Editing Challenger 2 (section)

===Supply to Ukraine===
After the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in 2022, the then British Prime Minister, [[Boris Johnson]], declined Ukrainian requests for Challenger 2 tanks to be part of the military aid packages arranged by the United Kingdom and other NATO countries. British [[Secretary of State for Defence|Defence Secretary]] [[Ben Wallace (politician)|Ben Wallace]] had said that the idea "wouldn't work".<ref name="eatb">{{cite news |title=British Tanks To Fight Russia? UK Defense Secretary Says Giving Tanks To Ukraine 'Wouldn't Work' |url=https://eurasiantimes.com/british-tanks-to-fight-russia-uk-says-giving-tanks-to-ukraine/ |publisher=The EurAsian Times |date=27 March 2022}}</ref> In April 2022, Johnson and his German counterpart [[Olaf Scholz]] stated that both Western European allies would withhold their MBTs from the war. Johnson instead chose to deploy British Challenger 2 tanks to Poland to backfill the Polish Army and allowing the Polish government to donate Soviet-era [[T-72]]s to Ukraine.<ref name="pcg">{{cite news |last1=GALLARDO |first1=CRISTINA |title=UK and Germany won't send tanks to Ukraine |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-germany-rule-out-send-tanks-ukraine/ |work=Politico |date=8 April 2022}}</ref><ref name="dmbg">{{cite news |last1=Glaze |first1=Ben |title=Tories plan to scrap Army tanks despite sending some to Poland after Ukraine invasion |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tories-plan-scrap-army-tanks-27003396 |work=Daily Mirror |publisher=Reach plc |date=18 May 2022}}</ref>

On 14 January 2023, the British government confirmed reports that in light of the developing situation in Ukraine, it had reversed its position on the supply of Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. An initial commitment of 14 vehicles was announced, alongside 30 [[AS-90]] 155&nbsp;mm self-propelled guns, and armoured repair and recovery vehicles. A spokesperson for the British Prime Minister, [[Rishi Sunak]], described the move as reflecting "the UK's ambition to intensify support". These tanks were the first Western MBTs offered to Ukraine, supplementing donations of Western manufactured infantry fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, and self-propelled artillery;<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK Is Considering Sending Battle Tanks to Ukraine, Officials Say |first1=Alex |last1=Wickham |first2=Daryna |last2=Krasnolutska |date=9 January 2023 |access-date=9 January 2023 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-09/uk-considering-sending-battle-tanks-to-ukraine-officials-say |website=bloomberg.com |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sabbagh |first1=Dan |title=UK considers supplying handful of Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/09/uk-considers-supplying-handful-of-challenger-2-tanks-to-ukraine-war-russia |work=The Guardian |access-date=9 January 2023 |date=9 January 2023}}</ref><ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news |last1=Beale |first1=Jonathan |last2=Andersson |first2=Jasmine |title=UK to send Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, Rishi Sunak confirms |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64274755 |access-date=15 January 2023 |work=BBC News |date=15 January 2023}}</ref> A number of other countries have subsequently announced that they would supply Ukraine with Western-manufactured MBTs; specifically the American [[M1 Abrams]] and German-made [[Leopard 1]] and [[Leopard 2]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=What makes Germany's Leopard 2 tank the best fit for Ukraine? |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/01/25/what-makes-germanys-leopard-2-tank-the-best-fit-for-ukraine |access-date=26 January 2023 |issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

On 29 January 2023, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that the first Ukrainian troops had arrived in the UK to begin training on Challenger 2.<ref name="BFBS">{{cite news |title=Ukrainians arrive in UK to begin training on British Challenger 2 tanks |url=https://www.forces.net/ukraine/ukrainians-arrive-uk-begin-training-british-challenger-2-tanks |access-date=30 January 2023 |work=Forces News}}</ref> On 8 February, Sunak and Ukrainian President [[Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy|Zelensky]] paid a visit to Ukrainian soldiers at [[Lulworth Camp]] where they were being trained on Challenger 2 tanks by British soldiers from the [[Royal Tank Regiment]] and the [[Queen's Royal Hussars]]. Sunak used the opportunity to reaffirm the British intention to have the first Challenger 2 tanks delivered to Ukraine by March 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Ben |title=Sunak and Zelensky meet Ukrainian soldiers training on tanks at Dorset camp |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/volodymyr-zelensky-dorset-one-british-army-challenger-b2278461.html |access-date=13 February 2023 |work=The Independent |date=8 February 2023 }}</ref>

On 27 March 2023, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that Ukrainian tank crews had completed their training in the UK on Challenger 2 tanks, and had returned to Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ukrainian tank crews complete Challenger 2 training in UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukrainian-tank-crews-complete-challenger-2-training-in-uk |website=GOV.UK |access-date=27 March 2023 |date=27 March 2023}}</ref>

On 18 August 2023 a picture of a Challenger 2 in Ukraine was released on Twitter. Unique modifications include top-mounted [[slat armour]] believed to be used to stop drone attacks.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Danielle |last1=Sheridan| first2=Nataliya| last2=Vasilyeva |title=Ukraine modifies British Challenger 2 tanks to protect them from Russian drones |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/08/16/ukraine-british-challenger-2-tank-modified-russian-drones/|access-date=27 March 2023 |work=Financial Times |date=18 August 2023}}</ref>

On 4 September 2023, a video emerged from [[Robotyne]] which showed the first combat loss of the Challenger 2 tank.<ref name="TELUKMBT"/><ref name= "destroyedchallenger">{{cite web |title=First U.K.-Delivered, Ukrainian Challenger II Tank Confirmed Destroyed Near Robotyne | work = The Atlas news |url= https://theatlasnews.co/conflict/2023/09/04/first-u-k-delivered-ukrainian-challenger-ii-tank-confirmed-destroyed-near-robotyne/ |access-date= 4 September 2023 |date=4 September 2023}}</ref>

During the [[Ukrainian incursion into Kursk]], three more Challenger 2 tanks were visually confirmed to have been destroyed.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.forcesnews.com/ukraine/russian-claims-drone-destroyed-challenger-2-tank-during-ukraines-kursk-counter-offensive|title=Ukrainian Challenger 2 purportedly hit by drone during counter-offensive in Kursk|date=6 January 2025|website=www.forcesnews.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/08/16/ex-british-challenger-2-tanks-roll-into-kursk-as-ukraines-invasion-of-russia-grinds-into-its-11th-day/|title=Ex-British Challenger 2 Tanks Roll Into Kursk As Ukraine's Invasion of Russia Grinds Into Its 11th Day|first=David|last=Axe|website=Forbes}}</ref>