CHALLENGER 2

In July 1991 the UK MOD announced the purchase of 127 Vickers Defence Systems (VDS) Challenger 2 main battle tanks plus 13 Driver Training Tanks (DTT). 

Vickers Defence Systems won the contract against intense competition from the French Leclerc, German Leopard 2 (Improved) and the US M1A2 Abrams. The Challenger 2 MBT unit price was in the region of £4 million. In July 1994 the UK Secretary of State for Defence announced the purchase of a further 259 Challenger 2 tanks and 9 DTTs, *bringing the totals to 386 MBTs and 22 DTTS, thus allowing for the complete UK MBT fleet to be upgraded to the Challenger 2 standard. The total bill for the contract was approximately £2.2 billion.

The Strategic Defence Review of 1999 reduced the number of RAC armour regiments from eight to six. Each of the six armoured regiments are organised for 58 Challenger 2, within four squadrons. The remaining tanks are spread among Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA) Schools, LAND training establishments, trials requirements and operational and logistic stocks. The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards took delivery of the first production models of the Challenger 2 on 30 Jun 98 and by early 2002 deliveries of all 386 Challenger 2 MBTs and 22 DTTs were complete.

Challenger 2 has shown itself to be one of the most, if not the most, reliable pieces of major equipment ever brought into service with the British Army. Extensive use on exercises in the UK, Germany, Poland, Canada and Oman, plus operational service in Bosnia and Kosovo has shown CR2 to be a battle winning asset that has performed well beyond its design specifications.

The only export order so far is an Omani order for 38 x Challenger which includes 2 x Driver Training Vehicles and 4 x Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicles.

Challenger 2 is manufactured by Vickers Defence Systems and production undertaken at their factories in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Leeds. At 1999 prices Challenger 2 is believed to cost £4 million per vehicle.

Challenger 2 successfully completed its Reliability Growth Trial (RGT) in 1994 and during these trials three vehicles were tested over a total of about 285 battlefield days. For the purposes of the trial a battlefield day consisted of:

27 kms of Road Travel
33 kms of Cross Country Travel
Firing 34 Main Armament Rounds
Firing 1,000 7.62mm MG rounds
16 Hours of Weapon Systems Operation
10 Hours of Main Engine Idling
3.5 Hours of Main Engine Running - Mobile

Although the hull and automotive parts of the Challenger 2 are based upon that of its predecessor Challenger 1, the new tank incorporates over 150 improvements which have achieved substantially increased reliability and ease of maintenance. The Challenger 2 turret is, however, of a totally new design. The vehicle has a crew of four - commander, gunner, loader/signaller and driver and is equipped with a 120mm rifled Royal Ordnance L30 gun firing all current tank ammunition natures plus the new depleted uranium (DU) round with a stick charge propellant system.

The design of the turret incorporates several of the significant features that Vickers had developed for its Mk 7 MBT (a Vickers turret on a Leopard 2 chassis). The central feature is an entirely new fire control system based on the Ballistic Control System developed by Computing Devices Company (Canada) for the US Army's M1A1 MBT. This second generation computer incorporates dual 32-bit processors with a MIL STD1553B databus and has sufficient growth potential to accept Battlefield Information Control System (BICS) functions and navigation aids (a GPS satnav system). The armour is an uprated version of Challenger 1's Chobham armour.