British Army says they could replace Tanks with Cyber-warfare

Military chiefs are considering decommissioning Britain’s fleet of tanks to prioritize cyber-warfare.

The plans have been drawn up as part of a proposal to greatly modernize the armed forces, while cutting costs.

The Government will examine the idea, since upgrading Britain's 227 Challenger 2 tanks, and the supporting 388 Warrior armored fighting Vehicles, carries a hefty price.

Last year, then-Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said both vehicles were "obsolete".

Lucy Fisher, Defence Editor for The Times and the journalist behind the report, told Forces News the place of the tank in the UK Armed Forces is now "incredibly vulnerable".

The report comes months before November's expected conclusion of the Integrated Review - described by Downing Street as the biggest review of British defence, security and foreign policy "since the end of the Cold War".

David Willey, curtor at The Tank Museum, told Forces News tanks remain a vital part of defence.

"If we want to have a credible defence, tanks are still part of that make up that means you're a serious army," he said.

"If anyone claims they've [tanks] have come to the end of their working life, look on the news, look around the world, tanks are being used all over the place still."  he added

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "Our commitment to NATO is unwavering, and the UK recognises that as a global military power our greatest strength remains our alliances." 

"We are engaging our international allies and industry partners as we develop and shape defence’s contribution to the integrated review."

The spokesman added that "no decisions have been made regarding troop positioning".