The now-in-development Challenger 3 promises to be the most capable main battle tank (MBT) produced for the British Army. It may also be its last tank.
The British military pioneered tank development more than a century ago. While the UK has produced some competent armored platforms, it has also delivered more than its fair share of lackluster designs.
Is the Challenger 3 Among the World‘s Best Tanks?
The UK‘s military future armored workhorse was officially unveiled at last year‘s Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) defense exhibition at Millbrook Proving Ground. It was touted as among the most advanced main battle tanks (MBT) in development. The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) suggested it will rival or even exceed the capabilities of Russia‘s much-hyped T-14 Armata.
Designed by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), the Challenger 3 features next-generation modular armor, advanced communications, and a powerful 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun. The modular protection was developed by a team of “armor experts” at the UK‘s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) with additional support from the Ministry of Defence‘s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) and RBSL.
It will be equipped with the Rafael Trophy active protection system (APS) and composite armor.
The MoD has called for a fleet of Challenger 3s that will supersede the British Army‘s Challenger 2 MBTs, even as it isn‘t an entirely new platform. Instead of starting from scratch, it is essentially a major upgrade and modernization of the existing platform that will integrate the advanced technologies into the existing MBTs‘ hulls.
That will include a new turret equipped with the Rheinmetall L55A1 120mm smoothbore main gun, an improved engine, a hydro-gas suspension system, and improved communication and sensor packages.
The secondary armament reportedly will consist of a single coaxial 7.62mm L8A2 machine gun mounted to the left of the main armament. A 7.62 mm L37A2 machine gun can also be mounted at the commander‘s cupola.
The Challenger 3 is reported to be 66 tonnes and is operated by a crew of four, including the commander, gunner, loader, and driver.
148 of the British Army‘s Challenger 2s are currently slated to receive the upgrade, which could allow the MBTs to remain in service into the 2040s.
The State of the Challenger 3 Program
Though the development of the Challenger 3 began under the previous Conservative government, which lost power in last July‘s general elections, the Labour government has continued to support the program. That fact was noted just last week when Minister for Defence Procurement Maria Eagle responded to questions from Conservative MP James Cartlidge. In her official written response, Eagle praised the Challenger 3‘s capabilities.
“The Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank will deliver a significant improvement in capability over its predecessor, the Challenger 2,” Eagle emphasized and highlighted the MBT‘s “digitalized turret fitted with the latest 120mm smoothbore gun paired with the most lethal ammunition available.”
Eagle continued, “We are confident that Challenger 3 will continue to match potential threats throughout its lifecycle, but we will continually review the performance of its specification to ensure that it remains world-leading.”
The Challenger 3s Unexpected Foe: Supply Chain Woes
Even as the MoD highlighted Challenger 3‘s capabilities, it acknowledged that the program had been plagued with supply chain delays.
According to Eagle, the Challenger 3 could reach Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 2027, while the entire force will be operational by the end of 2030. The timeline for the IOC has been seen as ambitious, as only two prototypes had been built by the end of last year, while six more were in various stages of production.
“Reaching IOC means the British Army would have a trained crew, several operational vehicles, supporting infrastructure, and logistical systems to begin integrating the platform into its order of battle. Any delay to this milestone could postpone full deployment and readiness, affecting broader strategic and modernization plans,” Army Recognition reported.
Is It the End of the Line For the British Challenger Series?
With just 148 Challenger 2s slated to receive the upgrade to the Challenger 3 standard, the British Army will have the fewest number of tanks in service since just before the outbreak of the Second World War, when the Royal Armored Corps had just 143 infantry tanks and cruisers in its arsenal.
While some analysts have questioned the future of tanks on the battlefield following the massive losses Russia has seen in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, it is hard to see a near future without the MBT.
The UK‘s military may not operate a domestically built tank in just a few years. As Army Technology explained, “While cheaper than buying an equivalent number of Leopard 2A8 MBTs from Rheinmetall, [the Challenger 3] is also a developmental dead end, with the UK not currently planning on a new tank design post-Challenger 3. The UK will likely seek to join a European program, such as the [Franco-German] MGCS, or any replacement of the U.S. Army‘s M1 Abrams.”
Thus, while the British may have been the first to develop a tank and then deploy it in combat, as it did with the Mk I at the Somme in September 1916, by the 2040s, the UK could be entirely out of the tank-building business.
The Challenger 3 will just allow it to go out with a bang!
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/ Andrew Harker.
