£20 million contract advances Challenger 3 missile protection system
Trophy active protection systems will be trialled on Challenger 3 MBTs. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will provide Trophy active protection systems for evaluation and testing for missile protection on Challenger 3 MBTs for the British Army.
The £20 million ($26.2 million) contract follows the completion of three weeks of assessment phase trials where a representative Challenger 3 system dealt with a total of 25 shots, including live intercepts.
The new contract will see the purchase of Trophy systems and countermeasures and test equipment required for the qualification and integration activity planned for the upcoming demonstration phase.
Related Articles
AUSA 2017: US Army contracts for Abrams Trophy fielding
UK to integrate lightweight active protection systems on Challenger 3 tanks
UK rethinks tank fleet numbers as Challenger 3 project hits critical milestone
Trophy will be tested and integrated with a Challenger 3 to provide enhanced protection against rocket and missile threats, while simultaneously finding the origin of the hostile fire for immediate response.
The Challenger 3 is being manufactured by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) and is expected to enter service in 2027.
The Trophy demonstration phase is due to begin in 2024 and will be delivered by Rafael and RBSL as the design authority for the Challenger 3 tanks. The testing will occur at Rafael’s facility in Israel, and in UK test ranges.
RBSL was awarded the UK MoD's £800 million contract to upgrade 148 British Army Challenger 2s in May 2021. The upgraded Challenger 3s will be network-enabled, digital MBTs with state-of-the-art lethality, upgraded survivability and world-class surveillance and target acquisition capabilities.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
MyDefence delivers counter-drone system to US Army ahead of livefire exercise
The Soldier-Kit system consists of detector, jammer, tablet and wideband antenna and is being evaluated as part of Project Flytrap 3.0 counter uncrewed aerial system (CUAS) exercise.
-
Arquus and Milrem push their UGVs fitted with long-range missiles
Arquus displayed the Drailer uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) integrating the Akeron LP long-range missile at the Techterre technology demonstrator event ahead of trials in September.
-
Czech CAESAR howitzer order at risk of cancellation
The Czech Republic ordered 52 CAmion Equipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie (CAESAR) self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) in 2021 and added another 10 a year later. A cancellation of the programme would impact both the army’s capabilities and local industry which is involved in the manufacture.
-
Sweden turns to Nammo and Rheinmetall as world demand grows for 155mm shells
Demand for ammunition continues to increase with manufacturing capability growing to match. Sweden have turned to the two supply lines of Rheinmetall and Nammo as part of a Nordic effort to meet demand. The Polish Government has also announced a US$700 million investment to boost manufacture of munitions.