

Secondly, due to its geographical location, the command gave priority to the development of the fleet over the land army.

The implementation of one of the tactical ideas of J. Fuller, by the way, almost all countries “fell ill” with it, was the creation of mechanized infantry. The Carden-Lloyd MkVI wedge was ideal for these purposes. In its entirety, according to the strategist’s plan, it was supposed to play the role of an “armored skirmisher.” Despite the fact that the wedge did not receive recognition at home, although they were built on its basis reconnaissance tanks and tractors, it was purchased by 16 countries, and Poland, Italy, France, Czechoslovakia and Japan acquired licenses for their production. In the USSR it was produced as the T-27.

Another tank that was not appreciated by its compatriots was the Vickers 6 tons. In the world tank building it played no less a role than the Renault FT in its time. Light and cheap to manufacture, with a machine gun in one turret and a cannon in the other, it was the embodiment of the idea of ​​World War I tanks: machine gun tanks act against manpower, while cannon tanks support them.

Among the tanks put into service at the end of the 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s were:

• medium Mk I "Vickers-12 tons",
• heavy A1E1 “Independent”,
• various modifications of the Vickers-Carden-Loyd Mk VII and Mk VIII.

In anticipation of a big war, the headquarters of the ground forces, back in the late 20s, insisted on the creation and production of infantry tanks, but due to the economic crisis in the country, funding was not allocated.
After the conflict in Spain and Italy’s attack on Ethiopia, the British leadership, anticipating the approach of a “big conflict” and understanding the inconsistencies of the time of the equipment they had previously created, urgently financed the creation and production of new tanks.

Appear: “cruising Mk I (A9), Mk II (A10), Mk III, Mk IV and Mk VI “Crusader” (A15).

Mk IV and Mk VI were implemented on the famous wheeled-tracked base of the American inventor Christie, but using one propulsion unit.

In 1939, production of the first (!) tank with anti-ballistic armor began - the infantry A11 Mk I "Matilda", later another tank would be named by this name. Its speed of 13 km/h and machine gun armament made it a laughingstock. In general, during the period between the “great” wars, British designers created more than 50 real models of tanks, 10 of which were put into service.

British tanks of World War II

At the time of the start, England's armored vehicles were noticeably outdated. Neither in quality nor in quantity could it compare with the equipment of the USSR and Germany. The total number of all tanks in the British army was about 1000, in larger mass lungs. The lion's share of which was lost in the battles for France.

During the war, English manufacturers were unable to satisfy the demands of the army; during the period 1939-1945, only 25 thousand units of armored vehicles were produced, the same number came from the USA and Canada.

All the new technology was rather mediocre, it was one step behind the German and Russian ones.

Mainly cruiser and infantry tanks were produced, and light airborne tanks were produced in small quantities.

After Churchill’s famous post-war phrase, tanks all over the world joined the arms race, and their development, in general, is similar to each other. To counter our IP, Conqueror is being created. After the concept of basic battle tank"Chieftain" is produced. The third generation tank in England is the Challenger.

In addition to the main ones, after a long break, light Scorpion tanks began to be produced in 1972.