Challenger 2 tank
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FV4034 Challenger 2 is a main battle tank (MBT) currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It is built by the British company Vickers Defence Systems (now part of BAE Systems Land and Armaments). The manufacturer advertises it as the world's most reliable main battle tank[2] As of January 2008, two Challenger 2s have been damaged and one destroyed (by a friendly fire engagement with another Challenger 2) in combat.
Challenger 2 is an extensive redesign from Challenger 1, the MBT from which it was developed. It uses the basic hull and automotive parts of its predecessor but all else is new. Less than 5% of components are interchangeable. Challenger 2 has now replaced Challenger 1 in service with the British Army and is also used by the Royal Army of Oman. It has seen operational service in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq (2003–present). During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, this was the only tank operating in the Gulf that did not suffer a single loss to enemy fire. In one engagement a Challenger took multiple hits from rocket propelled grenades and from one MILAN anti tank missile.[3]
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History
Challenger 2 is the third vehicle of this name, the first being the A30 Challenger, a Second World War design using the Cromwell tank chassis with a 17 pdr gun. The second was the Persian Gulf War era Challenger 1, which was the British army's main battle tank (MBT) from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s.
Vickers Defence Systems (later Alvis Vickers, now BAE Systems Land Systems) began to develop a successor to 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 Challenger 2 to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). They were awarded a £90 million contract for a demonstrator vehicle in December 1988. In June 1991, after competition from other tank manufacturers designs (including the M1A2 Abrams, the Leopard 2 (Improved) and the Leclerc), the MoD placed a £520 million order for 127 MBTs and 13 driver training vehicles. An order for a further 259 tanks and 9 driver trainers (worth £800 million) was placed in 1994. Oman ordered 18 Challenger 2s in 1993 and a further 20 tanks in November 1997.
Production began in 1993 at two primary sites: Elswick, Tyne and Wear and Barnbow, Leeds, although over 250 subcontractors were involved. The first tanks were delivered in July 1994.
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.
Challenger 2 entered service with the British Army in 1998 (with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Germany), with the last delivered in 2002. It is expected to remain in service until 2035. It serves with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the Royal Dragoon Guards, the Queen's Royal Hussars, the King's Royal Hussars and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, each of which is the tank unit of an armoured or a mechanised brigade. Two squadrons of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment use Challenger 2 in a training / demonstration role.
Deliveries of Challenger 2 to Oman were completed in 2001.
The Trojan minefield breaching vehicle and the Titan bridge-laying vehicle based on aspects of 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.[4]
Design
Armament
Challenger 2 is equipped with an 120 mm (4.724 inch) 55 calibre long L30A1 tank gun[5], the successor to the L11 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, it is insulated by a thermal sleeve. It is fitted with a muzzle reference system, fume extractor and is controlled by an all-electric control and stabilisation system. The turret has a rotation time of 9 seconds through 360 degrees.
Uniquely among NATO Main Battle Tank armament, the L30A1 is rifled, because the British Army continues to place a premium on the use of high explosive squash head (HESH) rounds in addition to APFSDS armour-piercing rounds. HESH rounds have a longer range (up to 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) than APFSDS, and are more effective against buildings and thin-skinned vehicles.
Forty-nine main armament rounds are carried in the turret bustle; these are a mix of L27A1 APFSDS (also referred to as CHARM 3), L31 HESH and L34 White Phosphorous smoke rounds, depending on the situation. As with earlier versions of the 120 mm gun, the propellant charges are loaded separately from the shell or KE projectile. A combustible case charge is used for the APFSDS rounds, a bag charge for the HESH and Smoke rounds. Contrary to speculation, this does not reduce the rate of fire of Challenger 2; in fact, a loader can often sustain a higher rate of fire than auto-loaders with single-piece ammunition. Separate charges reduce the likelihood of enemy fire igniting the ammunition.
The secondary armament consists of an L94A1 EX-34 7.62 mm chain gun 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 7.62mm ammunition are carried.
Fire Control and sights
The digital fire control computer from Computing Devices Co of 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, and it takes only nine seconds (+/- 2 seconds) for the turret to make a full rotation.
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 10 km. The driver is equipped with a Thales Optronics image-intensifying Passive Driving Periscope (PDP) for night driving.
Defence
Challenger 2 is one of the most heavily armoured and best protected tanks in the world.[6] 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 26.1 litre 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: 45 mph, 75 km/h (road) 25 mph, 40 km/h (cross country)
- Range: 280 miles, 450 km (road) 156 miles, 250 km (cross country).
Crew and accommodation
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.
Like every British tank since the Centurion, Challenger 2 contains a boiling vessel (BV) also known as a kettle for water which can be used to brew tea, produce other hot beverages and heat "boil-in-the-bag" meals contained in ration packs. Most other British AFVs also have BVs.[7]
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. 7th Armoured Brigade, part of 1st Armoured Division, was in action with 120 Challenger 2s around Basra. The tanks saw extensive use during the siege of Basra, providing fire support to the British forces. 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.
In one encounter within the urban area a Challenger 2 came under attack from irregular forces with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades. The drivers sight was damaged and while attempting to back away under the commander's directions, the other sights were damaged and the tank threw its tracks entering a ditch. It 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 remaining safe within the tank until the tank was recovered for repairs, the worst damage being to the sighting system. It was back in operation six hours later after the repairs. One Challenger 2 operating near Basra survived being hit by 70 RPGs in another incident.[8]
There have been only two Challenger 2s damaged in combat and one destroyed:
- A friendly fire ("blue-on-blue") incident on 25 March 2003 in Basra in which one Challenger 2 of the Black Watch Battlegroup (2nd Royal Tank Regiment) mistakenly engaged another Challenger 2 of the Queen's Royal Lancers after detecting what was believed to be an enemy flanking manoeuvre on thermal equipment. The attacking tank's second round entered the open commander's hatch of the QRL Tank and detonated internally, destroying the tank and killing two crew members. It remains the only Challenger 2 to be completely destroyed on operations.[9]
- August 2006 - the driver of a Challenger 2, Trooper Sean Chance, lost three of his toes when an RPG-29 penetrated the lower frontal hull armour during an engagement in al-Amarah, Iraq.[10]
- April 6, 2007 - in Basra, Iraq, an IED shaped charge penetrated the underside of the tank, resulting in the driver losing a leg and causing minor injuries to another soldier[11].
The BBC quotes a British MoD spokesman as saying Challenger 2 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.
Upgrades and variants
Challenger Lethality Improvement Programme
The Challenger Lethality Improvement Programme is a programme to upgrade the main gun of Challenger 2 from its current 120mm L30A1 rifled gun to the 120mm Rheinmetall L55 smoothbore gun currently used by the Leopard 2A6. The use of a smooth bore allows Challenger 2 to use more lethal rounds developed in Germany and the US. Other improvements have also been considered, including a regenerative NBC protection system.[12] A single Challenger 2 has been fitted with the L55 and is undergoing trials as of January 2006.[13]
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.
BAE announced in 2005 that development and export marketing of 2E would stop. This has been linked by the media to the failure of the 2E to be selected for the Hellenic Army in 2002, a competition won by the Leopard 2.[14]
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 MBT, 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 aspects of the Challenger 2 running gear and will replace the Chieftain Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge (ChAVLB). The Titan came into service in 2006 with the Royal Engineers, with 33 in service. Titan can carry a single 26 metre long bridge or two 12 metre long bridges. It can also be fitted with a bulldozer blade.
Trojan
Trojan is a combat engineering vehicle, styled as an 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.
Operators
United Kingdom - British Army 386 delivered
Oman - Royal Army of Oman 38 delivered
See also
- List of armoured fighting vehicles
- Chobham armour
Notes
- ↑ armedfoces.co.uk : Challenger 2
- ↑ Products & Services Challenger 2 - BAE Systems
- ↑ Dragoon guards survive ambush
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (UK)
- ↑ Main Battle Tank - Challenger 2
- ↑ Audrey Gillan. A brew brings coalition forces closer together, Guardian Unlimited, April 7, 2003
- ↑ Tanks and artillery 'face MoD axe'
- ↑ UK Ministry of Defence : Army Board of Inquiry Report
- ↑ Defence chiefs knew 'invincible' tank armour could be breached | the Daily Mail
- ↑ The Times : Improvised bomb hits British tank, 2007
- ↑ UK fields regenerative NBC system - Jane's Defence News
- ↑ Army Technology - Challenger 2 - Main Battle Tank
- ↑ Challenger nears end of the line - Jane's Land Forces News
References
- Rayment, Sean (12 May 2007). "MoD kept failure of best tank quiet". telegraph.co.uk. Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 2007-08-09. "One of the British Army's Challenger 2 tanks was pierced by an Iraqi insurgent missile more than eight months earlier than the Government has previously admitted"
- "Fact file: Challenger 2". BBC News (7 January 2003). Retrieved on 2008-07-09.
- Houston, Simon (2 April 2003). "Dragoon guards survive ambush", Daily Record, BBC News. Retrieved on 2008-09-14.
External links
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