Challenger 2 and Challenger 2E (Enhanced/Export)

[Damian]

Most people probably think that Challenger 2E was just and export designation name for Challenger 2. And nope, it was far more different, in fact it was highly modified Challenger 2.

Challenger 2E:

TC panoramic sight is SAGEM MVS 580 day/thermal sight,
Gunner sight is SAGEM SAVAN 15,
Power pack is the 1,500HP EuroPowerPack (MTU MB883 transversely mounted Diesel engine with Renk HSWL 295TM automatic transmission).

Compare with standard Challenger 2:

TC have panoramic sight SAGEM VS 580-10 with laser range finder but without thermal camera,
Gunner have TOGS-2 main thermal sight mounted in armored box on main gun mantle above main gun, and day sight seen on turret roof in front of TC cupola,
Powerpack is 1,200HP Perkins CV-12 Diesel with David Brown TN54 epicyclic transmission.

I must say that Challenger 2E had potential to be a very good tank, but what's killed it's potential was main armament, rifled gun with 3 piece ammunition... this just could't work.

 

[indian_sukhoi]

Would be suprise to see if Challangers ever won a contract for foreign sales against Leapord and Abrams MBTs

What wrong with the present 120mm gun?

What happen to the using Rheimetall 120mm trail, Is it still under consideration. They could replace the Challanger Gun with Rheimetall 120mm

 

[Damian]

What wrong with the present 120mm gun?

It's rifled, means that it have shorter barrel life and can't fire NATO standard ammunition, for example superior to British L27A1 and L28, US M829A3 and German DM53.

Besides this it's fire, not 2 piece, but 3 piece ammunition, You have separate projectile, propelant charge bag and primer.

What happen to the using Rheimetall 120mm trail, Is it still under consideration. They could replace the Challanger Gun with Rheimetall 120mm

Idea is currently in trashcan.

Installtion of gun alone wasn't a problem, but when their finally installed the gun, they could't find any place to store ammunition inside, because storage system in CR2 is designed for 3 piece ammunition (lightly armored storage bins for propelant charges, APFSDS racks behind loader, and HESH/Smoke projectiles racks on turret basket/hull floor + primers storage somewhere. There was just no space for 1 piece ammunition used in 120mm smoothbores.

There was made a study to solve that problem, but in the end it was obvious that to rearm Challenger 2 with 120mm smoothbore, extensive turret and hull redesigns would be needed, it was to expensive and in the end would probably mean designing a completely new tank.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

It's rifled, means that it have shorter barrel life and can't fire NATO standard ammunition, for example superior to British L27A1 and L28, US M829A3 and German DM53.Besides this it's fire, not 2 piece, but 3 piece ammunition, You have separate projectile, propelant charge bag and primer.

In India DRDO have deign single piece ammo for rifled gun, what is wrong with the brits ? If they use single ammo piece like us with some DM53/63 penetration could have worked..

 

[Damian]

You don't understand, the L30A1 120mm rifled gun can't use single piece ammo, it is just immposible without redesigning the gun itself.

L30A1 just like it's predecessor, the L11 series, have a bit different priming system.

When loader loads gun he does this in suh way, projectile, propelant charge and then he closes breach, breach have a small magazine for primers, there are up to 5 or 10 primers there, when breach is locked, primers is moved from it's magazine in breach to the point where it can initiate propelant charge.

In a NATO smoothbore guns, primer is allready inside propelant casing, the same was done in Arjun gun, it is rifled but have primer mechanism same as smoothbore guns.

 

[Damian]

Double post.

 

[militarysta]

Double post.

You "forgot" about one big diffrence - export CR2 have, without any doubts, "export armour". It's not the same "burlinghton" like in Britt CR2

 

[Damian]

Challenger 2 do not use Burlington armor, British like Americans moved forward, when Americans introduced their Heavy Armor Package (Generation I in 1988, Generation II in 1990 and Generation III in 1999), British introduced Dorchester armor on Challenger 2.

I don't know if British were designing something like downgraded export variant of Dorchester, AFAIK Oman is using 38 standard Challenger 2's... but knowing British approach to armor secrecy, export armor package is possible.