The Challenger 3 Tank: What You Need to Know

The Challenger 3 is a planned British main battle tank in development for the British Army. It will be produced by conversion of existing Challenger 2 tanks by the British/German Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land joint venture.

The Challenger 3 will feature a number of significant upgrades over the Challenger 2, including:

• A new 120mm smoothbore gun that can fire the most advanced ammunition available.
• A new suite of sights providing tank commanders with enhanced day and night targeting abilities.
• A new armour solution that provides improved protection against a wider range of threats.
• An active protection system that can intercept incoming missiles and rockets.
• A turret that can be fitted to the tanks of allies and global partners.

• Significantly improved mobility through an upgraded engine and new hydrogas suspension.

The Challenger 3 is scheduled to enter service with the British Army in 2027. It will be the most advanced main battle tank in the British Army's inventory, and will provide the Army with a significant capability advantage over its adversaries.

The Rafael Trophy Active Protection System (APS)

The Rafael Trophy Active Protection System (APS) is an Israeli-made system that protects armored vehicles from rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). It is the only fully-integrated, combat-proven APS in the world, and has been installed on Israeli Defense Forces' Merkava tanks since 2010.

The Rafael Trophy APS is being integrated onto the Challenger 3 tank as part of a £20 million contract awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence in 2023. The integration is expected to be completed in 2027, when the Challenger 3 is scheduled to enter service with the British Army.

The integration of the Trophy APS onto the Challenger 3 will significantly enhance the tank's survivability against rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank guided missiles. The Trophy APS will provide the Challenger 3 with a layer of protection that will allow it to operate in more hostile environments and against more sophisticated threats.

The integration of the Trophy APS onto the Challenger 3 is a significant development for the British Army. It will provide the Army with a tank that is more survivable and better equipped to meet the challenges of modern warfare.

120mm smoothbore gun (NATO Approved)

The 120mm smoothbore gun is a type of tank gun that is used on a variety of main battle tanks, including the Challenger 3, the M1 Abrams, and the Leopard 2. It is a smoothbore gun, meaning that it does not have any grooves or rifling inside the barrel. This allows the gun to fire a wider variety of ammunition, including kinetic energy penetrators and programmable airburst rounds.

The 120mm smoothbore gun is a very powerful weapon. It can penetrate up to 700 millimeters of steel armor at a distance of 2,000 meters. It can also fire programmable airburst rounds that can detonate in the air above a target, showering it with shrapnel.

The 120mm smoothbore gun is a key component of the Challenger 3's main armament. It gives the tank the ability to engage and defeat a wide variety of targets, including enemy tanks, infantry, and fortifications.

Here are some of the advantages of the 120mm smoothbore gun:

• It can fire a wider variety of ammunition, including kinetic energy penetrators and programmable airburst rounds.
• It is more accurate than a rifled gun, due to the lack of grooves in the barrel.
• It has a longer range than a rifled gun.

Here are some of the disadvantages of the 120mm smoothbore gun:

• It is not as effective at defeating sloped armor as a rifled gun.
• It is more susceptible to jamming than a rifled gun.
• It is more expensive to produce than a rifled gun.

Overall, the 120mm smoothbore gun is a powerful and versatile weapon that is well-suited for use on main battle tanks. It gives the tank the ability to engage and defeat a wide variety of targets, and it is constantly being upgraded with new ammunition and technologies.

Here is a table summarizing the key differences between the Challenger 2 and Challenger 3 tanks: