UK to develop more lethal ammunition for Challenger 3 - Army Technology (2024)

  • News

The Challenger 3 L55A1 main gun will see the UK using the same ammunition as its European Nato allies, with no depleted uranium round.

Richard Thomas April 27, 2023

UK to develop more lethal ammunition for Challenger 3 - Army Technology (1)

The UK has signed an agreement with Germany to begin work on the next phase in the development of more lethal ammunition for the new main gun due to be fitted to the Challenger 2 main battle tanks (MBT), as they are upgraded to the Challenger 3 variant.

Free Buyers Guide

Leading Guide to Military Land Vehicles for the Defence Industry

The document includes detailed information on the manufacturers and suppliers and their products, along with contact details, to inform your purchasing decision.

Thank you.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Your download email will arrive shortly.Please check your mail inbox to download buyer's guide

You may also be interested in:

UK to develop more lethal ammunition for Challenger 3 - Army Technology (4)

Currently, the UK is looking to upgrade 148 Challenger 2 MBTs to the Challenger 3 standard, which will see the integration of a new turret, improved sensors and optics, and the smoothbore L55A1 120mm gun from Germany company Rheinmetall.

The project is being undertaken by the RBSL joint venture between Rheinmetall and BAE Systems, with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) placing an £800m ($1.11bn) contract for the conversion of 148 Challenger 2 tanks in May 2021.

Initial operating capability is expected in 2027, while full operating capability is scheduled in 2030. In the light of lessons being learned in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, the UK was also considering whether to upgrade additional Challenger 2 tanks to the new variant.

However, despite this potential increase in Challenger 3 numbers, any such ambition could hit the buffers before it begins. The British Army has just 157 Challenger 2 tanks available for operations, out of a paper fleet of 227 vehicles, due to cannibalisation of platforms for spares.

See Also:

  • South Korea doubles existing Apache fleet with $3.5bn purchase
  • Elbit report 12% growth in Q2 2024 following demand from Israeli Military

More lethal ammunition?

In a 27 April release, the UK MoD’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) stated the next phase in the development of new armour-piercing tank ammunition would begin following the signing of a statement of intent by the UK and Germany on the Enhanced Kinetic Energy (EKE) round, intended to provide a “step change” to British Army lethality.

Demonstrating that the new munition passes all legal and regulatory standards, this next phase of “qualification” marks a significant milestone in the ammunition’s programme, DE&S stated. Ongoing discussions will seek a joint programme to be stood up this year, with the aim for the EKE ammunition to be used on Challenger 3.

The new EKE rounds would be fired from the L55A1 turret on Challenger 3 and German Leopard 2 MBTs, with the British Army’s new Challenger turret effectively ported over, with modifications, from the Leopard 2 design.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Germany and the UK will also “remain open” for other nations to join or be export recipients, as well as continuing discussions on potential collaboration for other types of 120mm tank ammunition.

As the programme develops, the sharing of work between the countries will be key to ensuring a sustainable industrial capacity for both nations’ industries. In February 2023, the UK MoD announced the approved the Critical Design Review for Challenger 3.

A replacement for depleted uranium?

The switch to a smoothbore 120mm main gun for its MBTs will see the UK join the US and virtually of its other Nato allies in operating such a weapon, offering the opportunity for collaboration on upgrades. The 120mm L30A1 main gun of the Challenger 2 is rifled, and thus saw the British Army maintaining a weapon system and ammunition stock unique from its Nato partners.

However, one possible loss to the British Army with the removal of the L30A1 and moving to the Nato-standard German system is the lack of depleted uranium (DU) anti-tank round for the L55A1, as is currently the case with the Challenger 2 and its CHARM 3 ammunition.

It is likely that the joint UK-German development of a more lethal round for the UK Challenger 3 and German Leopard 2 fleets is in part an attempt by the UK to offset the loss of a DU penetrator.

Depleted uranium is a by-product of the nuclear enrichment process and is left over after most of the highly radioactive form of uranium (U-235) is removed from the natural uranium ore, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, and is used to harden tank armour or in the creation of highly dense anti-armour munitions.

Free Buyers Guide

Leading Guide to Military Land Vehicles for the Defence Industry

The document includes detailed information on the manufacturers and suppliers and their products, along with contact details, to inform your purchasing decision.

Thank you.

Your download email will arrive shortly.Please check your mail inbox to download buyer's guide

You may also be interested in:

By Army Buyers Guide

UK to develop more lethal ammunition for Challenger 3 - Army Technology (7)

UK to develop more lethal ammunition for Challenger 3 - Army Technology (8)

Sign up for our daily news round-up!

Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.

Sign up

UK to develop more lethal ammunition for Challenger 3 - Army Technology (2024)

FAQs

UK to develop more lethal ammunition for Challenger 3 - Army Technology? ›

However, in April 2023 the UK signed an agreement with Germany to begin work on the next phase in the development of more lethal ammunition for the Challenger 3, with the UK MoD's Defence Equipment and Support work on new armour-piercing tank ammunition centering on the Enhanced Kinetic Energy (EKE) round, intended to ...

What are the improvements to the Challenger 3? ›

The turret also received modifications to improve the speed of traverse and to provide greater space as well as regenerative braking to generate and store power. Other enhancements included a laser warning system and an active protection system.

What ammo does the Challenger 3 use? ›

The main war shot of the Challenger 3 will be a 120mm Enhanced Kinetic Energy (EKE) round which will be developed under a German/UK government-to-government agreement.

Will the Challenger 3 be the best tank in the world? ›

With an upgraded main gun, the Challenger 3 is being billed as one of the most lethal and hardy tanks on the European continent – “with advanced armor, APS increased firepower and state-of-the-art technology,” RBSL boasts.

How many Challenger 3 tanks does Britain have? ›

All 148 Challenger 3's are planned to be in service by the end of 2030.

Why is Challenger 3 smoothbore? ›

It also allows for NATO commonality, so the Chally 3 can fire the same rounds as other NATO tanks. The fact that nearly all modern land militaries use a smoothbore gun on their tank should tell you why a 120mm smoothbore is better than a rifled one.

What is the best main battle tank in the world? ›

Korean K2 Black Panther

Peter Suciu has described this MBT as the world's greatest MBT. It has an excellent engine, incredible defenses, a potent 120mm smoothbore gun that can fire up to 10 to 15 rounds per minute.

Does the Challenger 3 have a rifled barrel? ›

Challenger 2 & Challenger 3

The vehicle is equipped with an L30 120mm rifled tank gun, firing both long rod penetrator and High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ammunition natures.

Does the Challenger 3 have blowout panels? ›

The other, more hidden benefit, of the Challenger 3 (TD) as mentioned above is the ready rack. Gone are the much-maligned 4 shell racks of the previous Challengers, this one has a ready rack of 15 shells! Not only that, they are positioned neatly at the back of the turret, with blowout panels behind.

How much does a Challenger 3 tank cost? ›

The remaining tank would be upgraded to the nearly 74-ton Challenger 3 model at a cost of roughly £800 million (equivalent to roughly $1 billion USD, or $6.7 million per refurbished tank.) Promisingly, Challenger 3 completed its critical design review ahead of schedule in February of 2023 .

What is the number one tank in the world? ›

M1 Abrams
TypeMain battle tank
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1980–present
32 more rows

Are Challenger tanks better than Russian tanks? ›

The armor of the Challenger-2 is called the Chobham armor or the Dorchester armor and is considered among the best in the world. While its composition is top-secret, it is around two times stronger than steel and can reportedly survive a direct hit from a Russian T-72.

What is the top speed of the Challenger 3? ›

In 2021, the UK government awarded Rheinmetall an 800-million-pound ($1 billion) contract to produce 148 Challenger 3 MBTs for the British Army. The armored vehicle reaches speeds up to 60 kilometers (37 miles) per hour and carries a 120-millimeter smoothbore gun.

How many Abrams does the US have? ›

The United States currently has around 6,000 M1 Abrams tanks in its inventory. These powerful tanks have been a cornerstone of the U.S. Army's armored forces since the early 1980s, known for their formidable firepower and advanced technology.

How much horsepower does the Challenger 3 tank have? ›

Finally, for this article at least, there is no replacement powerpack planned. Challenger 3 will weigh around 70 tonnes and will still have a 1200 bhp engine, as does Challenger 2.

Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank, UKArmy Technologyhttps://www.army-technology.com ›

Challenger 3 is a new main battle tank (MBT) being developed by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), a joint venture between the UK-based BAE Systems and German...
The retirement of the Challenger 2, the British Army's main battle tank, was confirmed in March's Defence Command Paper. The document featured informati...
Britain, however, made relatively few improvements or upgrades to its tanks over the past twenty years, in contrast to the Americans and Germans who cave made m...

What improvements were made after the Challenger disaster? ›

Satellite launches were shifted from the shuttle to reusable rockets. Additionally, astronauts were pulled off duties such as repairing satellites, and the Manned Maneuvering Unit was not flown again, to better preserve astronaut safety.

Will Challenger 3 have a new engine? ›

Mobility and Sensors

Challenger 3 will benefit from an improved, third-generation hydrogas suspension system, which uses pressurized gas (nitrogen) and fluid to cushion the vehicle and crew from a bumpy ride. The engine is upgraded, but will apparently remain at the same 1,200-horsepower level.

How much does it cost to upgrade the Challenger 3? ›

The remaining tank would be upgraded to the nearly 74-ton Challenger 3 model at a cost of roughly £800 million (equivalent to roughly $1 billion USD, or $6.7 million per refurbished tank.) Promisingly, Challenger 3 completed its critical design review ahead of schedule in February of 2023 .

Will the Challenger 3 have APS? ›

Only 60 sets of APS are part of the Challenger 3 order, which makes you wonder what might happen to the remaining 84 unprotected MBTs.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Edwin Metz

Last Updated:

Views: 6261

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edwin Metz

Birthday: 1997-04-16

Address: 51593 Leanne Light, Kuphalmouth, DE 50012-5183

Phone: +639107620957

Job: Corporate Banking Technician

Hobby: Reading, scrapbook, role-playing games, Fishing, Fishing, Scuba diving, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.