Agreed, its starting to look quite a lot different to the Challenger 2 as well
Better.ERA with 5mm vs KE and 350 vs CE,in 2025.
You mean 7mm of CE and KE. Yeah.
(I’ve also recently rediscovered the meme generator and I’m going wild with memes)
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Is it even known what the armour panels are? ERA or NERA?
All we know is they are newly designed external armour arrays called “EPSOM”, with the new internal armour named “FARNHAM”
RBSL have two publicly visible patents (not active) regarding armour, with one being an ERA panel patent.
Therefore its not unreasonable to assume it is a form of ERA, it visually looks like ERA. However, many people claim it is composite addons which are just modular in design.
RBSL has confirmed the Challenger 3 is going to be at DSEI very soon, hopefully we get some more information then.
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That’s a lot of ERA…I worry we should have just designed a new tank instead of adding ERA and a new turret.
But that’s Britain for you more sunken cost fallacy. CR2 should have been replaced after the war on terror had concluded.
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Agreed but considering that it could only really expand on 2 fronts of it military advancement, I think Min-Maxing would have been the best option. Reduce to Army hugely but make the RAF and FAA the 2rd and 4th most powerful air forces in the world. If the useless politicians went focussed on ruining the country and the military then Britain could have been a good nation again
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I agree but I do think like the Gen 6 programme which is in danger now (surprise surprise)
We could have actually designed and produced a brand new tank using the 130mm gun and really been able to challenge the export market dominated by US, Germany and even Korea now.
Instead we have chosen to modernise the CR2 to bring us up to the level of our rivals current MBTS.
With the opportunity to equip the newest 130mm gun and autolaoder system at a later date. Like the aircraft carriers are equiped for EMALs integration, unless it is already installed/fitted it wont be added.
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Strictly speaken?
Is the challenger 2a7V equivalent or supposed to be the 2a8 equivalent.
Currently i would mean Chally 3 is the "best " mbt until 2a8 gets released realy.
But yeah germany is only on the way for the new 130mm leopard now.
As i understood it.
130mm gets to unhandly and to heaby for consistent use. I dont think it was ever considered for manual usage by us
On the level of the 2A7 and M1A2 SEP V3 difference is those tanks are in service and CR3 isn’t due 2027 to 2030.
It has taken too long to get a tank that is on the level of what NATO allies currently have.
Oh yes the 130mm has to be autoloaded (in British service) and the firepower advantage it gives is huge being able to destroy a T-90/T-14 from over 6km is a massive bonus
2A8 Equivalent when fully kitted out (with the external armour & APS), a better 2A7V when not.
The gun and ammunition is/will be the same for all three, and the base armour is mildly better than the 2A7V, with the external armour roughly similar to the 2A8, with the caveat of an arguably poorer armour layout than the Leopard 2, and worse mobility.
I would also add the CR3 is solidly a stopgap solution, with a initial retirement date of 2040, roughly inline with MGCS, which due to hull age is fairly set in stone. I imagine they’ll develop a new hull and recycle the turret, maybe fitting the 130.
And anyway, the bigger issue is quantity rather than quality.
Only 148 CR3s will be produced. which is uh, not great?
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considering how sadly shortlived cr3 will be (2035), i think the quantity is fine still, n insane how it wasnt actually that pricy too funny enough (price of upgrade per chassi would only be able to buy a bone stock 2a4)
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also, today might show many more pics of challenger 3
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So we arent sure yet?
its a project with france… i am always highly sceptical about that, likely just better of doing that without them. Just like france insists they can do a next gen plane alone.
actualy i think there was an offered deal, that would have given briten leopards quite cheap as i understoof it
Its looking great, hopefully we get some specifications provided too
Very interesting, its good to get some more solid information on the tanks development.
Are there any furthur pages which talk about the mobility and automotive upgrades?
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i actually dunno, got it from a friend that went there, will check later
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