UK Competition and Markets Authority approves Rheinmetall and BAE Systems Military Vehicle Joint Venture.

Rheinmetall welcomes the announcement today by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to approve the proposed military vehicle joint venture between Rheinmetall and BAE Systems.

Challenger 2 Black Night technology demonstrator unveiled at DVD 2018 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Once formally established in the coming weeks, the new company will sustain at least 450 UK jobs and be able to better serve its customers' future interests, including the manufacture of the British Army's new Mechanised Infantry Vehicle and the upgrade of the Challenger 2 main battle tank fleet. Rheinmetall and BAE System will make further announcements about the new joint venture in the coming weeks.

Concerning the upgrading of the Challenger 2 fleet, BAE Systems already displayed its proposal in 2018, namely in September at DVD (Defense Vehicle Dynamics). The Challenger 2 Black Night technology demonstrator is BAE Systems’ competitor for the Life Extension Project (LEP). The new version features many new improvements mainly mounted inside and outside of the turret. The new combat equipment of the Black Night MBT turret is equipped with a Safran Paseo commander’s independent sight, Leonardo thermal imager for the gunner, and Leonardo night sight DNVS 4 to provide hunter-killer thanks to thermal imagers for the gunner, commander, and driver. According to BAE Systems, if the field tests are successful, the Black Night Challenger 2 could enter in service with the British army in 2024 and a total of 224 Challenger 2 MBT could be upgraded as part of Challenger 2’s LEP Life Extension Project of British Ministry of Defense.