Germany’s Rheinmetall has officially presented the British Army’s upgraded Challenger-3 main battle tank. The presentation was made in the context of an action organized by the British Army with the purpose of the first public appearance of the tank. The Challenger-3 incorporates the new L-55A1 120 mm gun, which, during recent tests, achieved a target engagement at a distance of 5 km with DM-73 ammunition. The L-55A1 gun is a development of the L-44 gun and incorporates a 55-caliber barrel (approximately 6.6 meters long). The longer barrel increases the exit velocity of the ammunition from the barrel and improves the accuracy and effectiveness of the ammunition at a longer distance. The DM-73 ammunition weighs 21 kg and achieves a maximum muzzle velocity of 1,780 meters per second.
The Challenger-3s are being upgraded by the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) consortium and their Initial Operational Capability is expected in 2027. A total of 148 Challenger-2s will be upgraded at a total cost of $1.3 billion. The upgraded tanks will remain in service until around 2040. The Challenger-3 has more ammunition and greater speed and range. Ammunition programming is done automatically, within a new turret with the L-55A1 gun. It also incorporates a new engine, cooling system and suspension system. A new automatic target detection and tracking system is available to the crew, as are new longer-range thermal cameras. The Challenger-3 is fully digital, incorporates the active Trophy self-protection system and modular shielding, while emphasis has also been placed on protection in the electromagnetic field.
