Today we’ll be taking a look at the Chieftain 900, an improved modification of the Chieftain Mk 5 carried out by Royal Ordnance Factories in an attempt for export orders.
Chieftain 900: An MBT for Great Britain at Rank VI
At a glance:
- 900 HP engine, providing better mobility
- 120 mm L11A5 gun that fires APFSDS, APDS and HESH rounds
- Armor similar to the Chieftain Mk 5’s, but with metal-cladding on top
- Addition of a Laser rangefinder
In the 1980s, 20 years after the first Chieftains appeared, Royal Ordnance Factories (ROF) looked to improve and modernize the aging Chieftain tank for potential domestic use in the UK and as an option for export. They focused on improving the weakest areas of the Chieftain: its overall mobility, engine power and armor. To do this, they looked to add Chobham armor and improve the mobility with a 900 HP Rolls Royce Condor engine. They also added a better transmission and suspension, and topped it off with some updated electronics.
Two Chieftain tanks, which were built for an Iranian order but were cancelled due to the fall of the Shah of Iran, were modified for the project. The pair of prototypes were completed in 1982 and shown at the British Army Equipment Exhibition (BAEE). Despite the ROF marketing brochure material suggesting the addition of new Chobham armour, the two modified tanks were never actually fitted with it. The tanks had mock-up metal cladding to show how the Chobham armor package might look like had the armor actually been mounted.
Ultimately, ROF received no orders for the Chieftain 900, leading to the failure of this private venture and the cancellation of the project in 1986. Of the two Chieftain 900 prototypes built, one (serial 56 MS 09) was sent to Marconi who carried out internal modifications, which now resides at The Tank Museum. The other (serial 56 MS 78) went to Lulworth Ranges as a practice target. Part of it survived however, and was used later by BAE Systems to test other Chieftain improvements.
Introducing the Chieftain 900!
Meet the Chieftain 900, a new Chieftain variant coming to Great Britain in the next major update! This was a private venture by Royal Ordnance Factories, who sought to improve the base Chieftain Mk 5 and export it to other nations. Coming in with a new engine and a different turret and hull shape, you will feel right at home when playing this tank. Let’s take a closer look!
Interesting: The “900” in “Chieftain 900” is named after the 900 HP Rolls Royce Condor engine.
Right off the bat, the Chieftain 900 is a modified and improved Chieftain Mk 5 tank. One of the disadvantages of the Chieftain Mk 5 is its mobility, at least compared to contemporary tanks. The Chieftain 900 improves on this, coming in with a 900 HP Rolls Royce engine compared to the Mk 5’s 760 HP. Thanks to this, the Chieftain 900’s max speed has increased to 52 km/h, which might not seem like much — however, every little helps in terms of mobility for a Chieftain tank. This will allow the tank to get around more effectively on both hard and rough terrain!
The Chieftain Mk 5’s potent 120 mm cannon and its ammunition are retained on the Chieftain 900, however with the addition of the L23 APFSDS round alongside the APDS, HESH, a smoke round, and the same gun traverse speeds found on the previous Chieftains. Another new addition is a laser rangefinder, not found on Chieftain Mk 3 / 5, helping you find the distance in an instant. Overall this is excellent firepower, and paired with the typical Chieftain reload speed means you should have no problem taking out enemy tanks effectively. In addition, there’s four crew members, a 7.62 mm MG on the turret roof, and a coaxial 7.62 mm MG above the main gun, with the 12.7 mm from the Mk 5 being removed. Smoke canisters on the turret cheeks have also been retained from the Mk 5.
Visually, the Chieftain 900’s armor layout looks quite different compared to the Mk 5. The hull is reminiscent of a T-10M and the turret looks unique in itself. ROF marketed this tank with Chobham armor, however in reality the two built prototypes never had this fitted. Instead of the rounder turret typical of Chieftain tanks, the turret and front hull are covered in metal-cladding which gives off a sharp look to simulate how the tank would change had Chobham armor been installed. This will be the case in game too, as it will not have the proposed Chobham armor package. Instead, it will have the previously mentioned metal-cladding, providing slight protection improvements, but in reality it is nothing to write home about. Underneath is the classic Chieftain Mk 5 turret and hull, which remain the same — pretty good armor against a variety of rounds, however the hull and lower plate are still large weak spots.
That’s the Chieftain 900 for you! In summary, this is a Chieftain Mk 5 with a laser rangefinder, a better engine and some extra metal plates on the turret and hull. That’s it for now, keep an eye on the news for more dev blogs coming your way!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
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