Royal Tank Regiment of British army continues to improve combat readiness using the new version of the Challenger 2 main battle tank under the program Streetfighter. Empowering soldiers to improve their own and their equipment’s capabilities, is beginning to come to fruition in one particular area for The Royal Tank Regiment.
Challenger 2 Streetfighter in action with British Army Royal Tank Regiment. (Picture source Twitter Ninja998998)
The Challenger 2 StreetFighter Main Battle Tank (MBT) is the most modern version of the Challenger 2 Tank in British Army service. The development of the Challenger 2 started in November 1986 as a private venture and, in March 1987, Vickers Defence Systems made its first presentation to the UK MoD. In June 1991, the UK government selected the Challenger 2 and placed an order worth around £520 million for 127 Challenger 2 MBTs and 13 Driver Training Tanks. Production commenced in 1993 with first production vehicles completed at the now Alvis Vickers Leeds facility in July 1994.
The Challenger 2 MBT is the backbone of the British Army. The main armament of the Challenger 2 MBT consists of a BAE Systems, RO Defence 120 mm rifled tank gun designated the L30A1. The turret incorporates second-generation Chobham armor, also called Dorchester with a significant increase in protection against both KE and CE attack. It can be also fitted with the Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) package to the front of the hull.
The Challenger 2 has a crew of four including commander, driver, gunner and loader. The driver position is located at the front in the middle of the hull while other crew members are in the turret, with the commander seated on the right, the gunner forward and below the commander, and the loader on the left side.
With project Challenger 2 STREETFIGHTER MBT, the Royal Tank Regiment has been testing numerous innovative concepts on a Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank. If introduced, they could enhance its proficiency both on the battlefield as well as in the confines of an urban environment, particularly when working closely with infantry.
The ideas, all of which have originated from soldiers within the Regiment, have been developed over many months. The STREETFIGHTER MBT has undergone a number of modifications; upgrades that have included patterned camouflage, additional weaponry and equipment that increases visibility. One of the new main features of the Challenger 2 Streetfighter is the integration of a launcher system mounted on the roof of the turret, able to fire Brimstone anti-tank guided missile. It s also equipped with the Iron Vision system allowing the crew to have 360° view outside, from inside of the tank.
