The British army relied on the “Challenger – 2” tanks, which represent the main battle tank of its ground forces, but it is seeking to provide it with new technologies that include a smoothbore gun, a digital turret and advanced protection means to bear the name “Challenger – 3”.
The British Ministry of Defense allocated one billion dollars to develop the “Challenger-2” tank, according to the American “Defense News” magazine, which indicated that the tank will be developed and equipped with new technologies to bear the name “Challenger 3”.
The development operations include 148 “Challenger-2” tanks, according to the magazine, which indicated that Britain is still interested in developing main battle tanks that can achieve victory in the ground war that could be waged in the future.
The magazine pointed out that Britain is in discussions with Germany and France to discuss the possibility of joint work to develop a main battle tank with distinct specifications.
The development process includes replacing the 120 mm main gun (with a helical bore) in the current version with a smooth-bore gun of the same caliber, similar to the cannons used by tanks of other “NATO” countries.
The magazine mentioned that the modernization of “Challenger – 2” tanks also includes the provision of a digital tower and advanced sighting devices, in addition to the means of protection.