Difference between revisions of "Challenger Mk.3"

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{{Specs-Card|code=uk_challenger_mk_3}}
 
 
{{About
 
{{About
 
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| usage = other uses
 
| usage = other uses
 
| link = Challenger (Disambiguation)
 
| link = Challenger (Disambiguation)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=uk_challenger_mk_3
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
<!--''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''-->
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage {{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened as '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].
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{{Break}}
 
  
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened as '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].
+
The Challenger Mk.3 retains most of the characteristics of the [[Challenger Mk.2]]. It has some unique differences; such as: [[Armour#Explosive_reactive_armour_.28ERA.29|"ROMOR-A ERA"]] which covers the lower glacis and sides, along with the addition of the ammunition storage being covered with rolled homogeneous armour. It retains the same engine (1200 hp) as the Mk.2, however with a minor increase in weight it suffers slightly reduced mobility and acceleration. Its iconic, legendary, and pin-point accurate gun stays the same as on the Challenger Mk.2.
−
 
 
−
The Challenger Mk.3 is a fast, mobile, manoeuvrable tank. It is almost identical to the legendary [[Challenger Mk.2]]. It has some unique differences; such as: [[Armour#Explosive_reactive_armour_.28ERA.29|"ROMOR-A ERA"]] which covers the lower glaciers and sides, along with the addition of the ammunition storage being covered with rolled homogeneous armour. A higher performance engine which provides 1200BHP at 2300RPM. This also allows for sharper handling and faster acceleration. Its iconic, legendary, and pin-point accurate gun stays the same as already installed on the Challenger Mk.2.
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
<!--''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 +
The armour protection on the Challenger Mk.3 is excellent in some areas and bad in others. The upper half of the turret cheeks are capable of withstanding almost all kinetic penetrators and will stop most chemical penetrators with less than 800 mm, while the lower half won't protect against most top-rank rounds. Additionally, the breech weak spot is quite small. This means the turret has excellent protection and hulldown play is recommended. The hull composite is only good against lower penetrating APFSDS rounds such as [[T-55AM-1|T-55AM]], and can also withstand some chemical munitions, but it is not advised to rely on this armour. The rest of the tank (turret and hull sides, lower front plate) has decent protection against chemical rounds due to the add on armour, ERA, and thick turret sides.
  
−
The armour protection on the Challenger Mk.3 is excellent in some areas and bad in others. The turret is capable of withstanding all kinetic penetrators except the Ariete top round and will stop most chemical penetrators with less than 800 mm. Additionally, the breach weak spot is quite small. This means the turret has excellent protection and hulldown play is recommended. The hull composite is only good against lower penetrating APFSDS rounds such as T-55AM, and can also withstand some chemical munitions, but it is not advised to rely on this armour. The rest of the tank (turret and hull sides, lower front plate) has decent protection against chemical rounds due to the add on armour, ERA, and thick turret sides.
+
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 38 mm (79-81°), 50* mm (60°) ''Upper glacis''<br>70 mm (30°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm, 25 mm (74°) ''Top''<br>38 mm (12°) ''Bottom''
 +
| 25 mm (29-30°) || 20 mm<br>8 mm ''Engine grille''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 50* mm (51-54°)<br>60 mm (55-56°), 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 80 mm + 15 mm ''Front right''<br>80 + 25 mm + 4 mm ''Front''<br>45 + 4 mm ''Rear'' || 44 + 4 mm || 38 mm (82°) ''Front''<br>20 mm (80-90°) ''Rear''
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || colspan="4" | 60 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Composite armour* !! Front !! Sides
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 200 mm NERA + 80 mm RHA + 50 mm RHA ''Upper glacis'' || 150 mm NERA, 70 mm screens ''Side skirts''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 300 mm NERA + 50 mm RHA + 110 mm CHA || 300 mm NERA + 25 mm RHA + 80 mm RHA
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Reactive Armour !! Front !! Sides
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 30 mm ROMOR-A ERA ''Lower glacis''<br>'''Protection against:'''<br>30 mm ''Kinetic''<br>300 mm ''Chemical'' || 150 mm NERA ''Side skirts''<br>'''Protection against:'''<br>30 mm ''Kinetic''<br>400 mm ''Chemical''
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* The propellant ammo racks are surrounded by 5 mm RHA.
 +
* Side skirts consist of 150 mm NERA composite, 70 mm composite screens, or 19 mm aluminium.
 +
* Tracks and wheels are 20 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
<!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability as well as the maximum speed forward and backwards.''-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
−
The Challenger Mk.3 is capable of keeping up with its adversaries, but it is slightly slower in most respects to comparable western MBT.
+
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,886|rbMinHp=1,076}}
 +
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} has an acceptable top speed, however, acceleration and mobility (primarily due to its weight) are lacklustre compared to other MBTs.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 +
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The Challenger's main gun, while not the most powerful at its rank, is competitive, and more importantly, accurate. With over 470 mm of penetration at point blank, there is no need to aim for weak spots, unless you are facing higher-ranked vehicles (such as the T-80U, Leopard 2A5, etc.). Make good use of the Challenger's good reload speed to knock out important modules first.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
+
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Weight (tons)
+
! ''Arcade''
−
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armour<br>weight (tons)
+
| rowspan="2" | 52 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.9 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
−
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| rowspan="2" | 65.5 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 39 (AB)
+
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
 
|-
 
|-
−
|35 (RB/SB)
+
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:L11A5 (120 mm)/Ammunition|Shot L23A1, Shell L31A7, L26, L34}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_Challenger_Mk.2.png|right|thumb|x350px|[[Ammo racks]] of the Challenger Mk.2 (identical)]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.19.0.82''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
+
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! Ammo<br>part
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! 6th<br>rack empty
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="1" | Mode
+
|'''52''' ||''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 50&nbsp;''(+2)''<br>47&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 47&nbsp;''(+5)''<br>41&nbsp;''(+11)'' || 45&nbsp;''(+7)''<br>35&nbsp;''(+17)'' || 43&nbsp;''(+9)''<br>29&nbsp;''(+23)'' || 39&nbsp;''(+13)''<br>21&nbsp;''(+31)'' || 37&nbsp;''(+15)''<br>11&nbsp;''(+41)''
−
!Stock
 
−
!Upgraded
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|''Arcade''
+
! 7th<br>rack empty
−
|1,860
+
! 8th<br>rack empty
−
|2,290
+
! 9th<br>rack empty
 +
! 10th<br>rack empty
 +
! 11th<br>rack empty
 +
! 12th<br>rack empty
 +
! 13th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
|''Realistic/Simulator''
+
| 34&nbsp;''(+18)''<br>4&nbsp;''(+48)'' || 27&nbsp;''(+25)''<br>1&nbsp;''(+51)'' || 22&nbsp;''(+30)''<br>&nbsp; || 21&nbsp;''(+31)''<br>&nbsp; || 7&nbsp;''(+45)''<br>&nbsp; || 4&nbsp;''(+38)''<br>&nbsp; || 1&nbsp;''(+51)''<br>&nbsp; || No
−
|1,061
 
−
|1,200
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
+
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* Packing only 29 rounds will keep the front hull empty of charges.
 +
* All propellant charges are protected by a box of 5 mm of steel
 +
 
 +
=== Machine guns ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 +
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 +
{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The machine gun's calibre won't present any major advantage in armoured combat other than serving as target spotter to allies, ranging gun and obstacle clearer. But a major important role is against low flying aircrafts and especially, helicopters. As the highly adequate rate of fire is capable to bring down the biggest of the hovering birds, with enough well placed rounds that is.
 +
 
 +
{{Notice|Tip: It is possible to switch to the machine gun as the main weapon and use thermals through the machine gun sight.}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="1" | Mode
+
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
−
!Stock
 
−
!Upgraded
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|''Arcade''
+
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
−
|__.__
 
−
|__.__
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|''Realistic/Simulator''
+
| Pintle || 3,600 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
−
|__.__
 
−
|__.__
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
−
 
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! '''Module rotation speed'''
+
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
−
! 90 Degrees
 
−
! 180 Degrees
 
−
! 360 Degrees
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''Tank Hull'''
+
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
−
| 5 Seconds
 
−
| 10 Seconds
 
−
| 20 Seconds
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''Tank Turret'''
+
| Coaxial || 2,400 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
−
| 3 Seconds
 
−
| 6 Seconds
 
−
| 12 Seconds
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''Test Conditions'''
 
−
| colspan="3" |  *Tank and crew conditions of this test were done using a spaded Challenger MK 3: With crew at maximum crew skill, with the qualification of basic training. Results can very based on tank research state, crew levels & qualifications.   
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
====''Urban Environment''====
+
== Usage in battles ==
−
In an urban environment, the Challenger mark 3 is not able to compete with its rivals such as the [[T-80B]], [[M1_Abrams|M1 Abrams]] and [[Leopard_2A4|Leopard 2A4]]. The Challenger Mk.3 turns into a slow and big target. The Mk.3 cannot turn as fast or go as fast in the urban streets; its wide body makes finding suitable alleyways hard, which it can use to its an advantage to sneak around or to hide and wait for some prey to be ambushed.  
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
−
There is a lack of protection at the rear. The engine cover, which is also at the rear, limits the gun depression where it is unable to use it to fight off the attacking tanks if attacked from the rear. If the Challenger Mk.3 is turning on a street corner and is suddenly surprised by an enemy tank, the tank will not be able to defend itself from the aggressor tank, since it will be unable to depress the cannon low enough due to engine bay.  
 
  
−
====''Rural Environment''====
+
;Urban Environments
−
The Challenger Mark 3 in a rural environment excels like no other tank. It can go hull down and hold the enemy off until reinforcements arrive! (That’s unless it has destroyed the opposing force). The Challenger Mark 3 is able to snipe enemy opponents with point accuracy from anywhere on the battlefield (Pending you can see them, of course). Its faster acceleration over the Challenger Mk.2 and more responsive handling makes the critical difference for the mobility.  When driving in a rural environment, the maximum forward speed is around 43 km/h (27 mph), with a maximum reversing speed of -35 km/h (-22 mph). 
 
−
What makes the Challenger Mk. 3 especially unique is its cannon, additional armour, and it's higher performing engine over the previous generation. The Challenger Mk.3 can move around the rural map like an ancient Celtic druid. It may lack protection which the competition may have the advantage over. However, its overall urban mobility makes up for it. Its gun is very well stabilised when firing on the move, at speed, and it can terminate its targets with ease.
 
−
 
 
−
== Armaments ==
 
−
=== Main armament ===
 
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
 
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
In urban environments, the Challenger will struggle relative to the [[T-80B]], [[M1 Abrams]] and [[Leopard 2A4]] - it's large, heavy and sluggish which proves costly in close quarters or when engagements occur in open streets. While the Challenger's gun still proves effective, often opposition vehicles will achieve valuable positioning before a Challenger can, forcing the Challenger tanker to play defensively. However, playing carefully and avoiding obvious routes, the Challenger can be comfortably put to use in urban environments.
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
 
  
−
=== Machine guns ===
+
;Rural Environments
−
<!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''-->
 
−
It is possible to switch to the machine-gun as the main weapon and use thermals through the machinegun sight to get a better view of the situation while hulldown.
 
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
The Mk.3 performs very well in rural areas, where defilades and ditches that can be used for cover are far more readily available. The Challenger is still best played in hull-down defensive positions, clearing areas of maps before moving up, but a patient playstyle will be rewarded. Make use of the vehicle's good gun depression and competitive reload, utilising off-angles and hull-down positions. If a situation begins to degrade, make use of the Challenger's reasonably good reverse speed and reposition.
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*Good Turret armour with small breach
+
 
−
*good all around chemical protection
+
* Decent turret armour; efficiency increased even more with proper hull down in slopes
 +
* Reasonably small breech protected by turret cheek's armour
 +
* Good HEAT and ATGM resistance on front/sides thanks to ERA and NERA elements
 +
* Good neutral steering and decent reverse speed provides a great boost from the slower [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]]
 +
* Reasonably good reload, particularly for a 120 mm gun; one of the most remarkable aspects of the latter British MBTs
 +
* Brand-new TOGS system provides easy target acquisition in day or night
 +
* Precise L11 gun with adequate penetration values; support rounds available
 +
* Access to L26 APFSDS, a noticable upgrade over the stock L23A1 APFSDS shell
 +
* 5 second reload when aced
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*Gun lacks penetration against higher teir vehicles
+
 
−
*anything but the turret is vulnerable to kinetic penetrators
+
* Lacklustre sloped armour penetration, worst at high BR battles facing omni-present [[Leopard 2A6]] or [[T-72B (1989)]]; must aim for weak spots
−
*slightly slower than most of its peers
+
* The lower half of the turret cheeks are vulnerable to some higher-tier FIN rounds
 +
* Slower MBT than most of the vehicles it faces, albeit not by a huge margin
 +
* Hull is large and tall, very vulnerable to kinetic rounds or aerial attacks
 +
* Cannot shoot straight over its engine deck; a notable disadvantage on urban engagements
 +
* Top-tier shells can easily penetrate Challenger's turret armour, even at range
 +
* Ready-rack is depleted very fast due to the low amount of shells it carries and the quick reloading of the gun
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
Once the Challenger was established as the latest MBT for the British army following the decommissioning of the older Chieftain tank, it entered service with the British Army in 1983.
 +
 
 +
The British Army chose to test this newly designated tank in the Canadian Army Trophy (CAT) competition in West Germany, 1986. Once in the competition and despite having adequate scores, the Challengers were amongst the last in the score tables versus the equally powerful Abrams and Leopards. This proved to be discouraging results, as it was hoped the all-around better Challengers would provide excellent results this time unlike the older Chieftain - distinctly on the mobility and off-road abilities as the new Rolls-Royce CV12 provided almost twice the horsepower of the Chieftain's Leyland L60 Powerpack.
 +
 
 +
The apparent complete failure on the CAT went further to the British Army withdrawing from the competition in 1987, leaving statements like the following:
 +
 
 +
{{Quote|I do not believe that the performance of tanks in the artificial circumstances of a competition, such as the recent Canadian Army Trophy, is a proper indication of their capability in war. Challenger's gun gives the best penetrative performance against the tanks of a potential enemy. The tank itself is arguably the best protected in the world and has excellent mobility. It carries an advanced thermal imaging system which is much admired by our allies and ensures that Challenger can fight effectively by night and by day. Participation in international tank gunnery competitions is one useful option in the complete spectrum of training opportunities available in preparing our tank crews for war, but it is not on its own a basis for judgment of overall capability.|'''Ian Stewart, former Minister for the Armed Forces''' when asked if he is satisfied with the standard of British tank international gunnery demonstrated in recent competitions; and if he will make a statement.}}
 +
 
 +
'''Mk.3 Upgrade'''
 +
 
 +
Before the Gulf War, the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) updated the Challenger 1 Mk.2 into the Mk.3 with even more armour protection, increased operational range, desert filters amongst other internal refits. This was the first mass-production use of the Royal Ordnance-made ROMOR-A, of over 250 armour sets were going to be used in the imminent Desert storm - These packages were also included in the Centurion AVRE deploying along with the Challengers 1.
 +
 
 +
Numerous Challengers were up-armoured by to Mk.3 desert modification with packages of explosive reactive armour (ERA) ROMOR-A in the lower frontal plate and non-energetic reactive armour (NERA) in the sides - this NERA proved to be safer from accidental detonations for any possible friendly units adjacent to the tank. It was estimated the upgrades would increase the protection in these reinforced areas up to 95% against the performance of shaped charges or ATGMs of approximately 127 mm.
 +
 
 +
The armour requirements were exponentially increasing because new lethal weaponry as the infamously portable Soviet RPG-7 became the most widely used anti-tank weapon in the world. The revolutionary and yet classified to this day Chobham armour proved extremely reliable against most possible frontal engagements. However, areas like the side armour or the lower frontal plate remained a weak spot against the powerful anti-tank armaments been constantly developed.
 +
 
 +
'''Trial of fire'''
 +
 
 +
3 days after of the US-designated Desert storm operation started, the vast miles of desert defended by Iraqi forces were damaged by French and American aerial and ground attacks but fiercely resisting. It was then the only UK armoured division, the 1st Armoured Division headed to combat under the British code name of Operation Grandby. They were equipped with Warriors acting as the mechanized infantry and Challengers leading the spearhead of the assault.
 +
 
 +
Charging along with the US' 1st Calvary division, the Challengers Mk.2 and Mk.3 advanced with low visibility conditions and sand storm, during day and night. This advantage is granted to the technologically superior Thermal Observation Gunnery Sight (TOGS) system, that enabled the tank commanders to designate targets in complete darkness. The developing GPS technology also proved vital to increase the mobility of the tanks squadrons in the desert.
 +
 
 +
On February 27, 1991, Battle of Norfolk part of the Battle of 73 Easting. One of the major battles for the Challenger 1 MBT took part. It allowed the British tanks to achieved over 200 Iraqi tank kills and other various vehicles kill with no losses. This ardent engagements at long and very close distances versus the sand-dug Iraqi T-55s and T-62s allowed the Challenger to prove its true combat capabilities.
 +
 
 +
{{Notice|A Challenger 1 got the longest tank kill of all time, at a range of over 4.6 km, when it knocked out an Iraqi tank with an APFSDS round!}}
 +
 
 +
Lt Col Tim Purbrick, Queen's Royal Irish Hussars Battlegroup for the Liberation of Kuwait recollects
 +
 
 +
{{Quote|First, Gus's 4,700 m first round FIN kill. It was a supreme technical achievement for man and machine. 4,700m, a shade under 3 miles, is more than three times the 1,200 m battle range of the Challenger. The shot is written up in books, sometimes incorrectly, with one book saying it was a Depleted Uranium (DU) round, it wasn't, it was a normal service FIN round while another book said it was at longer range, it wasn't, it was 4,700 m. I believe that it is the longest range direct fire kinetic round kill ever achieved by a tank on the battlefield.}}
 +
 
 +
The Challenger regiments were given several of the specially conceived depleted Uranium APFSDS L26A1 rounds also known as "Jericho". In case of facing the ultimate adversary, the Iraqi Republican's guard T-72M; these engagements never occurred but the round was applied years later in the intended user, the Challenger 2.
 +
 
 +
Despite the early perceived poor fidelity of the tank, the Challenger 1 fought till the end of the war without major losses but minor external damages. They travelled approximately 350 km in the desert till the final Gulf war objective; the Basra Highway north of Multa Ridge on February 27, 1991.
 +
 
 +
{{Quote|Challenger is a tank built for war and not for competitions.|Patrick Cordingley, Commander of 7th Armoured Brigade}}
 +
 
 +
'''Fate'''
 +
 
 +
The Challengers 1 continued their British service until the 99's as part of the KFOR, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo.
 +
 
 +
Eventually with most of the 400 tanks being sold or gifted in the 2000s to Jordan, in which the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau innovated with newer technologies, a rebirth tank, known locally as Al-Hussein. The Jordanians developed an upgrade package prototype unveiled in 2003, adding a crew-less turret fitted with a powerful Swiss RUAG Defense Systems 120 mm/L50 smoothbore with auto-loader, hunter-killer system, laser warning system, thermal imaging and Soft-Kill Active Protection; this variant is known as the '''Falcon turret'''.
 +
 
 +
The Challenger 1 Mk.2 and Mk.3 were replaced by the Challenger 2 in the UK service but is still in service until this day in Jordan where the large fleet is being gradually replaced by the more modern French MBT, the Leclerc.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_mk_3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|zlTWSpm0-KA|'''Challenger I Mk.3 - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|Lwcx7vVieUQ|'''Tank Chats #82 Challenger 1''' - ''The Tank Museum''|TCpSxqaqo-s|'''Challenger 1 Main Battle Tank''' - ''TankNutDave''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 +
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 +
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
  
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* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
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'''Shared operational History - Gulf War'''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
 
 +
* [[M1 Abrams]]
 +
* [[Warrior]]
 +
* [[Challenger Mk.2|Challenger Mk. 2]]
 +
* [[M3 Bradley]]
 +
* [[T-55A|T-55]]
 +
* [[T-62]]
 +
 
 +
'''Analogues on other nations'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Leopard 2K]]
 +
* [[T-72B]]
 +
* [[T-72B (1989)]]
 +
* [[Leopard 1A5 (Italy)|Leopard 1A5]]
 +
* [[AMX-30B2 BRENUS]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* ''encyclopedia page on tank;''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
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* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
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* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5918-development-challenger-mk-3-a-royal-upgrade-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Challenger Mk 3 - A Royal Upgrade]
+
* [[wt:en/news/5918-development-challenger-mk-3-a-royal-upgrade-en|[Devblog] Challenger Mk 3 - A Royal Upgrade]]
 +
* [https://britisharmyblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/desert-storm-part-24-back-to-germany/ Lt Col Tim Purbrick's UK Army blogs - Desert Storm Experience]
 +
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=54 Military Factory.com - Challenger 1 MBT]
 +
* Dunstan, Simon (1998). ''Challenger Main Battle Tank 1982-97''. Osprey Publishing, p. 18. ISBN <bdi>1-85532-485-7</bdi>.
 +
* Challenger 2 Owners' Tank Manual, Haynes Manuals, 1998 to Present - ''An Insight Into the Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of the British Army's Main Battle Tank of the 21st Century'', 2018
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Department of Tank Design}}
 
{{Britain medium tanks}}
 
{{Britain medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 20:49, 21 October 2023

Rank IV USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Tu-1 Pack
This page is about the British medium tank Challenger Mk.3. For other uses, see Challenger (Disambiguation).
Challenger Mk.3
uk_challenger_mk_3.png
GarageImage Challenger Mk.3.jpg
ArtImage Challenger Mk.3.png
Challenger Mk.3
Britain flag.png Britain
VII Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
10.3 10.3 10.3
Class:
Research:150 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:830 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Tank, Combat, 120-mm Gun, Challenger Mk.3 (shortened as Challenger Mk.3) is a rank VII British medium tank with a battle rating of 10.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.85 "Supersonic".

The Challenger Mk.3 retains most of the characteristics of the Challenger Mk.2. It has some unique differences; such as: "ROMOR-A ERA" which covers the lower glacis and sides, along with the addition of the ammunition storage being covered with rolled homogeneous armour. It retains the same engine (1200 hp) as the Mk.2, however with a minor increase in weight it suffers slightly reduced mobility and acceleration. Its iconic, legendary, and pin-point accurate gun stays the same as on the Challenger Mk.2.

General info

Survivability and armour

ERA
Effective action against the cumulative ammunition
Composite armour
Balanced protection against all types of ammunition
Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
ESS
Creation of a smoke screen in the direction of movement of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull80 / 38 / 25
Turret110 / 80 / 44
Crew4 people
Visibility88 %

The armour protection on the Challenger Mk.3 is excellent in some areas and bad in others. The upper half of the turret cheeks are capable of withstanding almost all kinetic penetrators and will stop most chemical penetrators with less than 800 mm, while the lower half won't protect against most top-rank rounds. Additionally, the breech weak spot is quite small. This means the turret has excellent protection and hulldown play is recommended. The hull composite is only good against lower penetrating APFSDS rounds such as T-55AM, and can also withstand some chemical munitions, but it is not advised to rely on this armour. The rest of the tank (turret and hull sides, lower front plate) has decent protection against chemical rounds due to the add on armour, ERA, and thick turret sides.

Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 38 mm (79-81°), 50* mm (60°) Upper glacis
70 mm (30°) Lower glacis 		20 mm, 25 mm (74°) Top
38 mm (12°) Bottom 		25 mm (29-30°) 20 mm
8 mm Engine grille
Turret 50* mm (51-54°)
60 mm (55-56°), 200 mm Gun mantlet 		80 mm + 15 mm Front right
80 + 25 mm + 4 mm Front
45 + 4 mm Rear 		44 + 4 mm 38 mm (82°) Front
20 mm (80-90°) Rear
Cupola 60 mm
Composite armour* Front Sides
Hull 200 mm NERA + 80 mm RHA + 50 mm RHA Upper glacis 150 mm NERA, 70 mm screens Side skirts
Turret 300 mm NERA + 50 mm RHA + 110 mm CHA 300 mm NERA + 25 mm RHA + 80 mm RHA
Reactive Armour Front Sides
Hull 30 mm ROMOR-A ERA Lower glacis
Protection against:
30 mm Kinetic
300 mm Chemical 		150 mm NERA Side skirts
Protection against:
30 mm Kinetic
400 mm Chemical

Notes:

  • The propellant ammo racks are surrounded by 5 mm RHA.
  • Side skirts consist of 150 mm NERA composite, 70 mm composite screens, or 19 mm aluminium.
  • Tracks and wheels are 20 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB62 / 41 km/h
RB and SB56 / 37 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
6 back
Weight67.1 t
Engine power
AB2 322 hp
RB and SB1 217 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB34.6 hp/t
RB and SB18.1 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 62 41 67.1 1,886 2,322 28.11 34.61
Realistic 56 37 1,076 1,217 16.04 18.14

The Challenger Mk.3 has an acceptable top speed, however, acceleration and mobility (primarily due to its weight) are lacklustre compared to other MBTs.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 303 → 6 794 Sl icon.png
RB4 166 → 6 578 Sl icon.png
SB4 873 → 7 694 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications242 000 Rp icon.png
411 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training240 000 Sl icon.png
Experts830 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 100 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 140 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
150 / 200 / 250 % Sl icon.png
238 / 238 / 238 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
5 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement uk.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
ESS
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
120mm_britain_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
120mm_britain_L23A1_APDSFS_ammo_pack
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder
Night vision device
Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.
Thermal imager
Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

120 mm L11A5 cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Ammunition52 rounds
First-order4 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
6.5 → 5.0 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: L11A5 (120 mm)

The Challenger's main gun, while not the most powerful at its rank, is competitive, and more importantly, accurate. With over 470 mm of penetration at point blank, there is no need to aim for weak spots, unless you are facing higher-ranked vehicles (such as the T-80U, Leopard 2A5, etc.). Make good use of the Challenger's good reload speed to knock out important modules first.

120 mm L11A5 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 52 -10°/+20° ±180° Two-plane 29.5 40.8 49.6 54.9 58.4 6.50 5.75 5.30 5.00
Realistic 18.4 21.7 26.4 29.1 31.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
Shot L23A1 APFSDS 396 394 387 376 367 357
Shell L31A7 HESH 152 152 152 152 152 152
L26 APFSDS 471 469 464 458 450 444
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Shot L23A1 APFSDS 1,535 3.89 - - - 78° 80° 81°
Shell L31A7 HESH 670 17.34 0.1 4 6.53 73° 77° 80°
L26 APFSDS 1,550 4.3 - - - 78° 80° 81°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Screen radius
(m) 		Screen deploy
time (s) 		Screen hold
time (s) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
L34 670 17.1 20 5 25 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Challenger Mk.2 (identical)
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty
52 Projectiles
Propellants 		50 (+2)
47 (+5) 		47 (+5)
41 (+11) 		45 (+7)
35 (+17) 		43 (+9)
29 (+23) 		39 (+13)
21 (+31) 		37 (+15)
11 (+41)
7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		10th
rack empty 		11th
rack empty 		12th
rack empty 		13th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
34 (+18)
4 (+48) 		27 (+25)
1 (+51) 		22 (+30)
  		21 (+31)
  		7 (+45)
  		4 (+38)
  		1 (+51)
  		No

Notes:

  • Packing only 29 rounds will keep the front hull empty of charges.
  • All propellant charges are protected by a box of 5 mm of steel

Machine guns

7.62 mm L8A2 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition2 400 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate1 001 shots/min
7.62 mm L37A2 machine gun
Ammunition3 600 rounds
Belt capacity100 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate650 shots/min
Main articles: L37A2 (7.62 mm), L8A2 (7.62 mm)

The machine gun's calibre won't present any major advantage in armoured combat other than serving as target spotter to allies, ranging gun and obstacle clearer. But a major important role is against low flying aircrafts and especially, helicopters. As the highly adequate rate of fire is capable to bring down the biggest of the hovering birds, with enough well placed rounds that is.

Msg-info.png Tip: It is possible to switch to the machine gun as the main weapon and use thermals through the machine gun sight.
7.62 mm L37A2
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 3,600 (100) 650 -10°/+50° ±180°
7.62 mm L8A2
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,400 (200) 600 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

Urban Environments

In urban environments, the Challenger will struggle relative to the T-80B, M1 Abrams and Leopard 2A4 - it's large, heavy and sluggish which proves costly in close quarters or when engagements occur in open streets. While the Challenger's gun still proves effective, often opposition vehicles will achieve valuable positioning before a Challenger can, forcing the Challenger tanker to play defensively. However, playing carefully and avoiding obvious routes, the Challenger can be comfortably put to use in urban environments.

Rural Environments

The Mk.3 performs very well in rural areas, where defilades and ditches that can be used for cover are far more readily available. The Challenger is still best played in hull-down defensive positions, clearing areas of maps before moving up, but a patient playstyle will be rewarded. Make use of the vehicle's good gun depression and competitive reload, utilising off-angles and hull-down positions. If a situation begins to degrade, make use of the Challenger's reasonably good reverse speed and reposition.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Decent turret armour; efficiency increased even more with proper hull down in slopes
  • Reasonably small breech protected by turret cheek's armour
  • Good HEAT and ATGM resistance on front/sides thanks to ERA and NERA elements
  • Good neutral steering and decent reverse speed provides a great boost from the slower Chieftains
  • Reasonably good reload, particularly for a 120 mm gun; one of the most remarkable aspects of the latter British MBTs
  • Brand-new TOGS system provides easy target acquisition in day or night
  • Precise L11 gun with adequate penetration values; support rounds available
  • Access to L26 APFSDS, a noticable upgrade over the stock L23A1 APFSDS shell
  • 5 second reload when aced

Cons:

  • Lacklustre sloped armour penetration, worst at high BR battles facing omni-present Leopard 2A6 or T-72B (1989); must aim for weak spots
  • The lower half of the turret cheeks are vulnerable to some higher-tier FIN rounds
  • Slower MBT than most of the vehicles it faces, albeit not by a huge margin
  • Hull is large and tall, very vulnerable to kinetic rounds or aerial attacks
  • Cannot shoot straight over its engine deck; a notable disadvantage on urban engagements
  • Top-tier shells can easily penetrate Challenger's turret armour, even at range
  • Ready-rack is depleted very fast due to the low amount of shells it carries and the quick reloading of the gun

History

Once the Challenger was established as the latest MBT for the British army following the decommissioning of the older Chieftain tank, it entered service with the British Army in 1983.

The British Army chose to test this newly designated tank in the Canadian Army Trophy (CAT) competition in West Germany, 1986. Once in the competition and despite having adequate scores, the Challengers were amongst the last in the score tables versus the equally powerful Abrams and Leopards. This proved to be discouraging results, as it was hoped the all-around better Challengers would provide excellent results this time unlike the older Chieftain - distinctly on the mobility and off-road abilities as the new Rolls-Royce CV12 provided almost twice the horsepower of the Chieftain's Leyland L60 Powerpack.

The apparent complete failure on the CAT went further to the British Army withdrawing from the competition in 1987, leaving statements like the following:

Quote icon.png

I do not believe that the performance of tanks in the artificial circumstances of a competition, such as the recent Canadian Army Trophy, is a proper indication of their capability in war. Challenger's gun gives the best penetrative performance against the tanks of a potential enemy. The tank itself is arguably the best protected in the world and has excellent mobility. It carries an advanced thermal imaging system which is much admired by our allies and ensures that Challenger can fight effectively by night and by day. Participation in international tank gunnery competitions is one useful option in the complete spectrum of training opportunities available in preparing our tank crews for war, but it is not on its own a basis for judgment of overall capability.

— Ian Stewart, former Minister for the Armed Forces when asked if he is satisfied with the standard of British tank international gunnery demonstrated in recent competitions; and if he will make a statement.

Mk.3 Upgrade

Before the Gulf War, the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) updated the Challenger 1 Mk.2 into the Mk.3 with even more armour protection, increased operational range, desert filters amongst other internal refits. This was the first mass-production use of the Royal Ordnance-made ROMOR-A, of over 250 armour sets were going to be used in the imminent Desert storm - These packages were also included in the Centurion AVRE deploying along with the Challengers 1.

Numerous Challengers were up-armoured by to Mk.3 desert modification with packages of explosive reactive armour (ERA) ROMOR-A in the lower frontal plate and non-energetic reactive armour (NERA) in the sides - this NERA proved to be safer from accidental detonations for any possible friendly units adjacent to the tank. It was estimated the upgrades would increase the protection in these reinforced areas up to 95% against the performance of shaped charges or ATGMs of approximately 127 mm.

The armour requirements were exponentially increasing because new lethal weaponry as the infamously portable Soviet RPG-7 became the most widely used anti-tank weapon in the world. The revolutionary and yet classified to this day Chobham armour proved extremely reliable against most possible frontal engagements. However, areas like the side armour or the lower frontal plate remained a weak spot against the powerful anti-tank armaments been constantly developed.

Trial of fire

3 days after of the US-designated Desert storm operation started, the vast miles of desert defended by Iraqi forces were damaged by French and American aerial and ground attacks but fiercely resisting. It was then the only UK armoured division, the 1st Armoured Division headed to combat under the British code name of Operation Grandby. They were equipped with Warriors acting as the mechanized infantry and Challengers leading the spearhead of the assault.

Charging along with the US' 1st Calvary division, the Challengers Mk.2 and Mk.3 advanced with low visibility conditions and sand storm, during day and night. This advantage is granted to the technologically superior Thermal Observation Gunnery Sight (TOGS) system, that enabled the tank commanders to designate targets in complete darkness. The developing GPS technology also proved vital to increase the mobility of the tanks squadrons in the desert.

On February 27, 1991, Battle of Norfolk part of the Battle of 73 Easting. One of the major battles for the Challenger 1 MBT took part. It allowed the British tanks to achieved over 200 Iraqi tank kills and other various vehicles kill with no losses. This ardent engagements at long and very close distances versus the sand-dug Iraqi T-55s and T-62s allowed the Challenger to prove its true combat capabilities.

Msg-info.png A Challenger 1 got the longest tank kill of all time, at a range of over 4.6 km, when it knocked out an Iraqi tank with an APFSDS round!

Lt Col Tim Purbrick, Queen's Royal Irish Hussars Battlegroup for the Liberation of Kuwait recollects

Quote icon.png

First, Gus's 4,700 m first round FIN kill. It was a supreme technical achievement for man and machine. 4,700m, a shade under 3 miles, is more than three times the 1,200 m battle range of the Challenger. The shot is written up in books, sometimes incorrectly, with one book saying it was a Depleted Uranium (DU) round, it wasn't, it was a normal service FIN round while another book said it was at longer range, it wasn't, it was 4,700 m. I believe that it is the longest range direct fire kinetic round kill ever achieved by a tank on the battlefield.

The Challenger regiments were given several of the specially conceived depleted Uranium APFSDS L26A1 rounds also known as "Jericho". In case of facing the ultimate adversary, the Iraqi Republican's guard T-72M; these engagements never occurred but the round was applied years later in the intended user, the Challenger 2.

Despite the early perceived poor fidelity of the tank, the Challenger 1 fought till the end of the war without major losses but minor external damages. They travelled approximately 350 km in the desert till the final Gulf war objective; the Basra Highway north of Multa Ridge on February 27, 1991.

Quote icon.png

Challenger is a tank built for war and not for competitions.

— Patrick Cordingley, Commander of 7th Armoured Brigade

Fate

The Challengers 1 continued their British service until the 99's as part of the KFOR, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo.

Eventually with most of the 400 tanks being sold or gifted in the 2000s to Jordan, in which the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau innovated with newer technologies, a rebirth tank, known locally as Al-Hussein. The Jordanians developed an upgrade package prototype unveiled in 2003, adding a crew-less turret fitted with a powerful Swiss RUAG Defense Systems 120 mm/L50 smoothbore with auto-loader, hunter-killer system, laser warning system, thermal imaging and Soft-Kill Active Protection; this variant is known as the Falcon turret.

The Challenger 1 Mk.2 and Mk.3 were replaced by the Challenger 2 in the UK service but is still in service until this day in Jordan where the large fleet is being gradually replaced by the more modern French MBT, the Leclerc.

Media

Skins
Videos
Challenger I Mk.3 - Tank Review - Napalmratte
Tank Chats #82 Challenger 1 - The Tank Museum
Challenger 1 Main Battle Tank - TankNutDave

See also

Shared operational History - Gulf War

Analogues on other nations

External links


Department of Tank Design
Medium Tanks 
Sherman Firefly  Sherman Firefly · Sherman IC "Trzyniec"
MBTs 
Centurion  Centurion Mk 1 · Centurion Mk.2 · Centurion Mk 3 · Centurion Action X · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk 10
Challenger*  Challenger Mk.2 · Challenger Mk.3 · Challenger DS
Tank Destroyers 
Achilles  Achilles · Achilles (65 Rg.)
Centurion-based  Conway · FV4005
Export 
Sherman Firefly  Sherman Ic · ▄Sherman Vc
Centurion  Centurion Mk.5/1 · Strv 81 · Strv 81 (RB 52) · ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) · Strv 101 · Strv 104** · Strv 105** · Sho't
See also  US Ordnance Department · Israeli Ordnance Corps · Vickers-Armstrongs Limited
  *By successor, the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment
  **Swedish modernizations incorporating innovations from the Israeli Sho't Kals.

Britain medium tanks
Valentine  Valentine I · Valentine IX · Valentine XI
Cromwell  Cromwell I · Cromwell V · Cromwell V (RP-3)
Cromwell derivatives  Challenger · Avenger · Comet I · Comet I "Iron Duke IV" · Charioteer Mk VII
Centurion  Centurion Mk 1 · Centurion Mk.2 · Centurion Mk 3 · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk 10 · Centurion Action X · FV4202
Vickers MBT  Vickers Mk.1 · Vickers Mk.3 · Vickers Mk.7
Chieftain  Chieftain Mk 3 · Chieftain Mk 5 · Chieftain Mk 10
Challenger 1  Challenger Mk.2 · Challenger Mk.3 · Challenger DS
Challenger 2  Challenger 2 · Challenger 2 (2F) · Challenger 2 TES · Challenger 2 OES · Challenger 2E · Challenger 2 Black Night
Challenger 3  Challenger 3 TD
Australia  A.C.I · A.C.IV · Centurion Mk.5/1
South Africa  Olifant Mk.1A · Olifant Mk.2 · TTD
India  Vijayanta · Bhishma TWMP
Israel  ▄Sho't Kal Dalet
Jordan  Khalid
Sweden  ▄Strv 81 (RB 52)
USA  Grant I · Sherman II · Sherman Firefly · Sherman IC "Trzyniec"

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