You can't get much more modern when it comes to main battle tanks than the Challenger 2. Designed as the result of a horrendous finish in an armor competition where the British group came in last place, the Challenger 2 is similar to the Challenger 1 in name only. One of those cases where the military was trying to put one over on the politicians who hold the purse strings, I imagine.

The story of the development of the tank is full of intrigue as the initial thought was to purchase something made by another country. Yet egos came into play and after much wrangling that idea was shelved and a vehicle was developed internally. Most unusual for modern military equipment, the manufacturer was required to have every vehicle completely bug-free upon delivery, something that delayed full introduction of the tank for several years.

However the result was well worth it as the Challenger 2 has proven itself in several conflicts to be a superlative weapon and, in the eyes of the author at least, the best in the world today. While I'm sure there will be discussions to that end for a long time, it has definitely provided just what the British Army was looking for and several export orders have been made for this vehicle.

The Authors take you through the entire process of what is required to get a new piece of military equipment through the politicians and to the troops. Stories of its use in battle are also provided so that one gets a good insight as to how remarkable a weapon the Challenger 2 actually is. This is all couched in a book that has superb photos (most of which are in color)  and excellent drawings by artist Tony Bryan.

If you have an interest in modern weaponry, then this is a book that I found fascinating to read and an excellent resource.

May 2006

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