The Challenger 3 Delivery Team remain within budget and ahead of schedule as Challenger 3 passes the Critical Design Review (CDR).
Challenger 3 teams from Defense Equipment & Supports’ (DE&S) Land Equipment Operating Center and the British Army, together with industry partners Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) have been working to progress the CR3 program at pace, and the Critical Design Review has been approved ahead of schedule. This follows the Initial Design Review (IDR) held in March 2022.
The CDR means that the design for the tanks has been agreed and that RBSL can now start building the CR3 prototypes. The work was carried out under an £800 million contract which was awarded to RBSL in 2021 to deliver 148 upgraded, fully digitalized battle tanks to the British Army.
Following two key design reviews, work to modernize and expand RBSL’s production facility in Telford, which will also manufacture Boxer vehicles, is believed to be almost complete.
Successful trials are also believed to have been conducted on a cutting-edge new armor system that will protect the tank; a UK sovereign capability based on a DSTL design and manufactured by RBSL. In parallel and following the Secretary of State for Defense’s acceleration challenge, work is ongoing to deliver Main Battle Tanks earlier.
The fully-digitalized tanks will benefit from:
- A new 120mm smoothbore gun which uses the most advanced globally available ammunition
- A new suite of sights providing tank commanders with enhanced day and night targeting abilities
- A new armor solution
- An active protection system
- A turret that can be fitted to the tanks of allies and global partners
- Significantly improved mobility through an upgraded engine and new hydrogas suspension
