Crown copyright. Credit: Sergeant Ben Beale

The latest of eight Challenger 3 tank prototypes last week rolled off the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land factory production line last week in Telford in the presence of UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps who also had the opportunity to meet the engineers and apprentices that are working on the programme. The first tank is already showing its capabilities on trials and these latest prototypes will be tested under operational conditions to validate their performance and make refinements, before another 140 are built and delivered to the British Army.

Mr Shapps said: “In a more dangerous world, the need for vehicles such as the Challenger 3 is imperative, as the threats facing the UK evolve. This tank will be at the heart of the British Army’s warfighting capabilities and will be integral to the UK’s deterrence. The hard work and dedication on show in Telford and across the country is instrumental in driving forward UK defence innovation and delivering for our forces in the frontline.”

As the Army’s Main Battle Tank, the Challenger 3 will remain in service until at least 2040. This third iteration of the Challenger series includes a ‘state of the art’ turret with a more capable smoothbore gun, which is compatible with NATO ammunition, as well as improved armour and sensors.

Major General Jon Swift, the Army’s director of programmes, said: “Challenger 3 will be at the heart of the British Army’s Armoured Brigade Combat Teams, alongside Ajax and Boxer, and is critical to the Army’s warfighting capability and the UK's contribution to NATO. The delivery of these prototype vehicles, the first of which has already started trials, marks a significant milestone on the Army’s modernisation journey.”

Lieutenant General Simon Hamilton, director general land for Defence, Equipment and Support, added: “Delivering the capability the Army needs to be more lethal is vital in an increasingly uncertain and dangerous world. The Challenger 3 Programme is a cornerstone of the Army’s Future Soldier modernisation, and I am delighted to see the Army, DE&S and RBSL collaborating together to provide our soldiers with a world-class Main Battle Tank made in the UK.”

RBSL managing director Will Gibby said: “RBSL is playing a key part in delivering the Land Industrial Strategy through its Challenger 3 programme, ensuring it benefits from the best of British engineering and manufacturing, while also sustaining valuable skills across the country. Delivery of the first pre-production Challenger 3 and the commencement of trials marks a critical milestone in our delivery of this impressive capability to the British Army and will provide our soldiers with a world-class Main Battle Tank made here in the UK.”

Challenger 3 is being delivered by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) under a £800 million contract, creating a number of highly skilled roles, with nearly 300 jobs generated within RBSL, including 130 engineers and 70 technicians, with an additional 450 jobs across the UK.

The contract is also attracting £40 million of inward investment in RBSL’s Telford facility, utilising a UK supply chain that includes companies in the West Midlands, Glasgow, Newcastle upon Tyne and the Isle of Wight.