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FV 4034 Challenger 2
Challenger 2 Tank
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Production history
Manufacturer	Alvis Vickers
Specifications
Mass	62.5 tonnes
Length	8.3 m
Width	3.5 m (4.2 m with appliqué armour)
Height	2.5 m
Crew	4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
Armour	Chobham (classified)
Main armament	L30A1 120 mm rifled with 52 rounds
Secondary armament	coaxial 7.62 mm L94A1 EX-34 (chain gun), 7.62 mm L37A2 Commander's cupola machine gun
Engine	Perkins CV-12 Diesel 1,200 hp (895 kW)
Power/weight	19.2 hp/tonne
Suspension	hydropneumatic
Operational range	450 km (279 miles)
Maximum speed	59 km/h (37 mph)

The British FV4034 Challenger 2 is the main battle tank currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman.

Overview

The Challenger 2 is a main battle tank built by the British company Alvis Vickers (now part of BAE Systems Land and Armaments). Challenger 2 is the third vehicle to carry the title. The first was the A30 Challenger, a WW2 Cromwell tank mounting a 17 pdr gun. The second is the Persian Gulf war era Challenger 1. This was the British army's MBT from the early 1980s to the mid 1990s. Although Challenger 2 was developed from Challenger 1, the new vehicle is a complete redesign—fewer than 5% of components are interchangeable. The Challenger 2 has now replaced the Challenger 1 in service with the British Army and is also used by the Royal Army of Oman.

The UK placed orders for 127 Challenger 2 tanks in 1991 and an additional 259 in 1994. Oman ordered 18 of the tanks in 1993 and a further 20 in November 1997. Challenger 2 entered service with the British Army in 1998, with the last delivered in 2002. It is expected to remain in service until 2035. Deliveries for Oman were completed in 2001.

Challenger 2 has seen operational service in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq (2003–present). A Challenger Tank was seriously damaged via an IED attack on 6 April 2007, the first such attack. The driver lost both legs in the attack. The heavy armour was previously believed to provide near impenetrable defence against IED attack, with a sophisticated 'shaped charge' bomb believed responsible. The BBC quotes a British MoD spokesman as saying the Challenger tank was "well armoured but in an operational theatre it's not the case that you can have absolute protection. This was not in any way new technology - the device involved was the same type of shaped charge that we have seen used very regularly. No-one has ever said Challenger tanks are impenetrable. We have always said that a big enough bomb will defeat any armour and any vehicle, and the Americans have lost many tanks in Baghdad ."

History

Vickers Defence Systems (later Alvis Vickers, now BAE Systems Land Systems) began to develop a successor to the Challenger 1 as a private venture in 1986. Following the issue of a staff requirement for a next-generation tank, Vickers formally submitted its plans for the Challenger 2 to the MOD. They were awarded a £90 million contract for a demonstrator vehicle in December 1988. In June 1991—after competition from other tank manufacturers (the M1A2 Abrams, the Leopard II (Improved) and the Leclerc were amongst the options)—the MOD placed a £520 million order for 127 MBTs and 13 driver training vehicles. This was augmented in 1994 with an order for a further 259 tanks and 9 driver trainers (worth £800 million). Oman ordered 18 Challenger 2s in 1993 and a further 20 tanks November 1997.

Production began in 1993 at two primary sites: Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne and Barnbow, Leeds, although over 250 subcontractors were involved. The first tanks were delivered in July 1994.

The Challenger 2 successfully completed its Reliability Growth Trial in 1994; Three vehicles were tested for 285 simulated battlefield days. Each day is known to have consisted of:

• 27 km of On-road Travel
• 33 km of Off-road Travel
• 34 Main Armament Rounds fired
• 1,000 7.62 MG rounds fired
• 16 h Weapon System Operation
• 10 h Main Engine Idling
• 3.5 h Main Engine Running

An equally important milestone was the In-Service Reliability Demonstration (ISRD) in 1999. 12 fully crewed tanks were tested at the Bovington test tracks and at Lulworth Bindon ranges. The tank exceeded all staff requirements.

The tank went into service with the British Army in June 1998 with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Germany and the last vehicles were delivered in 2002. Oman received its last tanks in 2001. It is expected to remain in service until around 2035.

The Trojan minefield breaching vehicle and the Titan bridge-laying vehicle based on the Challenger 2 were shown in November 2006; 66 are to be supplied by BAE Systems to the Royal Engineers, at a cost of £250M.

Design

Armament

Challenger 2 is equipped with an 120 mm L30A1 tank gun, the successor to the gun used on Chieftain and Challenger 1. The gun is made from high-strength electro-slag refining (ESR) steel with a chromium alloy lining and, like earlier British 120 mm guns, is insulated by a thermal sleeve. It is fitted with a muzzle reference system, fume extraction and is gyro-stabilised. Because the British Army continues to place a premium on the use of high-explosive squash head (HESH) rounds in addition to saboted rounds, the Challenger 2's cannon is rifled, making it unique among the NATO-allied army MBTs. HESH rounds continue to be used by the British for two reasons; they have longer range than saboted penetrator rounds and they are more effective against buildings and thin-skinned vehicles (they are also cheaper than the CHARM 3).

Forty-nine rounds can be carried from a selection of APFSDS, HESH or smoke. A depleted uranium (DU) APFSDS round known as CHARM 1 (CHallenger ARMament) was produced, later replaced by the improved CHARM 3. As with earlier versions of the 120 mm gun, the rounds are in two parts, a charge and a warhead. Contrary to much speculation, this does not reduce the rate of fire of the Challenger 2; in fact, a loader can often sustain a higher rate of fire than auto-loaders with single-piece ammunition. Further, separate charge sticks reduce the likelihood of enemy fire igniting the ammunition.

The gun is controlled by raftan all-electric control and stabilisation system. An L94A1 EX-34 7.62 mm chain gun is fitted to the left of the main gun. A 7.62 mm L37A2 machine gun for anti-air defence is mounted in front of the loader's hatch. 4,200 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition are carried.

The digital fire control computer from Computing Devices Company (now General Dynamics – Canada) contains two 32-bit processors with a MIL STD1553B databus and has capacity for additional systems, for example a Battlefield Information Control System.

The commander has a panoramic SAGEM VS 580-10 gyrostabilised sight with laser rangefinder. Elevation range is +35° to -35°. The commander's station is equipped with eight periscopes for 360° vision.

The Thermal Observation and Gunnery Sight II (TOGS II), from Thales, provides night vision. The thermal image is displayed on both the gunner's and commander's sights and monitors. The gunner has a stabilised Primary Sight using a laser rangefinder with a range of 200 m to 10km.

The driver is equipped with a Thales Optronics image-intensifying Passive Driving Periscope (PDP) for night driving.

The British Army maintained its requirement for a four-man crew (including a loader) after risk analysis of the incorporation of an automatic loader suggested that auto-loaders reduced battlefield survivability. Mechanical failure and the time required for repair are prime concerns. A human loader is able to maintain a higher rate of fire than is possible with current auto-loaders, and can assist with maintenance of the vehicle.

Defence

The Challenger 2 is one of the most heavily armoured and best protected tanks in the world. The turret and hull are protected with second generation Chobham armour (also known as Dorchester) the details of which are still classified. Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) kits are also fitted as necessary. The nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) protection system is located in the turret bustle. On each side of the turret are five L8 smoke grenade dischargers. Challenger 2 can also create smoke by injecting diesel fuel into the exhaust manifolds.

Drive System

• Engine: Perkins CV12 diesel engine delivering 1,200 hp (895 kW).
• Gearbox: David Brown TN54 epicyclical transmission (6 fwd, 2 rev).
• Suspension: Second-generation Hydrogas.
• Track: William Cook Defence Hydraulically Adjustable double-pin.

Maximum speed 37 mph, 59 km/h (road) 25 mph, 40 km/h (cross country)

Range 280 miles, 450 km (road) 156 miles, 250 km (cross country).

Operational usage

Challenger 2 had already been used in peacekeeping missions and exercises before but its first combat use came in March 2003 during the invasion of Iraq. 7 Armoured Brigade, part of 1st Armoured Division, was in action with 120 Challenger 2s. The tanks saw extensive use during the siege of Basra, providing fire support to the British forces.

There have been only two Challenger 2s lost in combat. The first was due to a friendly fire ("blue-on-blue") incident in which one Challenger 2 mistakenly shot another, destroying the second tank and killing two crew members. The second was heavily damaged by an IED in Basra, Iraq on April 6, 2007. A shaped charge penetrated the underside of the tank, leaving one soldier seriously injured and causing another to suffer minor injuries.

In one encounter a Challenger 2 was hit directly by eight rocket propelled grenades from close range and a MILAN anti-tank missile, and was under heavy small arms fire for hours. The crew survived and the tank was able to withdraw for repairs, the worst damage being to the sighting system. It was back in operation six hours later after the repairs. One challenger 2 near Basra survived being hit by 70 RPGs in another incident.

In 2007, British officials confirmed that a single RPG-29 round penetrated the frontal armour of a Challenger 2 tank during an engagement in al-Amarah, Iraq, severly wounding the driver. The tank was equipped with an ERA kit.

The tank's availability was excellent and the problems that were identified during the large Saif Sareea II exercise of eighteen months earlier were solved by the issuing of Urgent Operational Requirements for equipment such as sand filters.

Upgrades and variants

Challenger Lethality Improvement Programme

The Challenger Lethality Improvement Programme is a programme to upgrade the main gun of the Challenger from its current 120mm L30A1 rifled gun to the 120mm Rheinmetall L55 smoothbore gun currently used by the Leopard 2 A6. The use of a smooth bore allows the Challenger to use more lethal rounds developed in Germany and the US. Other improvements have also been considered, including a regenerative NBC protection system.

A Challenger 2 has been fitted with the L55 and is undergoing trials as of January 2006.

Challenger 2E

Challenger 2E is an export version of the tank. It has a new integrated weapon control and battlefield management system, which includes a gyrostabilised panoramic SAGEM MVS 580 day/thermal sight for the commander and SAGEM SAVAN 15 gyrostabilised day/thermal sight for the gunner, both with eyesafe laser rangefinder. This allows hunter/killer operations with a common engagement sequence. An optional servo-controlled overhead weapons platform can be slaved to the commander's sight to allow operation independent from the turret.

The power pack has been replaced with a new 1500 hp (1100 kW) EuroPowerPack with transversely mounted MTU MT 883 diesel engine coupled to Renk HSWL 295TM automatic transmission. The smaller but more powerful engine allows more space for fuel storage, increasing the vehicle’s range to 550 km.

The manufacturer announced in 2005 that development and export marketing of 2E would stop. This has been linked to the failure of the 2E to be selected for the Hellenic Army in 2002 (the Leopard II won the competition).

CRARRV

The ChallengeR Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV) is an armoured recovery vehicle based on the Challenger hull and designed to repair and recover damaged tanks on the battlefield. It has five seats but usually carries a crew of three soldiers from the Royal Electrical And Mechanical Engineers (REME), of the Vehicle Mechanic and Recovery Mechanic trades. There is room in the cabin for two further passengers (eg crew of the casualty vehicle) on a temporary basis.

The size and performance are similar to the Challenger tank, but instead of armament it is fitted with:

• A main winch with 52-tonne pull (can exert 100 tonnes using an included pulley and anchor point on the vehicle), plus a small pilot winch to aid in deploying the main cable.
• Atlas crane capable of lifting 6,500 kg at a distance of 4.9 m (this is sufficient to lift a Challenger 2 power pack).
• Dozer blade to act as an earth anchor/stabiliser, or in obstacle clearance and fire position preparation.
• Large set of recovery and heavy repair tools including compressed air powered tools and arc-welding capability.

Titan

The Titan armoured bridge layer, is based on the Challenger 2 running gear and will replace the Chieftain Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge (ChAVLB). Titan is expected to come into service in 2006 with the Royal Engineers with 33 in service in the end.

Trojan

Trojan is a combat engineering vehicle, or CEV (also styled AVRE for Armoured Vehicle, Royal Engineers in British Army parlance), designed as a replacement for the Chieftain AVRE (ChAVRE). It uses the Challenger 2 chassis, and will carry an articulated excavator arm, a dozer blade, and attachment rails for fascines. Like Titan, 33 are intended to reach service.

Trivia

This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (June 2007)

• It takes only twelve seconds (+/- 2 seconds) for the turret to make a full rotation.
• The History Channel's show Heavy Metal documented the Challenger 2's ability to brew tea for the crew from inside the tank. The tank contains a boiler for water which can be used to produce hot beverages and heat 'boil-in-the-bag' meals contained in ration packs. (Every British tank since the Centurion has this ability to heat water - and most British AFVs do too where it's known as a "BV" for boiling vessel.)
• On the British TV show Brainiac: Science Abuse a British Army Challenger 2 tank was commissioned to finish the job of opening a one-tonne steel bank safe, previous attempts at opening the safe included grinding, dropping from a high altitude, as well as the use of explosives placed at the combination lock area. The tank first fired two APFSDS Arrow rounds at the safe at a distance of 900 metres. The first missed, the second just scratched one side of the safe. The tank then fired two HESH rounds, which both hit the safe, and tore it apart rather than merely opening it, destroying the £200 prize money inside.
• Top Gear featured a segment where Jeremy Clarkson attempted to evade the laser rangefinder of a Challenger 2 tank on the British Army's battle training grounds (The Seven Sisters, Tidworth, Wiltshire) with a Range Rover Sport. The Challenger 2 successfully targeted Clarkson's vehicle after chasing it through woods and over hilly terrain.

Notes

2. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1691220.ece Improvised bomb hits British tank, 2007
3. Tanks and artillery 'face MoD axe'
4. "The Telegraph" report of the RPG-29 attack

External links

• British army Challenger II webpage
• The ARMOR Site! page on Challenger 2
• Army-Technology

• Articles with trivia sections from June 2007
• Main battle tanks
• Post war British tanks
• Modern tanks