UK's leap into remote tank technology

The British-German consortium RBSL (Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land) revealed an unusual feature of the Challenger 3 tank. As demonstrated on the X service by James Cartlidge, British Deputy Minister of Defence responsible for arms purchases, the tank can fire despite the absence of crew.

During the presentation, the Challenger 3's armament was controlled externally. However, this is the only information, without details about the distance, issues of subsequent shots (the tank does not have an autoloader) or the actual usefulness of the displayed function in the context of electronic warfare systems operation.

Although the British boldly claim their equipment is the best tank in NATO, Challenger 3 is more an effort to catch up with current competitors. One key advantage of the new tank is the resolution of some issues that afflicted Challenger 2.

Challenger 3 is not a completely new design. It represents a comprehensive upgrade of the Challenger 2, with 148 out of 227 British tanks being updated. Modifications, including the suspension, engine, and transmission, were modernized in the antiquated hull.

Substantial changes have also been implemented in the turret and armament. The Challenger 2 turret was replaced with an entirely new one. The ammunition storage—similar to the Abrams tank—is separated from the crew and equipped with blow-off panels, directing the energy of an explosion outwards. The turret is protected by new Farnham composite armour and additional modular Epsom armour.

The armament has also been updated. Challenger 2 was equipped with an unusual, 120-mm rifled gun L30A1. Despite having the same calibre as NATO allies, it was incompatible with NATO ammunition.

While the British boasted of its accuracy at long ranges (Challenger 2 destroyed an Iraqi tank with a shot from a distance of approximately 5 kilometres), this weapon was characterized by an unusual loading method.

Instead of combined arms, where a cartridge in the form of a projectile in a case is loaded into the gun breach, in the British tank, the projectile was loaded separately, the propellant charge separately, and the third element was also separate - the primer.

This complicated the loading process and meant that the UK had to develop unusual ammunition, independently generating additional costs. In Challenger 3 – breaking with more than a 50-year tradition – the unusual British weapon was replaced with a German Rh120 smoothbore gun mounted in most Western tanks.