A Challenger II is among the vehicles the Army is bringing to Northern Ireland for its latest recruitment drive (MoD/PA)

The Army is bringing in the big guns for its latest recruitment drive in Northern Ireland.

A Challenger II tank, Mastiff and Warthog, used to fight on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, are to go on display at the King's Hall in Belfast.

The show of strength at the Armed Forces Jobs and Trades Fair will also include Husky, Panther, Spartan and Foxhound armoured vehicles and there are plans to bring in helicopter support.

The exhibition will mark the first time members of the public will have been able to get close to some of the military's biggest and most expensive war machines.

Transferring the kit, worth millions of pounds and weighing hundreds of tons, into and out of the region will require a major logistics operation involving at least three separate shipments.

Dick Rafferty, head of army recruitment in Northern Ireland, said: "The Armed Forces Jobs and Trades Fair is not just about standalone jobs or trades.

"It is about putting the armed forces' offer of well-paid careers with incomparable training and transferable qualifications and skills in to the Northern Ireland jobs market place. It's about giving young people and their parents the opportunity to make an informed decision as to whether an armed forces career might suit their purpose, and the recruiting staffs on duty will contribute to that by no doubt telling the tale 'warts and all'."

The free show will be open to the public on April 25 and 26 between 10am and 4pm.