Thales UK sets its sights on Challenger 3
Challenger 3 Advanced Technology Demonstrator vehicle. (Photo: RBSL)
Prime contractor RBSL has selected Thales UK to provide advanced sighting systems for the Challenger 3 MBT.
Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) has issued a £90 million ($121.61 million) subcontract for Thales UK to provide sighting systems under the Challenger 3 MBT upgrade programme.
The contract will provide ‘panoramic and fixed azimuth weapon aiming sights’ for the vehicle commander and gunner in the Challenger 3, prime contractor RBSL announced on 7 February.
Thales will also provide a signal processing system with ‘state of the art video tracking’ and a Wide Area Search and Detection capability, the company added.
The system for Challenger 3 will increase the range and the detail available to the crew of the MBT, as well as provide accurate target identification, tracking, digital imagery and firing ranges.
RBSL stated that the sights will be tailored to meet Challenger 3 specifications as an ‘integral part’ of the wider £800 million MBT upgrade programme for the British Army, as announced by RBSL and the UK MoD in May 2021.
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