Thales UK sets its sights on Challenger 3
Challenger 3 Advanced Technology Demonstrator vehicle. (Photo: RBSL)
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.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Are counter-drone systems for dismounted troops emerging as the next procurement battle?
As uncrewed aerial systems and loitering munitions evolve, it is increasingly necessary for counter-uncrewed solutions to keep pace in order to protect not only military facilities and platforms but also dismounted troops.
-
NATO’s Crystal Arrow factors in Ukrainian UGV lessons as European interest grows
One goal of NATO’s Exercise Crystal Arrow was to identify the potential uses of uncrewed ground vehicles – as seen on the Ukrainian battlefield – and put platforms into the hands of users.
-
SOF Week 2026: Galvion unveils Cortex Evo integrated combat helmet
Galvion has introduced its Cortex Evo integrated head system, combining ballistic protection, power, data and processing capabilities within a single combat helmet architecture.
-
Why cost-effective flexible networks are the key to C-UAS success
The widespread use of drones and loitering munitions in current conflicts has tilted the balance in favour of the attacking force, both operationally and economically. EOS’s Dr Andreas Schwer tackles the question of what kind of C-UAS defences are needed to protect battlefield forces, and even entire countries.
-
The C-UAS challenge: Finding the threat before it finds you
How Teledyne FLIR Defense C-UAS solutions – and sensors optimized for third-party systems integrators – deliver early drone detection and decision advantage for UAS threat response