Posted on 09/27/2018 8:00:32 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Britain's manpower has been showcased at the Defence Vehicles Dynamics event in Millbrook - amongst them a prototype for updating the British Army's main battle tank.
Challenger 2 was designed and manufactured by BAE Systems, it entered service in 1998 and its life is being extended to 2035.
Two companies are bidding for the contract to do this - Rheinmetall, which is yet to revealed its proposal, and BAE Systems, which have showcased a prototype at the event.
Challenger 2, Mark 2 Demonstrator, nicknamed the 'Black Knight', has been developed within the last year, with the focus on enhancing its sensor systems.
It has a new commander's panoramic sight with a thermal and optical channel - meaning it has a full 24-hour hunter capability.
A night vision system was also added.
The Black Knight's new capabilities also contribute to its protective and offensive triggers.
These include laser warning receivers on its platform to help detect threats.
The active protection system is the iron fist - which can detect incoming missiles and destroy them before they hit the target.
The new systems also continue inside the tank. Simon Jackson, campaign leader for Challenger 2 at BAE Systems, said:
"When you get inside the platform we've put in a brand new commanders crew station - with flat screen displays, which all the sensors and the battle management can be seen and integrated."
Each new design was aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the tanks while also making the 'commander's life easier', says Mr Jackson:
"To make the commander's life much better and overall that significantly improves the fight-ability of the Challenger 2.
"We think it's turning a great tank into an even better tank."
He added: "I myself was a tank soldier - we've got a lot of people in the business who were on tanks.
"We designed it so we know exactly what needs to be done to give the British Army exactly what they need."
The British can build some great stuff.
There were flops too, just like any othersociety.
I’d prefer Challenger over the Leopard.
fire extinguisher on the front plate??? wonder what made that sop?
“Be sure to drink your Ovaltine” A crummy commercial?
I was hoping to see how warfare was going to be “transformed” by hanging some more sensors on the turret of their really cool black spray-painted tank. Instead, their propaganda brochure illustrates all the things on that turret susceptible to disabling by everything from a rock throwing peasant to EMP strike.
And, if they were indeed “tank men” they would certainly know that a static tank, sitting in a place for 24 hours emitting an electronic and/or heat signature, is a dead tank...
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