Challenger 2 Medusa - Black Night’s Little Brother

Suggestions Ground
1
[Would you like to see this in-game?]
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters

Hello again, today I would like to suggest a new variant of the Challenger 2 😏

Introduction

The Challenger 2, in 2018 we saw the reveal of the amazing Black Night Variant with Hard Kill APS (already in game). However, a less known program similar to the Black Night existed. To enhance the Challenger 2’s survivability against modern threats, the Medusa project was initiated, focusing on integrating advanced soft kill Active Protection Systems (APS) onto the Challenger 2.

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History

The Medusa project, officially known as the Medusa Technology Assessment Programme (TAP), was a collaborative effort led by the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and QinetiQ. Spanning 3.5 years and concluding in October 2019, the programme aimed to evaluate the feasibility of integrating a commercial off-the-shelf soft-kill APS into existing UK armored vehicles, specifically the Challenger 2. The Hensoldt Multifunctional Self-Protection System (MUSS) was selected for this assessment. The project involved multiple stakeholders, including BAE Systems, Frazer-Nash Consultancy, Textron ESL, and international partners from Australia and Germany. The culmination of the programme featured live missile fire trials in Woomera, South Australia, demonstrating the system’s capabilities in real-world scenarios.

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Description

The Medusa package centers on the integration of the Hensoldt MUSS into the Challenger 2 tank. MUSS is a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) system that combines missile and laser warning sensors with a directional electro-optical jammer. Its primary function is to detect threats such as laser range finders and anti-tank guided missiles, subsequently alerting the crew or autonomously deploying countermeasures. These countermeasures include obscurants and electro-optical jamming to mislead or neutralize incoming threats.

The integration process involved mounting the MUSS onto a Challenger 2 and conducting both static and dynamic demonstrations. These demonstrations simulated laser and missile attacks to assess the system’s performance. Members from Army Headquarters, Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) observed these trials, gaining insights into the potential benefits and challenges of deploying such systems on UK armored vehicles.

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Challenger 2 Medusa/MUSS Armament & Specifications

The armament and specifications remain the same as other Challenger 2s however:

  • Perkins CV12-6A V12 - 1200hp

  • David Brown TN54E automatic transmission

  • Rifled 120mm L30A1 cannon

  • 12.7mm Browning machine gun

  • 7.62mm L94A1 coaxial chain gun

  • 7.62mm L37A2 machine gun

  • Laser Warning Receiver (LWR) (360 degree coverage) strong text- Receives the laser designator from enemy vehicles and equipment. (Circled in Yellow)

  • 4x MAWS - Alerts the crew of incoming missiles, rockets or projectiles. (Circled in Blue)

  • DIRCM Infrared Jammer & Electro Optical Jammer Modules (360 degree coverage) – The square/box-shaped units mounted above the turret with a 360 degree view jam the guidance of incoming missiles. (Circled in Red)

  • Control/Processing Unit – Internally mounted, not visible in these images, but processes input from sensors and triggers countermeasures.

  • Smoke Grenade Dischargers – Located on both sides of the turret. Can deploy multi-spectral smoke to obscure the tank from visual, IR, and laser-guided threats. (Circled in Green)

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Sources

UKDJ Medusa Project

DB Medusa Project

QinetiQ Medusa Project

UK GOV APS Systems

UKDJ Medusa Conclusion

HENSOLDT MUSS Document

12 Likes
2

Until Gaijin fixes MUSS reaction speed, this addition will be in vain and Black Knight will stay with better protection.

3

What would that matter anyway when all atgms at this br have irccm or are beam riding

4

That too, equivalent to an regular Challenger 2 or Black Knight without the cool part of being a Black Knight.

5

This would be great… if MUSS worked properly in WT. Until then it is no more than a fancy gimmick. Still, +1 for more modern Challys.

6

Maybe as a squadron vehicle or something, if we’re to get more Challenger 2s with the L30A1, I’d prefer something like the Streetfighter II.

1 Like
7

Looks like a CR2 trying to be a Puma

1 Like
9

+1 as a 11.7 vehicle

10

What you circled in yellow is a MG mount, not a LWS.
The part you called MAWS, circled in blue, also has LWR in it. It is a combined UV MAW and LWS.

1 Like
11

I thought that MG mount looked like and MG mount. I was confused why the UV MAW wouldn’t be part of the LWS like on helis

12

Its not like on helis they are one and the same. Just many helis that have MAWS also have LWS.

13

That’s what I mean but I would be surprised by helis using MAW but no LWS

16

You are not supposed to make polls under somene else suggestions.

1 Like
17

Not suggestion it but asking if anyone would want to see it like that. I would like @CHARM_3 to take its results into consideration for if he wants to add something like that to the suggestion but I am NOT trying to suggest that it should come like that

18

So point 1.
You are not supposed to make polls under somene else suggestion, if they wanted to make a poll, they would do so.
2.
If vehicle is a premium or not is up to gaijin.
3.
You go into someone else suggestion, their hard work, then you make a poll and expect them to obey it. Not nice.

1 Like
19

I think after this, all challenger 2 variants have been suggested.

20

black night is the only viable CR2 so another APS chally is very nice

21

I think you missed the one that was the 2E but for domestic use. Lazerpig mentioned it in his Challenger 2 video though he might have just forgotten or got confused with the LEP and HAAIP but at least it sounds like it would have been a CR2 with a 1500hp or 2000hp engine but it was too powerful for the track system and ended up constantly damaging the whole thing from its power but that might be from a shitty transmission design, I might have also miss heard but I think it would have also gotten the Rh 120 L/55 (not 55A) but that could just have been me

22

i feel like we are lacking vehicles with LWS in the brit tree so i think this could be a nice addition