Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank - Design
Challenger 3, is a Challenger 2 with a new turret, gun, and some hull/drivetrain upgrades. It is also getting improved hull protection, new front and side turret protection and new add on armor. Challenger 2 is a 62.5-tonne tank with a 120mm rifled gun firing armour-piercing and high-explosive ammunition. This gun cannot fire the ammunition used by the 120mm smooth-bore guns of the M1A2 Abrams operated by the United States or German Leopard 2 tanks, adopted by a number of NATO members. Challenger 2 is heavily armoured and highly mobile, designed for use in the direct fire zone. Its primary role is to destroy or neutralise armour. However, it also has the ability to engage both hard and soft targets and can operate across a spectrum of high intensity conflict, counter insurgency and peace keeping roles.
The Challenger 2 is equipped with an L30 120mm rifled tank gun, firing both long rod penetrator and High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ammunition natures. The new vehicle will be equipped with the latest 120mm High Pressure L55A1 main gun, firing the latest kinetic energy anti-tank rounds and programmable multipurpose ammunition. The gun is also complete with increased first-hit capability and the latest fire support technology. The Rh120mm L/55 A1 gun on the Challenger 3 is a Rheinmetall 120 mm smoothbore cannon, the same as found on the Leopard 2A7V. This allows the Challenger 3 (TD) to use NATO standard ammunition, and more to the point, DM53 high-velocity ammunition capable of travelling at faster speeds and have an increased range. The DM53 is a dramatic improvement over the previous L27A1, with a stark difference in ability to punch through even the heaviest armor effectively. The gun is an upgrade in virtually all areas - velocity, penetration power on both flat and angled surfaces, the amount of spalling generated, accuracy, etc.
The MoD judged that the technology is not mature enough to put an auto-loader into the Challenger 3 turret. Those countries that were trying to do that were encountering significant challenges with it. In place of the much-maligned 4 shell racks of the previous Challengers, the Challenger 3 has a ready rack of 15 shells positioned neatly at the back of the turret, with blowout panels behind.
Secondary armament is provided with a 7.62mm co-axial chain gun, deleting the 7.62mm pintle mounted General Purpose Machine Gun of the previous Challengers.
The new suite of sights gives the tank commander an independent day / night all weather hunter killer capability, which allows them to acquire and engage targets quicker than potential adversaries. The new tanks feature a new automatic target detection and tracking system with thermal long-range cameras. The long-range commander and gunner primary sights are also improved with automatic target detection and acquisition. This solution also provides significant growth potential in all Main Battle Tank key capability areas with the new physical, electronic, and electrical architecture. Optical and thermal imager sights are provided for both the Commander and Gunner, including an independent 360° panoramic sight for the Commander. The sighting systems, turret and gun are fully stabilised enabling rapid target engagement when static and on the move.
The Challenger 3 will reach a top speed of 60mph thansk to an upgraded engine with a new cooling system and suspension. Mobility is provided through a 12-cylinder, 1,500hp Perkins CV12 diesel engine with a David Brown TN54 gearbox, providing six forward and two reverse gears. A double pin track with Hydrogas suspension and a Hydraulic Track Tensioner provide platform stability covering flat road surfaces through to rough cross-country terrain.
The new turret structure and improved survivability systems provides the highest standard of protection for the crew. Today’s main battle tank is threatened by more systems than ever before, and this has led the UK to develop a new, modular armour that will defeat even the most demanding of threats. The major increase to survivability in this tank comes in its new ammunition layout - no longer are shells strewn throughout the hull, you get a dedicated ready rack and blowout panels at the rear of the turret.
As part of the Challenger 3's layered protection, the fleet will also be the first to receive the best active protection system (APS) allowing it to recognise incoming threats and neutralise them. The tank will undergo full electromagnetic testing to ensure it is survivable in the most demanding of sensor saturated battlefields. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) selected Rafael Advanced Defense Systems' Trophy active protection system (APS) for detailed assessment and integration into the British Army's Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT), the ministry and company announced on 24 June 2021. The UK MoD stated “Trophy APS provides combat-proven protection against rocket and missile threats. The system simultaneously locates the origin of hostile fire for immediate response.”
The ministry quoted Colonel Will Waugh, director of the UK's Armour Main Battle Tank Programme, as saying, “This technology, already battle proven with our international allies and partners, will deliver a step change in protection against guided and unguided anti-tank weapons: a threat that continues to proliferate around the world and grow in lethality. This marks another step forward in delivering a modernised main battle tank able to defeat any threat it might meet in the future.”
Developed by Rafael in response to successful anti-armor attacks, Trophy APS provides combat-proven protection against rocket and missile threats. The system simultaneously locates the origin of hostile fire for immediate response.
Trophy APS is the only fully-integrated, combat-tested APS in the world and has been installed on Israel Defense Forces’ Merkava tanks since 2010. The protection system has made numerous combat interceptions with no injuries to crews or dismounted troops or damage to platforms since its first operational interception in 2011.
The world leading new modular armor has been developed through advances in armor technology provided by the in-house Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA) funded armor expertise held within Dstl. This Dstl owned Intellectual Property (IP) has generated significant interest and is being exploited through the close links Dstl has with MOD and Industry.
The tank was designed to play its part in multi-domain warfare while retaining the ability to operate in the littoral environment (between the land and sea) in support of the Future Commando Force. Challenger 3 is fitted with a digitised backbone connecting it to the other combat vehicles that make up the fighting Brigade, enabling data sharing across domains to deliver information advantage and enable multi domain Integration and an edge over adversaries. With its modular design, it offers operational commanders an enhanced survivability suite capable of taking on any battlefield threats that it is likely to encounter across the world.
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