The first firings with the 120 mm L55A1 weapon system in the L55A1CR3 configuration for the British Army’s Challenger 3 (CR3) main battle tank (MBT) programme took place in April this year, prime contractor Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) announced on 12 September 2023.
In a press statement released to coincide with the opening of London’s DSEI defence exhibition, RBSL additionally stated, “The first two 120 mm smoothbore L55A1 weapons entered production ahead of schedule in 2021 at Rheinmetall’s Unterluess facility. The weapon is a key component to the CR3 programme, which aims to deliver the most capable tank in NATO. Following production, the smoothbore guns have been tested and validated prior to delivery to Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) in Telford for integration with the new digital turret.”
This August the first CR3 citadel for Prototype 1 (P1) – the steel structure that forms the basis of the first CR3 turret – arrived in Telford. While it will initially be used in the first trials vehicle, this citadel will be upgraded to form part of a full-service Challenger.
“Working with our key partner, Pearson Engineering, this citadel delivery is a significant milestone in the Challenger 3 programme,” RBSL stated. “It follows the initial delivery from Pearson’s back in February of the first-off demonstrator turret.”
Gareth Ayre, RBSL’s head of physical architecture and mobility for Challenger 3, was quoted by the company as saying, “Completing the first turret structure of CR3 is a significant milestone in the delivery of this next-generation main battle tank. The manufacturing capability and expertise Pearson Engineering and Responsive Engineering have brought to the programme has enabled the realisation and embodiment of the advanced RBSL turret structure. This is a fantastic achievement from both a manufacture and partnership perspective from everyone involved and a major boost for UK prosperity.”
RBSL announced it had been awarded a GBP 800 M (EUR 933.3 M) contract to upgrade 148 British Army Challenger 2 MBTs to the CR3 standard in May 2021. The CR3 programme passed its critical design review at the start of this year.
RBSL states that the CR3 “will be a network-enabled, digital main battle tank with state-of-the-art lethality, upgraded survivability, offering world-class surveillance and target acquisition capabilities”.
Peter Felstead
