No reprieve as axed tanks are sent to Poland in ‘exchange’
TORY ministers still plan to scrap scores of Army tanks – despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Government plans to deploy British Challenger 2 tanks to Poland so Warsaw can send some of its own Soviet-era T-72 tanks across the border to the Ukrainian army.
The “backfilling” move sparked hopes of a U-turn to save 79 doomed UK tanks.
But the Tories are pressing ahead with plans to axe them, despite the war on mainland Europe.
Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey asked ministers “whether plans to send Challenger 2 tanks to Poland will affect plans to retire one third of the Challenger 2 tank fleet”.
Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin said: “Deployment of Challenger 2 tanks to Poland will not affect the decision to retire elements of the fleet.”
The cuts to numbers of British main battle tanks were announced a year ago – nine months before Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
An £800million deal was agreed to supply the Army with 148 upgraded Challenger 3 tanks.
But the overall number of tanks will be cut from 227.
Mr Healey told the Mirror: “Ministers are falling behind European allies by failing to reboot defence plans in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The Government continues to push ahead with the Prime Minister’s vanity plan for ‘Global Britain’ in the Integrated Review which took security and prosperity in Europe for granted, cut capabilities – including tanks now being used in response to Ukraine – and plans to slash Army numbers by a further 10,000 troops.
“Ministers must now rewrite the Integrated Review, review defence spending, reform military procurement and rethink Army cuts.”