The New Challenger 3 Tank Could Soon Be NATO’s Best

There is one tank you should keep an eye on, and it could be the best in Europe. I am referring to the new upgraded Challenger 3 tank unveiled last month that will enter the British Army arsenal. There is quite a buzz surrounding this main battle tank. Defense heavyweight Rheinmetall believes the Challenger 3, with its updated armor and 120mm smoothbore cannon, is the most sophisticated armored vehicle in NATO.

The Challenger 3 will join Ajax and Boxer infantry fighting vehicles to form the nerve center of the new Future Soldier concept for the British Army. This will improve the U.K.’s land warfare efforts into the 2030s.

Challenger 3: Big Contract for the Upgrade

Rheinmetall and BAE Systems received a $1 billion contract to upgrade 148 Challenger 2 tanks to the new Challenger 3 edition. Two Challenger 3 prototypes are already being tested, and six should be completed before the end of the year.

It’s All About the New Cannon

The British Army had been using the Challenger 2 tanks, which have a rifled gun barrel. The new smoothbore model will significantly upgrade the Challenger 3’s firepower. It uses the same 120mm smoothbore that the Leopard and M1 Abrams tanks use.

Protect, Protect, and Protect Some More

The Challenger 3 will also have a new “modular armor system” for better survivability. Engineers at the defense contractors were quite aware of how many tanks were destroyed or damaged during the war in Ukraine, and this armor was made to defend against anti-tank missiles and drones. The Challenger 3 will also have the advanced Trophy active protection system, which has better defenses against enemy fires and swarming suicide drones.

Other Improvements Make This Edition Special

The upgraded tank weighs 66 tons. It has a crew of four and better fire control with 24-hour all-weather sights. The engine has been improved, along with a hydro-gas suspension, enhanced communications ability, and increased electrical power.

Up to NATO Standards

This comes as the Challenger 2 was growing long in the tooth. This older model has been in service since 1998. The main concern was updating the gun to the 120mm smoothbore edition that puts it into the same class of main battle tanks from Germany and the United States. This will make it compatible with NATO ammunition.

UK Defense Secretary Grant 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.”

This Can Only Improve the Struggling British Army

The Challenger 3 will be a shot in the arm to the British Army, which has seen its numbers go down. One could also argue its relevance has been suffering. The army is the least modernized of all the UK’s military branches. The army has been hit by budget cuts at a time when the world has become more dangerous. Conflicts in the Ukraine and in the Middle East have made some reconsider the army’s role in the modern global threat environment. Some have questioned if this “hollowed out” army can dominate the enemy.

Tanks Are Still Needed

This means that the Challenger 3 will have to lead the charge in combined arms mechanized warfare. Some have deemed the main battle tank obsolete in Ukraine, but land forces still must have armored vehicles to support dismounted infantry to take and hold ground. The war in Ukraine has shown that a hostile great power will do anything to swallow more territory, and the tank is a significant tool in defense mode and for counter-attacking.

The Challenger 3 upgrades show that the British Army is ready to get into the game if the Russians ever attack NATO and the Article 5 mutual defense clause is triggered. British tank crews will need to be in top form, and having a Challenger 3 in the mix will increase the lethality and firepower of the future force.

About the Author

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.