Challenger 2 tank triumphs in Nato competition ahead of Leopard and Abrams tanks

The UK's Challenger 2 tank has blasted away the competition in Nato's Exercise Iron Spear.

The armoured vehicle competition for main battle tanks, held in Estonia, saw a Challenger 2 tank, from the Queen's Royal Hussars beat a German Leopard 2 tank, operated by Spanish personnel, and the third-placed American M1 Abrams crew.

Major Anthony Kaulback, Chief of Staff for the enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in the country, said the regiment was one of those who had donated Challenger 2 tanks to Ukrainian personnel to use in their fight against Russia.

• UK says 1,900 tanks among list of Russia's heavy losses during Ukraine war
• British Challenger 2 tanks arrive in Ukraine and will 'soon begin combat missions'
• Challenger 2: The British tank that's never been destroyed by the enemy

"The fact that one of those Challenger 2s has just won a competition as a lethal tank, one of the most lethal tanks in Nato, is really reassuring… for those Ukrainians that will be using them on the battlefield," he said.

He explained the competition saw the crews and their tanks put to the test to see how many targets could be engaged within a time limit.

"One of the most potent things about the Challenger 2 is that it's got something called the hunter-killer mode," he said.

"That means the commander can be independently scanning to acquire targets whilst the gunner is also trying to find targets but in different arcs."