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Posted on 12/07/2004 12:10:32 AM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 The mainstay of the British Army of the 1960s and 1970s, the Chieftain mounts a long barreled 120mm cannon as well as 2 7.62mm machine guns, one coaxial and one anti-aircraft. The Chieftain solved the problem of ranging the main gun by using a ranging machine gun with similar ballistic characteristics as the cannon. When the machine gun rounds hit the target, the gunner could be reasonably assured that his cannon round will hit. The Chieftain succeeded the Centurion and was in turn replaced by the Challenger.  Early Chieftains and some later modified tanks mount the 50. Cal M2HB machinegun over the main gun as a ranging gun. Iran and Kuwait retained the .50 Cal MG. The HESH round is used for antitank chemical-energy (CE) antiarmor missions, and for HE effects against personnel and materiel. The Iranians claim to employ a snorkel system on Chieftain, for fording to 5 meters depth. A variety of fire control systems and thermal sights are available for Chieftain. At 324 Chieftains have been upgraded with the Barr and Stroud TOGS thermal sight system. The 1R26 thermal camera can be used with the 1R18 thermal night sight. It has wide (13.6°) and narrow (4.75°) fields of view, and is compatible with TOGS format. GEC Sensors offers a long list of sights including: Multisensors Platform, Tank Thermal Sensor, and SS100/110 thermal night sight. Marconi, Nanoquest, and Pilkington offer day and night sights for the Chieftain.  Charm Armament upgrade program, with the 120-mm L30 gun incorporated in Challenger 1, is available for Chieftain modification programs.  VARIANTS Mk 5: Final production variant, with a new engine and NBC system, modified auxiliary weapons and sights. Mk 6-11 are upgrades to earlier models, with addition of IFCS. Mk 12 added ROMOR (aka: Stillbrew) spaced armor boxes. Mk 11 and Mk 12 have Thermal Observation and Gunnery Sight (TOGS). A variety of support vehicles were developed from the tank. They include recovery vehicles, AVLB, dozer, mineclearer, air defense and 155-mm SP artillery systems. Chieftain AVRE MK I: In 1986, the 40 Army Engineer Support Group Workshops in Willich, Germany, converted 12 Chieftain gun tanks into Chieftain AVREs for use in BAOR. Chieftain AVRE MK II:In late 1989 Vickers Defence Systems was awarded a contract for the design, development and conversion of 48 Chieftain gun tanks into Chieftain Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers. The 48 vehicle contract included two prototype vehicles and 46 production vehicles in two batches.  First two prototypes were completed in 1991 with production running until 1994. The conversion work utilised Chieftain MBT chassis provided from Army stocks. The vehicles have a new superstructure, a 10 tonnes capacity winch at the hull rear, an ATLAS hydraulic crane and top-mounted stowage platforms on which the engineer equipment is carried. Chieftain AVLB: The Chieftain AVLB is basically a Chieftain MBT chassis without a turret and fitted with a hydraulic system for laying and recovering a bridge. The vehicle can carry and lay either the No 8 or the No 9 Tank Bridge. A total of 51 AVLBs were built by Leeds, 37 for the UK Armed Forces and 14 for the Iranian Army. The No 8 Tank Bridge has an overall length of 24m and can span a gap of up to 23m. It is carried folded and launched over the front of the vehicle.  The No 9 Tank Bridge is 13.5m long and can span a gap up to 12m. It is carried horizontally and is swung vertically through 180° and laid in position in front of the vehicle. Chieftain Marksman : Chieftain hull fitted with Marksman air defence gun system Chieftain ARRV: This is essentially a Chieftain ARV fitted with a hydraulic crane that can lift a complete Challenger MBT power pack. ARRVs were conversions from existing ARVs. Other modifications include hydraulic track tensioners.  Chieftain Mk 6 AVLB: In March 1984, Vickers Defence Systems was awarded a contract by the UK MoD to convert 11 Chieftain Mk 1/4 gun tanks into Chieftain Mk 6 AVLBs. The user trials were completed by November 1985 and the first vehicles were handed over in June 1986 with final delivery made in September 1986.  The conversion work included removing the complete turret and replacing it with an armoured roof plate with a commander's hatch; fitting the launching mechanism on the hull and roof plate to maintain the same geometrical position as on production AVLBs and providing mounting points at the front of the hull for the Pearson Engineering Track Width Mine Plough system. For Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, a number of the Chieftain AVLBs of the Royal Engineers were used in the mineclearing role. Additional Chobham-type armour was fitted to the sides of the vehicle similar to that fitted to the Challenger 1 MBT. As well as the Pearson Engineering plough system fitted at the front of the hull they were also fitted with a device to detect and activate mines fitted with a magnetic fuze. The vehicles also towed a trailer-mounted Giant Viper mineclearing system. Khalid/Shir 1: In 1979 Jordan ordered 274 slightly modified Shirs under the designation of Khalid which were delivered from 1981. Khalid is essentially a late production Chieftain with major changes to the fire control system and powerpack which is based on the Shir 2 version developed for Iran before the revolution. The engine is a Rolls-Royce Condor V12 1200bhp diesel. The fire control system is a Marconi system incorporating a Pilkington PE Condor commanders day/night sight with a Barr & Stroud Laser rangefinder.  Germany purchased two chieftains for evaluation trials in the early 1970's, Their eventual fate is unknown. In 1971, Iran placed an order for approximately 707 Chieftain MBTs: the Mk 3/3(P) and Mk 5/3(P) plus a quantity of ARVs and bridgelayers, all of which were delivered by early 1978. Iran also took delivery of 187 improved Chieftains called the FV4030/1. In 1974, Iran ordered 125 Shir Iran 1 and 1,225 Shir Iran 2 MBTs for delivery from 1980 - but the order was cancelled in 1979 after the fall of the Shah and before deliveries could begin from Royal Ordnance Leeds  During fighting in the Middle East, Iraq captured between approximately 300 Chieftain MBTs from Iran, many of which were undamaged. In 1988, Iraq passed on to Jordan 90 Chieftains amongst a large quantity of military equipment. Contrary to well established rumour the Iraelis never had any Chieftains in service. Two Chieftain Mark 1/2 were sent to Israel as part of a sales drive but were withdrawn shortly before the outbreak of war. Late in 1988, Iraq gave Jordan a large amount of military equipment captured during the fighting with Iran. It included 90 Chieftains, 20 Scorpions, 60 M47 tanks, and 35 armoured personnel carriers.  Chieftains of the Kuwaiti Army engaged Iraqi MBTs, including T-72s, during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in the summer of 1990. In August 1981, Oman took delivery of 12 British Army Chieftain Mk 7/2C MBTs. Though they were on loan they were subsequently purchased by Oman together with 15 new Chieftains called the Qayd Al Ardh, or Mk 15, which were delivered between 1984 and 1985. These Chieftains are fitted with the BAE L20 sight which incorporates the GEC-Marconi/Ferranti Type 520 laser rangefinder.
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free dixie HUGS,duckie/sw
and to the "Sons of Satan" that terrorize this great nation... from our boys as they send you there.... "Burn in Hell"
Cool shot. Good morning Aeronaut.
Whoa, full sized Flag-o-gram LOL! Thanks PE.
HUGS to our little girl.
Happy Anniversary to the Foxhole, SAM!! :o) HUGS!
Morning Aeronaut.
New plane? it sure looks sleek.
Morning E.G.C.
It's been drizzling all morning.
Heck!I wrote the book on that. ;-)
Morning GailA.
Same here, looks like all day rain for us.
Morning Alfa6.
One of the "side benefits" to driving heavy armor. :-)
Good morning Feather.
LOL! Ain't that the truth.
Morning Iris7.
The Chieftain and the Centurian were at least "good looking" British tanks. The Israelis used the Centurian to very good effect.
Hi Sam, it's a Diamond Twin Star
Two years old, time flies when you're having fun. :-)
Thanks to Snippy for being the Foxhole Foxette for almost the entire two years.
Thanks to Jen and MistyCA for coming up with the original idea of a daily history thread and helping to set it up and get it rolling.
Last but not least, thanks to all the Foxhole posters and lurkers, we couldn't do it without you, your contributions, suggestions and opinions make the Foxhole a labor of love for Snippy and I.
Morning EOD.
Having a few inches of steel between the bad guys and your body is a little bit of an advantage. ;-)
Morning PE.
Great paintjob, bet it's "unauthorized" though. ;-)
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