Tank talk
Sir: Robert Fox, in his article (Peace dividend postponed', 4 August), bases some of his conclusions on inaccurate information about the Nato tank fleets currently operating in Europe. He says that our Belgian, Dutch and German neighbours all use the German Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks and that we British will be seen as eccentric because of our rifled guns. However, the Leopold 1 and the Leopold 2 are tanks with little in common. In particular, the Leopold 1 has a 105mm rifle-barrelled gun and the Leopold 2 a 120mm smooth bore. There is no com- monality of gun among our allies; the United States forces are also currently running around with both 105mm rifled and 120mm smooth bore guns on their Abrams M1 tanks.
The high-pressure 120mm rifled gun was chosen for Challenger 2 because of its effectiveness. Vickers is now under con- tract from the Ministry of Defence to develop fully the gun and its ammunition. Results to date demonstrate that the Chal- lenger 2 gun programme is proceeding very successfully.
Terrence Collis
Vickers plc, Millbank Tower, London SW1
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