UK: Armour

UK: Tanks and Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Challenger MBT

The last coldwar British MBT was based on the latest evolution of the Chieftain originally intended for Iran, which entered service in 1982. It was lighter and much faster than the former, and better protected with a new generation of composite armour, the famous “Chobham” armour also used by the M1 Abrams. The first Challenger was produced to 480 vehicles until 1990 before being replace by the even faster Challenger II. The latter introduce a whole range of improvements in several directions, starting with a new FCS, digitalized central battle management system among others, and of course a new gun, the 120-millimetre (4.7 in) 55-calibre rifled L30A1.