Strong Europe Tank Challenge#2017
{{Short description|Annual army tank competition}}
File:Strong_Europe_Tank_Challenge_2016_(26301492974).jpg
The Strong Europe Tank Challenge was an annual, multinational tank platoon competition held from 2016 to 2018 at Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, and hosted by the U.S. Army Europe and the German Army.{{Cite web|url=http://www.eur.army.mil/tankchallenge/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324152118/http://www.eur.army.mil/tankchallenge/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 24, 2016|title=Strong Europe Tank Challenge|website=www.eur.army.mil|language=en|access-date=2017-05-30}} In February 2025 the competition was held again after a 7 year hiatus, although renamed to the U.S. Army Europe and Africa International Tank Challenge.{{Cite web |title=DVIDS - USAREUR-AF International Tank Challenge |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/UITC |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=DVIDS |language=en}}
Description
Crews from NATO and non-NATO partners compete in defensive/offensive mounted and dismounted operations. Platoons rotate throughout 12 events with 1,500 possible points in total. The first challenge was held in 2016, with Germany taking first place.{{Cite news|url=https://www.stripes.com/news/germany-wins-big-at-2016-strong-europe-tank-challenge-1.409391#.WS3-IGjyuUk|title=Germany wins big at 2016 Strong Europe Tank Challenge|work=Stars and Stripes|access-date=2017-05-30}} The 2017 challenge saw Austria placing first, with Germany and the U.S. taking second and third, respectively.{{Cite news|url=https://www.army.mil/article/187584/austria_takes_top_honors_in_strong_europe_tank_challenge|title=Austria takes top honors in Strong Europe Tank Challenge|work=www.army.mil|access-date=2017-05-30|language=en}}
File:USAREUR-AF International Tank Challenge - Final Event (8873824).jpg
Results
= 2016 =
The 2016 competition was the first SETC competition. Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia sent one platoon; the United States sent two. The Czech Republic planned to send a platoon, but the unit failed to arrive. No official place list for team behind the third place was published.
| class="wikitable"
!Place !Nation !Unit !Tank |
| 1st
|{{flag|GER}} |C/ 3. Kompanie, GebirgsPanzerbataillon 8 |
| 2nd
|{{flag|DEN}} |1/ 1st Squadron, 1st Panserbataljon |
| 3rd
|{{flag|POL}} |1/ 1st Company, 1st Tank Battalion |
| 4th
|{{flag|ITA}} |1/ 2nd Company, 8th Tank Battalion |
| 5th
|{{flag|USA}} |1/ D Company, 2-7 Infantry |
| 6th
|{{flag|USA}} |3/ C Company, 2-7 Infantry |
| 7th
|{{flag|SLO}} |Wolf/ 45th Center for Tracked Combat Vehicles |M-84 |
= 2017 =
The second annual competition included three newcomers, Austria, Ukraine and France. Italy, Denmark and Slovenia did not appear.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sofmag.com/watch-the-strong-europe-tank-challenge-see-how-u-s-scored/|title=Watch the Strong Europe Tank Challenge, See How U.S. Scored|date=14 May 2017|website=Soldier of Fortune}}
| class="wikitable"
!Place !style=width:5em|Nation !Unit !style=width:7em|Tank |
| 1st
|{{flag|AUT}} |Panzerbataillon 14 |
| 2nd
|{{flag|GER}} |2. Kompanie, Panzerbataillon 203 |
| 3rd
|{{flag|USA}} |1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment "Iron Knights", 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division (Iron Brigade) |
| 4th
|{{flag|FRA}} |501e régiment de chars de combat, 3e escadron |
| 5th
|{{flag|UKR}} | |
| 6th
|{{flag|POL}} | |
= 2018 =
The third annual competition took place from June 3 to the 8th and included two newcomers: Sweden and the United Kingdom.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/280177/germany-takes-prize-strong-europe-tank-challenge|title=Germany Takes the Prize in the Strong Europe Tank Challenge|last=Justinger|first=Lacey|date=8 June 2018|website=Defense Visual Information Distribution Service}}{{Better source needed|reason=The reference only validates Germany winning the competition, it does not validate the ranking or the results shown below.|date=September 2020}}
| class="wikitable"
!Place !style=width:5em|Nation !Unit !Tank !Points |
| 1st
|{{Flag|GER}} |3. Kompanie, Panzerbataillon 393 |1450 |
| 2nd
|{{Flag|SWE}} |Wartofta Tank Company, Skaraborg Regiment |1411 |
| 3rd
|{{Flag|AUT}} | KPE/PzB14 |1321 |
| 4th
|{{flag|FRA}} |1er régiment de chasseurs |1186 |
| 5th
|{{Flag|POL}} |34th Armoured Cavalry Brigade |1151 |
| 6th
|{{flag|UK}} |The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish) |1140 |
| 7th
|{{flag|USA}} |2-70 Armor, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division |1110 |
| 8th
|{{flag|UKR}} |
= 2025 =
The fourth competition took place in February 2025, with an American team taking first place. Tank crews from Denmark, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland also attended the competition.{{Cite web |title=U.S. Army Tank Crew Wins International Competition for First Time |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4069888/us-army-tank-crew-wins-international-competition-for-first-time/ |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}}
Gallery
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official|https://www.7atc.army.mil/TankChallenge/}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX-sf0UcJRI Strong Europe Tank Competition 2017 • Video Of All 6 Nations]