Rory Breen News Today

The British Army's future main battle tank (MBT), the Challenger 3, has successfully completed its first live-fire trials of its new 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun at a testing facility in Germany.

Unlike Russian-designed tanks, which employ an autoloader, the Challenger 3 will feature four crew, including the commander, gunner, loader, and driver.

After prototype trials, the United Kingdom plans to convert 148 of its existing Challenger 2 tanks to the same advanced standard.

“The Challenger 3 program will deliver the best tank in NATO ... and deliver a network enabled, digital main battle tank, providing the soldier with a step changing capability," said Rory Breen, strategy and future business director at RBSL.

The Challenger 3 MBT has hit key milestones at RBSL's Telford facility, with the programme progressing to prototype building.