THE British Army has started transporting Challenger II Battle Tanks to Eastern Europe ahead of the NATO exercises that are taking place there.

The heavy armour is being moved from The King’s Royal Hussars base in Tidworth as part of preparations for Exercise Black Eagle in Poland.

It is part of a joint British and Polish operation aimed at boosting support for the countries on the eastern boundaries of the alliance.

The battle-group will total about 1,300 personnel, 100 armoured vehicles and 250 other vehicles and will be the UK’s biggest armoured deployment in Eastern Europe since 2008