The latest of eight Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) prototypes rolled off the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) factory production line in Telford on 18 April 2024 as the site was visited by UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.
The first prototype has already been conducting trials since February 2024, while all eight prototypes will be tested under operational conditions to validate their performance and make refinements before another 140 tanks are built and delivered to the British Army.
“In a more dangerous world the need for vehicles such as the Challenger 3 is imperative, as the threats facing the UK evolve. This tank will be at the heart of the British Army’s warfighting capabilities and will be integral to the UK’s deterrence,” Shapps was quoted as saying in RBSL and army press releases. “The hard work and dedication on show in Telford and across the country is instrumental in driving forward UK defence innovation and delivering for our forces in the front line.”
The British Army press release stated that the Challenger 3 “will be the apex predator of modern warfare”, adding, “With unmatched cutting-edge firepower, protection and mobility, it will be ready to dominate the battlefield.”
The Challenger 3 features a new 120 mm L55A1 smoothbore gun built by Rheinmetall, enabling the use of the Rheinmetall’s most advanced ammunition, as well as next-generation UK-sovereign modular armour designed by the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). It will also have a fully digitised turret and the Trophy medium Variant active protection system (APS) provided by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
The Challenger 3, which is being delivered by RBSL under a GBP 800 million (EUR 931 million) contract, will be the British Army’s main battle tank until at least 2040.
The British Army’s Director Programmes, Major General Jon Swift, was quoted as saying, “Challenger 3 will be at the heart of the army’s Armoured Brigade Combat Teams, alongside Ajax and Boxer, and is critical to the army’s warfighting capability and the UK’s contribution to NATO. The delivery of these prototype vehicles, the first of which has already started trials, marks a significant milestone on the army’s modernisation journey.”
