The Strong Europe Tank Challenge (SETC) 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.[1]
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.[2] The 2017 challenge saw Austria placing first, with Germany and the U.S. taking second and third, respectively.[3] The competition has not been held since 2018.
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.[2]
| Place | Nation | Unit | Tank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | C/ 3. Kompanie, GebirgsPanzerbataillon 8 | Leopard 2A6 | ||
| 2nd | 1/ 1st Squadron, 1st Panserbataljon | Leopard 2A5 DK | ||
| 3rd |  Poland | 1/ 1st Company, 1st Tank Battalion | Leopard 2A5 | |
| 4th |  Italy | 1/ 2nd Company, 8th Tank Battalion | C1 Ariete | |
| 5th |  United States | 1/ D Company, 2-7 Infantry | M1A2 SEP v2 | |
| 6th | United States | 3/ C Company, 2-7 Infantry | M1A2 SEP v2 | |
| 7th | Wolf/ 45th Center for Tracked Combat Vehicles | M-84 |
The second annual competition included three newcomers, Austria, Ukraine and France. Italy, Denmark and Slovenia did not appear.[4]
| Place | style=width:5em | Nation | Unit | style=width:7em | Tank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st |  Austria | Panzerbataillon 14 | Leopard 2A4 | ||
| 2nd | 2. Kompanie, Panzerbataillon 203 | Leopard 2A6 | |||
| 3rd | United States | 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment "Iron Knights", 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division (Iron Brigade) | M1A2 SEP v2 | ||
| 4th |  France | 501e régiment de chars de combat, 3e escadron | Leclerc | ||
| 5th |  Ukraine | T-64BV | |||
| 6th | Poland | Leopard 2A5 |
The third annual competition took place from June 3 to the 8th and included two newcomers: Sweden and the United Kingdom.[5]
| Place | style=width:5em | Nation | Unit | Tank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3. Kompanie, Panzerbataillon 393 | Leopard 2A6 | 1450 | ||
| 2nd | Wartofta Tank Company, Skaraborg Regiment | Strv 122 (Leopard 2A5) | 1411 | ||
| 3rd | KPE/PzB14 | Leopard 2A4 | 1321 | ||
| 4th | France | 1er régiment de chasseurs | Leclerc | 1186 | |
| 5th | 34th Armoured Cavalry Brigade | Leopard 2A5 | 1151 | ||
| 6th | The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish) | Challenger 2 | 1140 | ||
| 7th | United States | 2-70 Armor, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division | M1A2 SEP v2 | 1110 | |
| 8th | Ukraine | 14th Mechanized Brigade | T-84 Oplot | 950[6] |