Challenger 3 | |
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![]() Challenger 3 Tech Demonstrator | |
Type | Main battle tank |
Place of origin | United Kingdom |
Service history | |
In service | From 2025[1] |
Used by | British Army |
Production history | |
Designer | Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land |
Designed | 2020s |
Manufacturer | Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land |
Produced | 2025–2030[1] |
No. built | 148 (Planned)[2] |
Specifications | |
Mass | 66 tonnes (65 long tons; 73 short tons)[3] |
Crew | 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver) |
Armour | "new Modular Armour" consisting of External "EPSOM" and Internal "Farnham" Armour,[4][5] APS[6] |
Main armament | 120 mm Rheinmetall L55A1 smoothbore gun |
Engine | Perkins CV12-9A 26.1 litre V12 diesel[7] 1,500 bhp (1118 kW)[8] |
Transmission | David Brown Santasalo TN54E epicyclic transmission (six forward, two reverse) with new component improvements.[9][10] |
Suspension | Horstman third generation Hydrogas[11][12][13] |
Challenger 3 (CR3) is a planned British main battle tank in development for the British Army. It will be produced by the conversion of existing Challenger 2 tanks by the British/German Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land joint venture.
Improvements to Challenger 2 began in 2005 as the Capability And Sustainment Programme (CSP) to keep the Challenger 2 competitive until the 2030s. Lack of funding[14] meant that it was not until 2014 that the programme was formally reorganised into the "Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme" (LEP). In response to the LEP programme, two prototypes were submitted for evaluation; one from BAE Systems in 2018[15] and the other from Rheinmetall in 2019.[16] Later that year BAE and Rheinmetall merged their British operations into Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), effectively leaving Rheinmetall's proposal the only option available without replacing the Challenger 2 fleet with foreign models.[17]
The Challenger 3 has an all-new turret with an improved hull. The most significant change from Challenger 2 to Challenger 3 is the replacement of the Challenger's main armament from a 120 mm L30A1 rifled main gun to the 120 mm L55A1[18] smoothbore gun (which itself is an upgraded version of the L55 fitted to the Leopard 2A6/A7 family of main battle tanks) giving commonality with other NATO members. Ammunition is to be developed in conjunction with Rheinmetall AG, with a new kinetic energy round being developed for Challenger 3 and Leopard 2.[19]
The entry into service of the Challenger 3 has been brought forward to 2025, not 2027 as originally planned. The first units are to be delivered to the British Army in 2025. A total of 148 tanks are to be produced, with costs estimated at 1.17 billion US dollars.[20]