Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) was awarded a contract to supply a new modular armor protection system for the Challenger 3 main battle tank.

The company announced this on its website.

The new modular armor protection, which provides a significant increase in the survivability of the combat vehicle, was developed by the joint efforts of Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land and the British Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

“This contract signature is great news and another step forward in the delivery of the Army’s next MBT capability. The conflict in Ukraine has provided a timely reminder of the threat posed by Russia’s MBTs and other weapon systems,” said Colonel Will Waugh, Senior Responsible Owner for the Army’s Armour (MBT) Programme.

In September 2023, Militarnyi reported that the United Kingdom would accelerate the program to upgrade Challenger 2 tanks to Challenger 3 levels.

The adoption of the tank should take place in 2025 instead of 2027, as initially planned. The decision was made amid the war in Ukraine to speed up the modernization of the land forces of the United Kingdom.

Currently, the first batch of Challenger 2 tank hulls is undergoing an upgrade to Challenger 3 level, after which a new turret with a German L55A1 120mm gun will be installed.

Production of the new towers began on March 24, 2022, at Armstrong Works in Newcastle.

The first Challenger 3 tanks are due to join the Royal Tank Regiment in 2025. In total, the Ministry of Defense plans to modernize 147 tanks.

The upgrade will take place at RBSL’s new armored plant in Telford, which specializes in the manufacture of Boxer armored personnel carriers, Challenger 3 tanks, and other armored vehicles.

Challenger 3

The Challenger 3 tank will use hulls from the Challenger 2 tank, which will undergo a deep modernization process that includes ultrasonic testing for the integrity and quality of welds.

In addition, the old composite armor will be dismantled, and a new composite reservation package known as EPSON will be installed in its place. There will also be new mounts for Farnham extra protection hinged units. The tank hull will undergo a resource extension for further use by the 2050-2060s years.

The updated tank will receive a German L55A1 120mm gun with a 55-caliber barrel length, which can fire complete round ammunition. The new turrets are produced by welding rather than casting, as was the case in the production of the Challenger 2.