The Challenger 3 will be the fourth tank of this name, the first being the World War II Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger, which was developed from the Cromwell tank chassis and armed with a Ordnance QF 17-pounder. Ammunition is to be developed in conjunction with Rheinmetall AG, with a new kinetic energy round being developed for Challenger 3 and Leopard 2.

The most significant change from Challenger 2 to Challenger 3 is the replacement of the Challenger's main armament from a 120 mm 元0A1 rifled main gun to the 120 mm L55A1 smoothbore gun (which itself is an upgraded version of the L55 fitted to the Leopard 2A6/A7 family of main battle tanks) giving commonality with other NATO members. The Challenger 3 has an all-new turret with an improved hull. Later that year BAE and Rheinmetall merged their British operations into Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), effectively leaving Rheinmetall's proposal the only option available without replacing the Challenger 2 fleet with non-indigenous models. In response to the LEP programme, two prototypes were submitted for evaluation one from BAE Systems in 2018 and the other from Rheinmetall in 2019. Lack of funding meant that it wasn't until 2014 that the programme was formally reorganised into the 'Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme' (LEP). Improvements to Challenger 2 began in 2005 as the Capability And Sustainment Programme (CSP) to keep the Challenger 2 competitive until the 2030s.

It will be produced by conversion of existing Challenger 2 tanks by the British/German Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land joint venture. Horstman third generation Hydrogas Ĭhallenger 3 ( CR3) is a planned British main battle tank in development for the British Army. Perkins CV12-9A 26.1 litre V12 diesel ĭavid Brown Santasalo TN54E epicyclic transmission (six forward, two reverse) with new component improvements.

British military main battle tank