ArmamentĬhallenger 3 will be installed with Rheinmetall’s latest generation L55A1 120mm smoothbore gun. Thales will also supply a signal processing system (SPS), which will provide state-of-the-art video tracking and WASAD capabilities to the tank.
RBSL placed a £90m ($121.9m) subcontract with Thales Group, an aerospace and defence services provider based in France, for panoramic and fixed azimuth weapon aiming sights for both the commander and gunner of the Challenger 3 tank. The electronic and electrical architectures of the MBT will further support future upgrades to provide significant growth potential over the coming decades. The main battle tank will be fitted with improved long-range commander and gunner primary sights with automatic target tracking, wide-area search and detection (WASAD) capability and day and thermal modes for operations during day and night. The fully digitised tank will enable interoperability with other combat vehicles in combined arms battalions while enabling multi-domain integration for data sharing across domains.ĭesigned to handle multi-domain warfare, the tank retains its ability to operate in coastal environments to support Future Commando Force of the Royal Marines. The tank will be manned by a crew of four including a commander, a gunner, a loader, and a driver. It will have a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 66t, which is 1t more compared to its predecessor. The Challenger 3 MBT features a generic vehicle architecture and new digital crew stations. The new and improved main battle tank will be the British Army’s only 24-hour, all-weather, protected tank with accuracy, direct fire and anti-armour manoeuvre capabilities, playing a critical role in the UK’s ability to deliver hard power. Initial operating capability (IOC) is expected in 2027, while full operating capability is scheduled in 2030. The UK Ministry of Defence placed an £800m ($1.11bn) contract with RBSL for the conversion of 148 Challenger 2 tanks into Challenger 3 configuration, in May 2021.
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