The Challenger 2 is the first British Army tank since World War II to be designed, developed, and manufactured by the sole contractor of Vickers Defense Systems. The model was created and produced at both plants of the company, Barnbow (Leeds) and Scottswood (Newcastle).
Main characteristics
The hull and auto parts of the model are based on its predecessor Challenger 1, which has undergone more than 150 improvements aimed at improving reliability and maintainability (photos of the tank are given later in the article). Challenger 2 towers have a completely new design. This is the most secure armored vehicle in NATO, equipped with an improved version of the forced multilayer Chobem armor. NBC’s nuclear, biological, and chemical defense system can protect against all known threats, and this is the first British tank to have a crew compartment that can heat and cool.
The main armaments include a 120-mm L30 rifled gun, an automatic 7.62 mm McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems cannon, which was already in service in the British Army and was installed on a mechanized combat vehicle GKN Defense Warrior, and a 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun. The fire control system is a digital computer of the Canadian company CDC and is an improved version of the model installed on the American M1A1 Abrams. It has the potential for future extensions, such as connecting to a combat information management system and navigation tools. The crew of Challenger 2 is 4 people, and its combat weight is 62.5 tons. The tank is capable of developing a maximum highway speed of 56 km / h and has a cruising range of 250 km on impassability and on a highway of 450 km.
Model history
The Challenger 2 project included the development and production of 386 main battle tanks (MBTs), 22 driver training vehicles, CHARM 3 shells and a complete logistics package, including training equipment and spare parts.
The main contractor was Vickers. The company began working on the tank in November 1986 as a private enterprise, and shortly thereafter, in March 1987, submitted the first model to the British Ministry of Defense. In February 1988, the contractor filed a formal proposal. In December 1988, it was announced that VDS won the 90 millionth contract for the demonstration phase, which lasted until September 1990. On September 30, 2002, Alvis completed the acquisition of Vickers. VDS operations were merged with Alvis Vehicles Ltd. To capitalize on the legacy and reputation of the two companies, it was decided to name the new venture Alvis Vickers Ltd. Subsequently, it was acquired by BAE Systems to form the new division of Land Systems, combining Alvis and RO Defense.
In June 1991, the UK government decided to purchase Challenger 2 and placed an order of £ 520 million for 127 MBTs and 13 training tanks. Production began in 1993, and the first copies were delivered in July 1994. New British tanks were produced at VDS plants in Leeds and Newcastle. The production process also involved more than 250 subcontractors (including foreign ones). Among them, the most significant are Royal Ordnance (primary and secondary weapons), Blair Catton (trucks) and GEC-Marconi (guidance system).
British armored vehicles required further modernization. In July 1994, VDS received another order for the supply of 259 combat and 9 training vehicles, as well as training and logistical support. The contract value amounted to 800 million pounds.
The ISRD reliability demonstration was conducted in January 1999. It took place from September to December 1998 and included a check of 12 MBT at the Bovington and Lulworth Bindon training grounds. The tests were completed successfully, because the tanks not only met the necessary requirements of the customer, but also surpassed them in all respects.
In January 1998, the Royal Scottish Dragoon Guards Regiment in Germany was the first of six armored regiments to adopt the CR2 and received the 38th in June 1998. Deliveries continued until the end of 2000. Each of the six armored regiments was fully equipped with MBT and appropriate logistics support package. The last 386 Challenger 2 tank was solemnly delivered at a ceremony at the Salsibury Plain on September 17, 2002.
The transition to the second model was facilitated by a set of training tools - from simple wall diagrams to computer trainers gunners. Training and material support was also provided for the Royal Engineering Repair and Restoration Troops, which assisted in troubleshooting, testing, repairing, calibrating and monitoring system performance.
Deployed in 6 regiments of the Royal Armored Corps in the United Kingdom and Germany, the Challenger 2 MBT traveled to Bosnia and Kosovo and trained in Canada, Oman and Poland. During tests and exercises, they exceeded reliability targets. British tanks took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In July 2004, the United Kingdom Department of Defense announced plans to reduce 7 armored squadrons (about 100 units) in March 2007 and convert one into an armored reconnaissance regiment. The Challenger 2E model was developed for export and was intended to perform tasks in harsh climatic conditions. The tank was widely tested in Greece, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
New weapons
At the beginning of 2004, BAE Systems received a contract for the development of a 120 mm smoothbore gun. According to the terms of the contract, the Challenger 2 tank should be equipped with the L55 Rheinmetall gun used on the Leopard 2A6 MBT, and in January 2006 its tests began.
The ballistic gun corresponds to the German 120-mm L55, but externally can fit into the space previously occupied by the L30. The current armament retains a rifled gun cradle, a barrel mount clamp, a thermocasing, a system for removing gases and combining the axis of the gun with the axis of the sight. After testing in Germany, the gun was also tested in a static mount mounted on the Centurion MBT chassis in mid-2005, and later that year it was finally integrated into the Challenger 2. This modernization allowed the British tank to use NATO-standard 120mm ammunition. Static fire tests were carried out on a wide range of targets with Rheinmetall 120 mm DM53 APFSDS armor-piercing shells with a conventional core. They showed that the DM53 ammunition has better characteristics than the previous 120 mm of depleted uranium.
Gulf war
The Challenger was purchased for the British Army after the Shah of Iran was overthrown and the order was blocked. It was created on the basis of the Chiften tank, but was much faster, better armed and protected, although it suffered from a weak fire control system. Challenger allowed to modernize the British army 10 years earlier than planned. The car was created for the desert, but had no chance to prove itself before the Gulf War.
The Vickers company did not produce all the tanks, but only the last regiment. The Challenger was produced at the state-owned ROF plant in Leeds, which was renamed Royal Ordnance before privatization. Vickers acquired it just before the order for the production of the 7th regiment was placed.
Equipped with a 120mm L11 A5 cannon, the Challenger's only weak point was its fire control system, which was modernized before the Gulf War. The gun could penetrate 400 mm of armor and destroy any Russian tank from the first hit. Almost all of the armored vehicles in Iraq were Russian-made, and the Challenger could easily handle it. With massive support from aviation, the Allies without any problems broke through the defense of the Republican Guard together with Arab, French and American tanks. The Challengers during Operation Desert Storm mainly used high-explosive armor-piercing shells, since the armor protection of Iraqi vehicles did not meet Russian standards, and the consumption of more powerful but less long-range ammunition would be in vain.
Tower and hull
The dimensions of the tank are 8.3 x 3.52 x 2.49 m. The length with the gun is 11.57 m. The crew is controlled by a crew of 4 people: commander, gunner, driver and loader. It provides high, effective, round-the-clock fighting efficiency. The commander’s position is on the right and is equipped with 8 periscopes with a magnification of 1x and 360 ° of view. Pressing the red button under one of them sets the tower in motion and sets it in the appropriate position. The gunner sits in front and below the commander, and the loader is located on the left. The loader’s place is equipped with a periscope. The driver's cab is located in front of the tank.
Armament
Challenger 2’s main armament is the L30 120 mm rifled tank guns manufactured by the Royal Ordinance division of British Aerospace Ltd in Nottingham. The L30 design includes a chrome finish to create a harder and smoother interior. It provides increased speed and, therefore, penetrating ability of the projectile, greater accuracy and reduces barrel wear. The tank gun is made of high-grade steel of electroslag melting and is insulated with a thermal casing. It is equipped with a system of combining the axis with the optical axis of the sight and exhaust gases from the barrel. The tower can rotate 360 °, and the range of vertical fire is in the range from -10 ° to + 20 °.
The sequence of detection and destruction of targets is designed for ease of operation in combat conditions. It is no different for static and moving purposes during the day or night. The gunner or commander aligns the aiming mark with the target, presses the laser rangefinder button, and then the fire button.
The L30 fires 120 mm ammunition. Ammunition is 50 units and may include armor-piercing shells with stabilizer and detachable pallet (APFSDS), high-explosive armor-piercing shells (HESH) or smoke. The cannon is also capable of firing depleted uranium (DU) core shells with a sixth explosive charge. The density of depleted uranium is about 2.5 times higher than that of steel, which provides high penetration. L30 and DU are part of the CHARM 1 gun-projectile-charge system. A CHARM 3 system has also been developed, in which a depleted uranium core has a larger length to diameter ratio to increase penetration. Separate loading ammunition is stored under the tower shoulder straps in armored tanks.
The gun is controlled by a fully electric guidance and stabilization system from GEC Marconi Radar and Defense Systems (Leicester). The Challenger 2 tank is equipped with an automatic 7.62 mm McDonnell Douglas gun, which is located to the left of the main gun. The loader on the left is armed with a 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun of the L37A2 type mounted on the dome.
On both sides of the front of the tower are 5 smoke grenade launchers of Helio Mirror (Kent, UK). Challenger 2 is also capable of installing a smoke screen by injecting diesel into the engine exhaust system.
The tank is equipped with a military standard data bus Military Standard 1553. The fire control computer is a digital computing device Computing Devices Company (Ontario, Canada). It can be expanded, for example, with an information system of combat, navigation and training systems.
In 2004, BAE Systems received a contract to develop a 120 mm smoothbore gun. For this, the German company Rheinmetall provided samples of the L55 gun mounted on the Leopard 2A. The only sample that was tested in January 2006 was manufactured. The tungsten DM53 showed greater efficiency than the CHARM 3, however, for its application, a change in the “gun-projectile-charge” system would be required.
Sensors
The commander’s sight is gyrostabilized and represents the VS 580-10 model of the SFIM Industries company (France). The upper unit VS 580, containing a gyro-stabilized panoramic sight and electronics, is mounted on the roof of the tower. The Nd: YAG laser rangefinder is integrated in an intermediate assembly connecting the upper part to the lower telescopic assembly, which contains an optical surveillance system, manual control, electronics and a stabilization system. The sight provides a circular view without having to turn your head. The viewing range in height is ± 35 °. The field of view with 3.2x optics is 16.5 °, and with 10.5x magnification - 5 °.
The Pilkington Optronics TOGS II thermal imager (Glasgow, UK) provides night vision. It uses the British TICM 2 sensor. The thermal imager is installed inside an armored barbet above the cannon. An on-board compressor and gas bottle provide cooling for the sensor. Symbols of the aiming mark and information on the state of the system are superimposed on the thermal image. Thermal images with a magnification of 4x and 11.5x are displayed in gunner and commander devices, as well as on their monitors without magnification.
The gunner has the main scope manufactured by Pilkington Optronics. It consists of a housing with a viewing channel, a head unit with a stabilized aiming mirror, a 4-Hz laser range finder and a monitor with a monocular. The range finder with a wavelength of 1,064 microns works in the range from 200 m to 10 km. Accuracy is ± 5 m at a distance of 30 m. The shooter is also equipped with a Nanoquest reversible telescopic sight L30, mounted coaxially with the gun.
The driver's seat is equipped with a passive periscope Pilkington Optronics. It uses a night vision device. Thanks to this, at night the tank is capable of reaching speeds comparable to daytime without the use of artificial lighting.
The gunner’s sight and thermal imager are connected to the fire control computer via the Military Standard 1553 data bus.
Challenger 2: tank in battle
Photos of the tank inside are shown above. The crew commander directs the panoramic sight mounted on the roof to the target and presses the button, as a result of which the tower rotates until the barrel is automatically aimed at the target. The gunner takes care of the target, includes a laser rangefinder and a fire button for firing a shot. At this time, the tank commander has the ability to detect and aim at the next target. Data from both targets is stored in a digital fire control computer. After a shot and a defeat of the first target, the commander presses a button, the tower is aimed at the second target and a shot is automatically fired. Thanks to this procedure, a tank in combat has increased firepower, effectively and quickly hitting targets.
Test
Challenger 2 successfully passed tests in the army of Great Britain and the Royal army of Oman. All operational parameters were achieved, including weapons systems, reliability and survivability. The characteristics of the Chobem armor were confirmed during its verification with modern anti-tank weapons. The test result was the complete safety of the tower and the ability of the aiming system to direct the gun and produce shots.
Drive unit
The Challenger 2 tank is equipped with a 12-cylinder 1200-liter diesel engine. from. Perkins Engines (Shropshire, UK). Transmission - David Brown TN54 models with 6 forward and 2 reverse gears. The speed of the tank reaches 59 km / h, and the average off-road - 40 km / h. The running stock is 450 km on the road and 250 km on rough terrain.
Security
The design of the Challenger 2 tank pays particular attention to crew safety and vehicle survivability. The tower is equipped with second-generation Chobem armor, which provides increased resistance to penetration of anti-tank shells. The tank is protected from the effects of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons with the help of the NBC protection system located in the aft of the tower, which creates excess pressure of filtered air. Electronics has protection against a nuclear electromagnetic impulse.
The movement of the turret and guns are made using an electric, not hydraulic drive. This eliminates the risks associated with bursting high pressure hoses in the crew compartment. The ammunition storage is located under the turret, which provides less vulnerability than in its aft.
The tank was created using stealth technology, minimizing its radar visibility.