The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that trials for the British Army’s Challenger 3 main battle tank are planned to conclude by the end of 2026, according to a written parliamentary answer.
The clarification came in response to a question from Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who asked when testing would be completed ahead of the tank’s acceptance at its final build standard.
Luke Pollard, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, replied on 16 September: “The Challenger 3 trials are currently planned to conclude by the end of 2026. This timeline is subject to ongoing review by the project team to ensure it remains aligned with delivery milestones, operational requirements, and any emerging technical risk.”
The Challenger 3 is the British Army’s next-generation main battle tank, developed by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), a joint venture between BAE Systems and Germany’s Rheinmetall. The programme will see 148 Challenger 2 tanks upgraded to the Challenger 3 standard, strengthening firepower, protection, and NATO interoperability.
A central change is the replacement of the 120mm rifled gun with the NATO-standard Rheinmetall L55A1 120mm smoothbore cannon, which allows the use of advanced programmable ammunition. Other upgrades include a redesigned turret, modern thermal imaging sights, improved hydrogas suspension, enhanced engine cooling, and the integration of the Trophy active protection system alongside Elbit’s laser warning system.
According to the MOD, four prototypes have already been delivered, with four more in production. Trials are set to continue through 2025, with initial operational capability expected in 2027 and full operational capability by 2030. The programme has experienced supply chain delays and budgetary pressures, but officials stress its role in modernising the Army’s armoured fleet.
The Challenger 3 is intended to overcome the shortcomings of Challenger 2 by increasing lethality, survivability, and situational awareness. With its new gun, sensors, and protection systems, it is designed to counter modern battlefield threats more effectively while remaining interoperable with allied forces.
I know that the Army is at the bottom of the priority list, but having only 148 MBTs over an entire division just isn’t going to cut it in any conflict against a near peer enemy. Same with RA not gaving enough guns. It seems to me that somehow the MOD wants us to fight a war without attrition for the small amount of heavy equipment we have left.
She looks brutal in the latest videos, featuring new additional armour panels on the turret and driver area. The odds are she will be all the Army needs following on from the mighty CH2. Sadly, we should be getting more, but we all know the answer to that one.
Let’s give it a couple of years in service to garner feedback and then start a Challenger 4 development programme based on the C3 but from scratch, a new build incorporating feedback.
148 isn’t enough but the engineering could presumably form the basis for a new build package.
How on earth, in a time when the Service Chiefs are saying we are preparing for war, does it take 18 months (maybe more) to trial a new(ish) tank? At the end of the trial they will probably conclude it needs a larger engine which was apparent at least 5 years ago.
If only they painted them Black, they look at least ten times as lethal in black.
No rush, we can always hope Vlad slows down production of new T-90Ms (which is currently about 25 per month)
Russia also refurbishes about 90-100 T62/T72/T80 tanks per month from storage.
These figures are declining now as attritional losses bite, but you see what we are up against when it comes to creating mass/reserves.
Thing is we wouldn’t be using tanks to take out tanks.
That is a missile job shortly to be a missile from drone job.
That is not my point.
In attritional warfare (which would be the case in any confrontation with CRINK countries).
We will need mass and the ability to rapidly procure and maintain at mass levels.
By the time we finish testing CH3 Russia will have rolled out 250 – 300 T-90Ms, plus however many refurbished tanks.
They will need a lot less drones and missiles to take out our tanks
A pity HMG do not appear to be able, or even willing, to squeeze a few more out of existing numbers.
Maybe those stored are in a worse state than was reported.
Around current numbers, 200 or so, would do just fine in my opinion, given how the Army is set up, just 3 Regiments for MBT, and extras for training, trials, maintenance, and a some reserve. They are cheap too, as J has observed many times.