According to Military, Challenger 2 is a third-generation British main battle tank, researched and completed in the late 1990s. By 1994, the first units were manufactured and began to replace the Challenger 1 model, before officially entering service with the British Army in 1998.
This vehicle uses Chobham armor, also known as Dorchester, which is known as one of the best armor in the world . Dorchester armor is rated to be able to reduce the effectiveness of most current anti-tank bullets and missiles.
With top survivability, strong firepower and modern sensor systems, Challenger 2 has become a tank model considered as the "steel armor symbol" of the battlefield. Photo: Military
Challenger 2 weighs about 62,500 kg, is 11.55 m long with the gun facing forward; 3.5 m wide; height to the turret roof is 2.49 m; the vehicle's crew consists of 4 people.
The tank uses a Perkins 1200bhp-Condor CV12 engine for a maximum speed of 59km/h. The 1,592-litre fuel tank is enough to provide the Challenger 2 with a combat range of 500km.
Challenger 2's fire control system is digitized through the PBISA battlefield information application package developed by Canada's Computing Devices Company. This package includes a commander's display, an inertial navigation system, and many modern observation devices.
Possessing the powerful L30 gun, the famous Dorchester armor and many powerful combat variants, Challenger 2 affirms its legendary position in the tank era. Photo: Military
The Challenger 2 is equipped with infrared sensors, thermal imaging and magnifying devices for the commander and gunner. The commander has a stabilized panoramic sight with an integrated laser rangefinder and thermal imager, while the gunner has an independently stabilized secondary sight with a coaxial laser rangefinder. The driver is equipped with a periscope that supports day and night vision, while the loader has a separate sight for daytime.
In terms of firepower, the Challenger 2 carries a 120mm L30 gun, capable of firing a variety of armor-piercing shells such as the L23 low-caliber armor-piercing shell with a tail at very high velocity, the L26 armor-piercing shell using a depleted uranium warhead and the L34WP smoke shell to support vision shielding. In addition to the main gun, the tank is also equipped with a 7.62mm L94A1 machine gun and an L37A2 machine gun of the same caliber for close-range defense.
Praised for its near-impregnable Dorchester armor, the Challenger 2 remains one of the most powerful main battle tanks of the 21st century. Photo: Military
The Challenger 2 tank has five main variants including the standard FV4034; the export version Challenger 2E with improved engine and fire control system; the urban combat variant Challenger 2 TES (Streetfighter) with enhanced armor and protection to operate in high-intensity environments.
In addition, the LEP life extension program upgrades sensors and electronics to maintain combat capability beyond 2035; finally, Challenger 3, a deeply upgraded variant of the Challenger 2 chassis with a new turret and Rheinmetall L55A1 smoothbore gun, is set to replace the entire current formation of the British Army.
Source: https://congthuong.vn/xe-tang-challenger-2-huyen-thoai-giap-thep-cua-the-ky-21-431636.html
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