War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Sea Harrier FRS.1

2022-12-31T03:06:37Z

U120664986: To do usage and history

{{About
| about = squadron British strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Harrier (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=harrier_frs1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a squadron rank {{Specs|rank}} British strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

The Sea Harrier FRS.1 was a navalised variant of the Hawker-Siddeley Harrier. Entering service with the United Kingdoms Royal navy in 1978, it went on to earn fame for its engagement during the Falklands conflict in 1982 against the Argentinian air forces.

The Sea Harrier is available as an option for rank VII through unlock as a squadron vehicle. It can present experienced pilots familiar with the GR.1/3 with a further improvement in the form of deadly AIM-9L sidewinder missiles and a unique position as the only model of harrier in-game with a search radar. Ultimately, the Sea Harrier builds on the strengths of the Harrier GR.3 with improved air-to-air combat capability. However this comes at a cost of being heavier and slightly more sluggish than it's contemporaries.

All in all, the Sea Harrier can be powerful opponent in the hands of a veteran pilot and provides an almost preparatory experience for the Harrier GR.7.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The Sea Harrier possesses a flight performance very similar to the aircraft it is derived from: the Harrier GR.3. Possessing the same Pegasus 103 engine. It is worth noting however that the Sea Harrier carries additional weight in the form of the radar equipment within its nose and an altered aerodynamic profile to accommodate this.
Comparatively the Sea Harrier turns more sluggishly than contemporary Harriers, but it still maintains the exceptional thrust and climb rate prevalent among it's kind. Able to climb up to lofty heights where it can maximise the range potential on its all-aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. It comes with the same thrust vectoring of other harriers allowing the aircraft to pull tighter turns and make split second adjustments at the cost of speed and energy.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,150 || 1,144 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.5 || 34.0 || 70.2 || 68.5 || rowspan="2" | 550
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 880 || 633 || ~14 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk.103 || 1
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel
|-
| 1,640 kg || colspan="2" | Vectored-thrust low-bypass turbofan
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 9,150 kgf || 9710 kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 9,150 kgf (0 km/h) || 9710 kgf (0 km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The Sea Harrier FRS.1 possesses no armour. All of its internal modules are arrayed in close proximity within the fuselage centred around the engine.

The Sea Harrier is not a sturdy aircraft and can be destroyed fairly easily owing to its compact assembly. However, if the damage taken is not enough to outright down the harrier such as damage to flaps or wings, the harrier can in an emergency leverage its thrust vectoring to compensate for lift lost from wing damage and limp back to the airfield for repair at the cost of being exceptionally vulnerable to enemy aircraft.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

As with most aircraft at the tier the Sea Harrier competes at, it is advisable to prioritise unlocking the Flare/Chaff upgrade to greatly increase survivability of the harrier against very commonly encountered IR missiles. After which pursuing the unlock of the Sea Harriers own AIM-9L Sidewinder capability is highly recommended as this will encompass most of the jets offensive capability when dealing with other aircraft.

Further a advantageous unlock would be to acquire the the 1000lb bombs which can be grabbed while prioritising the unlock of the AIM-9L's these will allow unlocking further upgrades and RP by bombing bases before turning to engage enemy aircraft. Once sufficient weapons and countermeasures are unlocked then it is recommended to focus entirely on flight performance upgrades to make the most of the superb climbing and thrust of the Pegasus engine.

Recommended path:

Flares/Chaff -> 1000 LB bombs -> New Boosters -> AIM-9L -> Wings Repair -> Engine -> Compressor -> Cover -> Airframe -> Fuselage Repair -> G-suit > EFS -> Offensive 30 mm belts -> New 30 mm cannons -> Matra No7 Mk 1 rockets

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|ADEN Mk.4 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons, belly-mounted (130 rpg = 260 total)
** 2 x 30 mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons + 60 x countermeasures

'''30 mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons:'''

The 30 mm ADEN cannons are identical to those found on the GR.1/3 and the AV-8B/C found in the USA tech tree. These are very hard hitting guns that can bring down an enemy aircraft with even glancing blows. However on the Harrier family they are often located low on the belly in an awkward spot, possess low muzzle velocity and often very limited ammunition. They can however be used to great effect on larger aircraft such as A-10's or SU-25's when a quick and snappy burst needs to do fatal damage.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinder|RP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 72 x RP rockets
* 3 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 5 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 2 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles (5,000 lb total)
* 5 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles (5,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 72 x RP rockets
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 72 x RP rockets

'''AIM-9G Sidewinder missile:'''

The AIM-9G is a potent missile but may begin to feel a little lacklustre at the BR the Sea Harrier operates at. The stock missile option for the Sea Harrier and only able to hold 2 of them on wing-mounted pylons. 9G's are rear-aspect only but come with a very large seeker cage, 18g of maximum overload and the option for radar-slaving which the Sea Harrier is uniquely able to capitalise on amongst its brethren Harriers. Employing these with the Harrier in particular it is advisable to deploy them from an altitude advantage on unawares enemies.

'''AIM-9L Sidewinder missile''':

The AIM-9L is a further upgrade of the Sidewinder missile. It retains the radar slaving capability of the 9G but with a much smaller seeker cage. However instead the 9L now enables the sidewinder to have all-aspect functionality and up to 30g of maximum overload. This greatly enhances the killing and lock-acquiring capability of the missile with the added benefit of some flare-resistance which will be noticeable especially when firing from a rear-aspect on an aircraft with an afterburner. A potent missile which can be used more widely than the 9G with particular regards to the Sea Harrier, but again is very strong capitalising on the climb rate of the sea harrier to be deployed almost in a 'sniping' way.

'''1000 LB''' '''Mk.13 bomb:'''

A common bomb found on British aircraft, the Mk.13 can be employed with the onboard CCIP to accurately be delivered and the harrier can carry a maximum of 5 alongside it's AAM loadout of choice. A full payload of these bombs can destroy a single base in Air battles and are sufficient to destroy enemy armoured vehicles in ground battles with a TNT explosive equivalent of 296.48 Kg per bomb.

'''RP rocket:'''

The harrier can carry up to 72 RP rockets, these rockets are simple and can be fired using the onboard CCIP. Each rocket is equivalent to 691.2 g of TNT and will require multiple hits to damage light vehicles to the point of destruction. However with only 10mm of penetration these rockets will see little to no effect on MBT's or more thoroughly armoured vehicles.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="5" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Harrier_GR.3.png]]</div>
|-
! 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs
| || 1, 2 || 1 || 1, 2 ||
|-
! RP rockets
| || 36 || || 36 ||
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || 1
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 || || || || 1, 2
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

Retains the great climb rate and thrust of earlier Harrier's

Addition of a search radar that can be used to slave the AAM's the harrier can bring for off-angle shots

x4 powerful AIM-9L all-aspect missiles

*

'''Cons:'''

Subsonic in a bracket mostly populated with supersonic aircraft

Sluggish in its turn radius

Engines will overheat if run for too long at 100% throttle, management is required

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8011-development-squadron-vehicles-sea-harrier-frs-1-en|[Devblog] Squadron vehicles: Sea Harrier FRS.1]]

{{AirManufacturer BAe}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}
{{Squadron aircraft}}

Sea Harrier FRS.1

2022-12-28T21:22:34Z

U120664986: Working on page, first save.

{{About
| about = squadron British strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Harrier (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=harrier_frs1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a squadron rank {{Specs|rank}} British strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

The Sea Harrier FRS.1 was a navalised variant of the Hawker-Siddeley Harrier. Entering service with the United Kingdoms Royal navy in 1978, it went on to earn fame for its legendary engagements during the Falklands conflict in 1982 against the Argentinian air forces.

The Sea Harrier is available as an option for rank VII through unlock as a squadron vehicle. It can present experienced pilots familiar with the GR.1/3 with a further improvement in the form of deadly AIM-9L sidewinder missiles and a unique position as the only model of harrier in-game with a search radar. Ultimately the Sea Harrier builds on the strengths of the Harrier GR.3 with improved air to air combat capability. However this comes at a cost of being heavier and slightly more sluggish than it's contemporaries.

All-in-all the Sea Harrier can be powerful opponent in the hands of a veteran pilot and provides an almost preparatory experience for the eventual unlock of the Harrier GR.7.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,150 || 1,144 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.5 || 34.0 || 70.2 || 68.5 || rowspan="2" | 550
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 880 || 633 || ~14 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk.103 || 1
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
!33m fuel
|-
| 1,640 kg || colspan="2" | Vectored-thrust low-bypass turbofan
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
||| _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
!33m fuel|| MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 9,150 kgf || 9710 kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__
||| _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 9,150 kgf (0 km/h) || 9710 kgf (0 km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__
||| _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
The Sea Harrier possesses no armour anywhere on the craft. All of its internals are arrayed in close proximity within the fuselage centred around the engine.

The sea harrier is not a sturdy aircraft and can be destroyed fairly easily owing to its compact assembly, however if the damage taken is not enough to outright down the harrier such as damage to flaps or wings. The harrier can in an emergency, leverage its thrust vectoring to compensate for lift lost from wing damage and limp back to the airfield for repair at the cost of being exceptionally vulnerable to enemy aircraft.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|ADEN Mk.4 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons, belly-mounted (130 rpg = 260 total)
** 2 x 30 mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinder|RP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 72 x RP rockets
* 3 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 5 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 2 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles (5,000 lb total)
* 5 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles (5,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 72 x RP rockets
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 72 x RP rockets

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="5" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Harrier_GR.3.png]]</div>
|-
! 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs
| || 1, 2 || 1 || 1, 2 ||
|-
! RP rockets
| || 36 || || 36 ||
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || 1
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 || || || || 1, 2
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer BAe}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}
{{Squadron aircraft}}

Lynx AH.Mk.1

2022-12-26T21:01:05Z

U120664986: All tasks outlined in WSP, page written

{{About
| about = British helicopter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the premium version
| link = G-LYNX
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=lynx_ah_mk1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British utility helicopter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

The Lynx helicopter was developed by the Westlands company in the mid 1960's and had it's first flight in 1971, entering service with the military of the United Kingdom a scant few years later in 1978. A versatile, incredibly fast and nimble platform both in game and real service.

The Lynx represents a complete game change for British helicopter pilots. Compared to the Wasp, the Lynx might as well be space-age technology. It's faster, more agile and sports a wide array of combat payloads from Hydra-70 rocket pods up to the fearsome AGM-114B Hellfire guided missiles. The guns return with the option to take a 20 mm Oerlikon cannon and regardless of your loadout there is always an option for a pair of AIM-92 Stinger missiles to round out the complement and help fend off enemy aircraft. All this weaponry can be guided and supported by a suite of equipment such as Thermal imaging gunner sights and plentiful flare/chaff pods.

In the right hands the Lynx AH Mk.1 is a terrifying force on the battlefield that can dance through the skies with such grace and speed one would be forgiven for thinking it a jet.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Heli-Flight}}
The Lynx boasts one of the best flight profiles for helicopters in the game. When stock the helicopter can be stiff upon take off, slow to get up to speed and altitude but once flight is achieved and the Lynx has gotten going it handled superbly. Able to perform tight acrobatics like rolls and very hard turns, this performance only increases as the aircraft is upgraded. The handling of the helicopter can greatly reward it's early grind as it allows effective deployment of its fixed cannon and rocket pods.

The helicopter will be a lot different in feel to it's predecessors within the British tech tree, able to be thrown about with almost wild abandon. Do make sure to practise the usual rules of collective management during turns and oddly: Mind that you do not dump as much altitude as other helicopters when performing acrobatic rolls due to it's agility, which sounds good in theory but in reality can not allow you to move enough to evade incoming missiles as often the manoeuvre is relied upon to do.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 249 || 233 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| 297 || 273
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Heli-Armour}}
The Lynx boasts no armour protection of any sort on or within the aircraft, however as with most British helicopters the vital components are well space apart meaning a significant portion of the aircraft is empty space. All of the fuel tanks present within the main body of the Lynx are self-sealing in the event of leaks. An engine fire system is available when the aircraft is upgraded to extinguish engine fires and keep the Lynx airborne when receiving critical amounts of damage.

The helicopter is small for it's role, meaning that it overall presents a smaller profile to hit however it is not on the tiny scale of it's predecessors within the tech tree and British pilots should account for this increased size when piloting this aircraft.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}The Lynx boasts no armour protection of any sort on or within the aircraft, however as with most British helicopters the vital components are well space apart meaning a significant portion of the aircraft is empty space. All of the fuel tanks present within the main body of the Lynx are self-sealing in the event of leaks. An engine fire system is available when the aircraft is upgraded to extinguish engine fires and keep the Lynx airborne when receiving critical amounts of damage.

The helicopter is small for it's role, meaning that it overall presents a smaller profile to hit however it is not on the tiny scale of it's predecessors within the tech tree and British pilots should account for this increased size when piloting this aircraft.

Is is advisable to prioritise unlocking the Chaff/flare modification for the Lynx as this will allow the helicopter to have a fighting chance at shaking off IR AAM's, while pilot skill is always an option, flares allow much more breathing room. A mobile aircraft even stock, the TOW weapons tree should be focused next, unlocking the first of the Lynx's devastating selection of guided anti-tank ordinance. The tree can be followed down neatly to the AGM-114B Hellfire's which will present the strongest weaponry the Lynx can employ. However due to needing tier unlocks, it is highly recommended to unlock the AIM-92 stingers and the NVD upgrades as the player goes, allowing the aircraft to defend itself better from enemy aircraft while also unlocking thermal imaging for the gunner which makes the unlocked ATGM's even more potent with faster target acquisition.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Offensive}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** Without offensive armament
** 192 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}

{{main|AGM-114B Hellfire|ATAS (AIM-92)|BGM-71C Improved TOW|BGM-71D TOW-2|Hydra-70 M247}}
{{main|Oerlikon KAD-B (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon (570 rpg) + 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 4 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 8 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 8 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 2 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 2 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 2 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 4 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 2 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 8 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 2 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 8 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 2 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon + 2 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 4 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 4 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
* 4 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 4 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
* 4 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 8 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
* 4 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 8 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
* 4 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 4 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles + 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles

'''20 mm Oerlikon KAD-B cannon:'''

The 20 mm cannon on the Lynx is adequate for it's uses, it can take an air target or armoured target belt as the player wishes. The belt's armour piercing option is a HVAP-T (High Velocity Armour Piercing-Tracer) round. Which can allow penetration of up to 57mm of armour at very close range. At the BR this is mostly insufficient against MBT's unless firing directly down into the tops of turrets or engine blocks. With little-to-no post penetration effect due to non-explosive filled nature of the round. The air belts will prioritise the HEFI-T (High Explosive Fragmentation Incendiary-Tracer) which with it's fast fire rate can shred other helicopters, harrying jets or light vehicles.

'''ATAS (AIM-92) missile:'''

The Lynx can carry 2-4 depending on the pilots preference, the AIM-92 is similar to the FIM-92 found on the LAV-AD in the american tech tree but as an Air to air variant. The missile is all-aspect and has some ECCM capabilities, however it only boasts a max range of 5km which may be too close for comfort for some pilots when it concerns jets. The missile only possesses up to 10G of overload which can be insufficient against aircraft who are actively paying attention to the actions of the Lynx.

'''Hydra-70 M247 rocket:'''

The common Hydra-70 rocket, found on such other aircraft as the AH-1F and others in the USA tech tree. It is a dumb-fired rocket with up to 290mm of armour penetration, 1.19kg TNT equivalent explosive per missile and a HEAT warhead. This can be defeated by ERA which will begin to occur at this BR and earlier. However it is sufficient and able to reliably kill tanks with direct hits. The Lynx can carry a maximum of 38 Hydra rockets.

'''BGM-71C Improved TOW missile:'''

The 71C is the first-unlocked guided munition of the Lynx. It boasts a maximum of 630mm of armour penetration with an effective guidance range of 3.75 Km which it travels at 296 m/s. The missile is SACLOS (Semi-Automatic Command to Line of Sight) meaning that it must be designate for the entire duration of the flight, breaking the designation will cause the missile to lose course most of the time. This style of missile can be defeated by Soft-kill APS systems like those found on the PUMA which will be a commonly encountered opponent. Each missile is equivalent to 2.88kg of TNT. The warhead is HEAT and can be defeated by ERA armour. This missile will still reliably kill nearly anything encountered at 10.0

'''BGM-71D TOW-2 missile:'''

The 71D is an upgrade to the above 71C, however it does not offer any improvement on range, maintaining the 3.75 Km maximum but with an increased travel speed of 329 m/s. The missile like the 71C above it is SACLOS (Semi-Automatic Command to Line of Sight) meaning that it must be designate for the entire duration of the flight, breaking the designation will cause the missile to lose course most of the time. This style of missile can be defeated by Soft-kill APS systems like those found on the PUMA which will be a commonly encountered opponent. Each missile is equivalent to 4.41kg of TNT. The warhead is HEAT and can be defeated by ERA armour. The missile will reliably kill almost anything encountered at 10.0 and has enough explosive filler to overpressur some lighter vehicles if a direct hit is not achieved.

'''AGM-114B Hellfire missile.'''

The Hellfire missile is the ultimate upgrade for the Lynx, the missile more than doubles the range of the older TOW missiles with a maximum range of 8km which it can travel at 475 m/s. The missile is Laser + IOG (In-Ordinance Guidance) meaning that it relies on laser designation unlike the older missiles and can still direct itself to the last known position of the laser if the laser is lost. Meaning the missile can deliver itself to static targets independent of guidance by the launching aircraft (More detail in the 'Usage in battles' section below.) and will not fly off course.

The missile cannot be defeated by soft-kill APS systems like the TOW, however it can still run afoul of some stronger ERA armours. However with an incredible 1100mm of armour penetration this is very unlikely. This excellent penetration comes with explosives equivalent to 9.02 Kg of TNT which again is double of it's predecessor the TOW. Anything at the receiving end of a hellfire will certainly know about it, even if not being outright destroyed the missile is crippling.

== Usage in battles ==
The Lynx can perform very admirably when sporting rocket pods and providing very close-in CAS. With excellent agility and a mostly empty airframe it can pull tight turns around tank coaxial and commander machine guns and deliver its payload up close, however this is a very meagre payload of 38 rockets. While the Hydra-70's will surely bring down most targets they will demand much more skill from the pilot due to careful aiming and ammunition conservation under fire can be a daunting prospect for helicopters which find themselves as one of the most vulnerable battlefield vehicles next to SPAA. This will need to be employed early when grinding the initial unlocks for TOW missiles and serve as an excellent training basis for learning how to handle the lynx.

Once TOW's have been unlocked, the lynx will gain the option to revert back to the playstyle seen in the aircraft that came before it in the British tech tree. Albeit with far more powerful and further reaching weaponry eventually. The TOW missiles do not sport much more range than the AS.11's used on the WASP. But fly much-much faster and hit far harder. Furthermore 8 may be carried as opposed to the previous payload of only 4 ATGM's on older helicopters. However the stakes are higher at 10.0 Battle rating and the array of enemy SPAA and event the advent of light tanks and IFV's like the Bradley or the BMP will make getting up and close incredible perilous.

Care should be taken to assess the battlefield and if choosing to deploy the Lynx make sure it has adequate cover if utilising the TOW's due to their shorter range. Somewhere to perform 'masking' manoeuvres (Hovering behind hills/buildings or other defilade to insulate the helicopter from retaliating fire between attacks) can be critical to the players success in this aircraft. Bare in mind also the TOW munitions are SACLOS which means they must be guided for the entire duration of flight, while less risky than the rocket pods the TOW missiles still run great risk but will punch harder and can reward the pilot with devastating firepower that can cripple entire flanks of an enemy team.

A further and final upgrade comes in the form of the AGM-114B Hellfire missiles. These missiles beat the range of the TOW missiles by double and can introduce the player to their first example of Laser + IOG (In-Ordinance Guidance) weapon systems. The tactics employed are much the same as detailed before concerning the TOW missiles, however they also afford the player to make such decisions and plays as outranging enemy SPAA systems. Especially ones based on cannons over guided munitions. However care should be taken to avoid becoming overconfident, this is the age of the laser rangefinder and hovering perfectly stock still can serve the pilot up on a platter to an enterprising MBT with a APFSDS or VT to send to the cabin of the aircraft. It is advisable to alter your course gently and randomly with regularity, 'drifting' softly to make acquiring you a harder target to most. At 8 km of range the Hellfire's will keep you safe from most if not all cannon SPAA such as the Gepard or M163.

Hellfire's can be left to their own devices through the use of their Laser + IOG nature. If evasive manoeuvres are required, the lynx can duck away and deal with the missile and if time allows re-acquire laser designation on the target. While the laser is broken the missile will fly towards the last lasered location unlike SACLOS munitions. However if the target moves the missile will not track this and keep going to the last fixed point, a warning will show on the HUD saying 'Engage laser now' to advise the missile is nearing the terminus of its flight and requires the laser to adjust if the target has moved. Creativity can be advised in using the missiles in a rudimentary fire and forget fashion if the player is confident their target will not move, firing the missile and ducking away into safety without guiding it. With a continuous laser lock, the hellfire will guide itself like a SACLOS weapon onto its target with devastating effect.

In conclusion, the Lynx can be employed very flexibly in a large number of ways. The player can choose to use it as a long-range hellfire sniper, or an agile and slippery rocket-pod sporting hunter. Menacing SPAA and light vehicles by getting within their comfort zones.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

Ability to carry 8 powerful AGM-114B Hellfire's at 10.0

Incredibly agile airframe

Able to supplant AT missile loadouts with AAM's and 20 mm cannon

*

'''Cons:'''

AAM's are rear-aspect only and cannot pull many G's

The 20 mm cannon is fixed on the left side of the helicopter and not able to be independently aimed of the aircrafts nose

will encounter some powerful aircraft at it's tier that it's defensive armament's will do little to protect it from

*

== History ==

Development on the Lynx began in the mid 1960s, when Westland sought a replacement for its existing Scout and Wasp helicopters, while also wanting to provide a more advanced alternative to the UH-1 Iroquois.

After some delays, the first prototype was ready for testing by the early '70s. In March 1971, the prototype conducted its maiden flight. In further sorties, the Lynx managed to break a number of world speed records for helicopters. Quite content with the Lynx's performance, the British Army placed an order for 100 units of the type to be produced in the mid '70s. Subsequently, the Lynx received its official army designation 'Lynx AH Mk.1'.

Since its introduction to service, the Lynx saw service primarily with the British Army and the Royal Navy in various different roles, including among others transport, armed escort and anti-tank warfare. Furthermore, the Lynx also saw service with countries such as the Netherlands, Norway and Argentina, while other countries like Germany, France, Denmark, South Korea, Brazil and Portugal, to name a few, still use variants of the Lynx today.

During their service, Lynx helicopters found themselves taking part in numerous conflicts, including the Falklands and Gulf wars, military interventions on the Balkans during the 1990s, anti-piracy efforts in Somalia and many more thanks to their ongoing service today. In total, around 450 Lynx helicopters of various modifications have been produced by 2009, with production still ongoing today.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6320-development-britain-s-top-lynx-ah-mk-1-and-premium-g-lynx-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=lynx_ah_mk1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Lynx AH.Mk.1 WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Lynx AH.Mk.1 WTWallpaper 002.jpg
File:Lynx AH.Mk.1 WTWallpaper 003.jpg
File:Lynx AH.Mk.1 WTWallpaper 004.jpg
File:Lynx01.jpg
</gallery>

== See also ==


* [[G-LYNX]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6320-development-britain-s-top-lynx-ah-mk-1-and-premium-g-lynx-en|[Development] Britain's top: Lynx AH Mk.1 and premium G-Lynx]]

{{AirManufacturer Westland}}
{{Britain helicopters}}

Lynx AH.Mk.1

2022-12-26T20:05:13Z

U120664986: Survivability and Modifications

Lynx AH.Mk.1

2022-12-26T19:00:04Z

U120664986: Flight performance

Lynx AH.Mk.1

2022-12-26T18:40:14Z

U120664986: Description section

Rooivalk Mk1F CSH

2022-12-22T00:52:57Z

U120664986: Tasks outlined in WSP

{{Specs-Card
|code=ah_2_rooivalk
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage_{{PAGENAME}}_003.jpg}}
|store=11446
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British attack helicopter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

The Rooivalk provides a fearsome attack helicopter addition to the British tech tree. Equipped with armanents and systems that rival the vaunted Apache helicopter family. With considerable air-to-air defensive capabilities and hard hitting ground attack loadouts the Roovialk Mk1F CSH can be a devastating asset available to employ by British helicopter pilots.

Entering service in 2011, the Rooivalk is a fully domestic South African vehicle, still in service today in the defence of it's country. (Rooivalk is Afrikaans for *'red kestrel'*) Developed originally from the Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma it admirably stands toe-to-toe with other notable attack helicopters in terms of advanced avionics and weapons systems.

Systems installed in the Rooivalk include: Laser warning systems, MAWS systems and NVG/thermal vision. Allowing pilots to focus on delivering hard hitting ordinance without having to have their heads on a constant swivel. While deadly Mokopa ATGM's with tandem warheads provide an efficient means of dispatching enemy ground targets. Mistral AAM's round pose a serious threat to enemy aircraft within the Rooivalks airspace, providing all-aspect IR missiles replete with ECCM features. Last but not least; a fast firing and reliable 20 mm gun mounted under the nose for softer targets and slow-moving enemy aircraft.

All-in-all the Rooivalk is not to be taken lightly by its opponents

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Heli-Flight}}

The Rooivalk handles well for a helicopter, with competitive forward speed and suitable agility to enable the aircraft to deliver its payload and evade incoming ordinance. While it lacks the superb agility of the Lynx helicopters also fielded by the british tech tree. It can certainly hold up to what is required of it on the battlefield and perform aerobatics like rolling to dump altitude.

In forward flight, pushing the collective and dumping altitude will allow you to push the aircraft up to around 315 Km/h. It is advisable that pushing the Rooivalk to such speeds will cause the tail rotor to struggle and lock up the aircraft similar to compression seen in planes. Making any sort of emergency manoeuvre will often result in pitching the aircraft down into the ground or nearby objects if flying low.

Keeping a low collective when doing manoeuvres will reward the pilot with enough agility to get the job done when employing masking strategies, even while carrying a full load of munitions.

The Rooivalk is able to lift off and maintain stable flight with a full fuel tank and a full load of munitions on both wings should more fuel than minimum ever be required.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 265 || 249 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| 307 || 285
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Heli-Armour}}

The Rooivalk possesses no armour except for armoured Kevlan boron carbide panelling behind and under the pilot seats. These will provide modest protect against ground fire up to around 12.7 mm and possible 20 mm at higher ranges but only insofar as keeping the pilots alive.

The aircraft contains all of its fuel in three self-sealing fuel tanks within the center of the helicopters main body with its engines and transmission just above those tanks. Much of the aircraft is empty space and players will often find themselves taking ground fire and seeing their damage display light up while no actual considerable damage is done to essential systems. The engines are both relatively small for the airframe and harder to hit, in the event they do the Rooivalk possesses an EFS (Engine Fire System) that can be used to douse these fires and maintain flight.

It is possible for the Rooivalk to limp back to an airfield on a single engine, however it is adivsable to dump munition pylons if need be to reduce the strain on the remaining engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

As a premium aircraft all modifications are unlocked upon purchase.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Offensive}}

{{main|GI2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm GI2 cannon, nose turret (700 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm GI2 cannon + 170 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}

{{main|Mistral|ZT-6 Mokopa|FZ49}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 76 x FZ49 rockets
* 4 x Mistral missiles
* 4 x Mistral missiles + 76 x FZ49 rockets
* 16 x ZT-6 Mokopa missiles
* 16 x ZT-6 Mokopa missiles + 4 x Mistral missiles
* 8 x ZT-6 Mokopa missiles + 4 x Mistral missiles + 38 x FZ49 rockets

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="4" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! FZ49 rockets
| || 19 || 19 || 19 || 19 ||
|-
! Mistral missiles
| 2 || || || || || 2
|-
! ZT-6 Mokopa missiles
| || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Rooivalk does not have the agility of many of its peers like the Apache, so while it is possible it is not advisable to rely or focus on using this aircraft for rocket pod strikes. However in argument to this point; the Rooivalk can take a beating and may survive enough to deploy its rocket pods so pilots may take both into consideration when deciding upon a loadout. The rooivalk can find itself being most devastating when serving as a ranged ATGM platform, able to take a full load of up to 16 Mokopa missiles with effective ranges of 10km each the rooivalk can sit at the fringe of most SPAA's retaliation ranges and rain havoc.

It is recommended to employ 'masking' tactics with the Rooivalk, finding a suitable piece of terrain to act as cover and peeking just over to loose a missile at a target. The Mokopa are not Fire and Forget (FAF) but they do have In-ordinance Guidance (IOG) which means they will continue to track to their last designated position if the laser is cut. However if the target moves they will not follow as they cannot acquire their own locks and a warning will flash up on gunner sights to 'enable laser now' to re-designate the target for the missile to resume tracking. So there is a brief window to duck down behind cover if engaged and then still successfully deliver the missile. Alternatively the missiles can be used as makeshift FAF if you are confident the target will not move and the missiles can be abandoned to guide itself to the last designated point. The Mokopa missile possess a tandem warhead and enough penetration to pierce the armour of anything encountered on the ground, with careful aiming tanks can be dispatched by puncturing through traditionally reinforced areas and to the very vital spots that reinforcement was put in place for.

For self defence the Rooivalk sports a LWS, MAWS and Mistral AAM's. The LWS is effective for detecting rangefinders from vehicles with VT munitions such as the Russian 2S38 which poses a very common and often overlooked threat at the 10.7 BR. The MAWS system will automatically deploy chaff and flares upon a detected missile launch. But as most SPAA use a radar for purely detecting and guide their munitions by laser it is advisable to keep the countermeasures mix as primarily or entirely flares. Be aware the MAWS system looks for the IR flare of a launched missile, so even friendly missiles being launched in proximity of the Rooivalk will elicit a MAWS response an option to toggle the MAWS on and off can be hotkeyed.

The Mistral AAM's are reliable when it comes to engaging enemy aircraft, primarily jets due to their tendency to generate a lot of heat. The Mistrals are all aspect and can acquire locks up to as far as 6km away also posessing ECCM for some flare resistance. However they can only manoeuver up to 12G's so any competent pilot will be able to shrug off the missiles. (However the calibre of CAS pilots in ground RB is debatable as many seem to lack dogfighting experience as tanks are not known for their ability to turn fight. Often the mistrals find success due to frantic flare dumping compared with afterburners allowing the mistral to find its mark. Or merely the surprise of a missile launching into a head-on course for harassing aircraft.)

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

Effective anti-tank options; Motopa missiles are fast and sport tandem warheads for defeating ERA and over 1000 mm of armour.

Powerful engines allow evasive flight with full combat loads

LWS and MAWS mean able to detect and act on IRST-based SPAA systems and IR launches more effectively

Gen 3 thermal imaging in gunner sights

*

'''Cons:'''

Not as agile as some of its contemporaries

Short range air-to-air capabilities for it's BR. Unlikely to win an engagement with another helicopter such as a KA-50 with Vikhrs which will be its most commonly encountered opponent.

20 mm cannon can be inaccurate and doesn't have access to ammunition sufficient to penetrate even the tops of most MBT's at its BR.

*

== History ==

The combat experience gained by the SAAF during the conventional phase of the South African Border War revealed the need for a dedicated attack helicopter designed specifically to destroy enemy tanks.

The NATO arms embargo forced South Africa to start its own research programs to create this type of helicopter, along with its own helicopter industry as a whole. Two parallel programs were initiated to develop helicopter production technologies - one based on the SA 326B Alouette III (airframe, engine, propeller), the second - based on the SA 330J Puma (avionics, weapons).

In 1990, after four years of development and testing, the first experimental prototype of the attack helicopter Rooivalk (Africaans “red kestrel”) took to the skies - a completely domestic South African attack helicopter with avionics, electronics, sighting system and world-class weapons. An advanced prototype, modified to the requirements of the US Army with perspectives for possible export, was presented to the public at an air show in Dubai in 1993, and a year later, the helicopter was bidding for the British Ministry of Defence tender.

As for the internal needs of South Africa, an ordered series of 12 aircraft began entering service in 1998. During this time, continuous research and technological improvements were applied. A large-scale upgrade was undertaken as the Rooivalk Mk1 program, which included 130 improvements during the construction stage of the first six helicopters. Of the 12 Rooivalk Mk1 CSH (Combat Support Helicopter) units produced, 11 are currently in service with the SAAF 16th Squadron in Bloemfontein.

''- From [[wt:en/news/7863-development-rooivalk-mk1f-csh-heavy-accent-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ah_2_rooivalk Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Ah9gpdy7IPI|'''The Shooting Range #333''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the helicopter;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7863-development-rooivalk-mk1f-csh-heavy-accent-en|[Devblog] Rooivalk Mk1F CSH: Heavy Accent]]

{{Britain helicopters}}

Hornet Mk.I

2022-10-24T13:12:49Z

U120664986: Tasks outlined in WSP.

{{About
| about = premium British twin-engine fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the regular version
| link = Hornet Mk.III
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=hornet_mk1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} British twin-engine fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]].

The Hornet Mk.I represents the beginning of the end of British propeller aircraft. An earlier model of the tech tree Mk.III with a lighter airframe at the expense of the engine power of the Mk.III. The Mk.I attains slightly more agility than it's successor alongside its premium bonuses. With a fearsome x4 20mm Hispano Mk.V cannons all mounted under the nose of the aircraft it possesses the ability to shred apart whatever is unfortunate enough to fall within its sights.

Able to climb and fight at high altitudes with a focus on energy fighting with only a lightly noticeable reduction in power that the Mk.III possesses. For any pilot willing to put the time in this aircraft will provide a terrifying force in any battle, even ground scenarios with its ability to carry suspended armaments and armour piercing 20mm rounds.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

For pilots who loved the Mosquito, the Hornet is a dream come true. As a descendant of the [[Mosquito FB Mk VI]], it maintains many similarities to its older brother, namely an all-wooden construction and the iconic de Havilland tail design. However, the Hornet somehow managed to improve on the already excellent Mosquito platform, increasing speed, manoeuvrability and armament while reducing overall aircraft proportions. From takeoff and into its flight, the Hornet is an overall smooth operator with brutal speed, reaching easily over 600 km/h in level flight at 4,000 m, insane climb rate, and excellent manoeuvrability for a twin-engined fighter. However, it's still a twin-engined fighter which means it can still be outmanoeuvred by most single-engined opponents it faces. Being a predecessor to the regular tech-tree variant Hornet Mk.III, its flight performance is slightly worse but barely noticeable.

The consideration in buying this plane should rely on the experience already gathered with other twin-engined fighters, although when flying this plane is mastered, it's excellent at grinding out the British prop-ranks.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,791 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 716 || 696 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.4 || 27.5 || 19.1 || 19.1 || rowspan="2" | 500
|-
! Upgraded
| 804 || 756 || 24.0 || 25.0 || 34.3 || 25.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 826  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 370 || 356 || 287 || ~9 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 420 || < 390 || < 450 || > 324
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The pilot in the Hornet Mk.I is very well protected as propellor planes go, with armour both in front and behind the pilot providing layered protection to aim to make 'pilot sniping' much more difficult, even having spaced layers of steel behind to insure against penetrating rounds from tailing aircraft.

The Hornet Mk.I is built tough but with critical weaknesses in the layout of its internal components, the tail is almost entirely bereft of vital parts. Only the rudder and tail controls being of significance meaning many rounds that do not break will simply pass through with little damage. However a head-on or strike to the wings will result in a downed or seriously crippled aircraft with Coolers, fuel, spars and engines all packed tightly together. Pilots should exercise caution when engaging enemies that can strike head-on or above/below the hornet during positioning.

* 38 mm bulletproof glass - armoured windscreen
* 12.7 mm steel plate in front of cockpit
* 12.7 mm steel plate behind pilot
* 2 x 3mm steel box behind the cockpit
* All fuel is stored in the wings
* All critical components are in the front of the aircraft, with only tail controls in the rear

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

As a premium aircraft, all modifications are unlocked upon purchase.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Hispano Mk.V (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.V cannons, chin-mounted (190 rpg = 760 total)

The Mk.V Hispanos are a successor to the venerable and fearsome Hispano Mk.II's found on the Spitfires. With a fast fire rate and a comfortable ammunition load of 190 rpg the trigger time afforded to the pilot is enough to allow adjusting for lead or harassing lighter aircraft without worrying overmuch about running dry. The ammunition available has an excellent air belt that is recommended at all times with a mixture of Armour-piercing Incendiary ammunition and High explosive incendiary shells. While a ground belt is available, it only provided up to 36mm of penetration in ideal conditions which will not be adequate for most ground vehicles encountered at its BR. The air belt will reliably still destroy SPAA and light vehicles and be on hand for enemy aircraft who may engage.

All the guns are mounted beneath the chin of the Hornet Mk.I allowing for accurate and easy to lead fire with little if no need for convergence.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|G.P. Mk.IV (500 lb)|M.C. Mk.I (1,000 lb)|AP Mk I|AP Mk II|RP-3}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 8 x AP Mk I rockets
* 8 x AP Mk II rockets
* 8 x RP-3 rockets
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs + 4 x AP Mk I rockets (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs + 4 x AP Mk II rockets (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs + 4 x RP-3 rockets (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. Mk.I bombs + 4 x AP Mk I rockets (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. Mk.I bombs + 4 x AP Mk II rockets (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. Mk.I bombs + 4 x RP-3 rockets (2,000 lb total)

The secondary loadout is very standard fare for the GB aviation tree, a mid of 500 and 1000lb 'dumb' bombs made available with AP and RP-3 rockets which experiences GB pilots will have had many encounters with at this point. A mixture can be taken as the pilot wishes, owing to the role of the Hornet Mk.I it is not advisable to carry such in an air battle setting due to the performance impact and the presence of dedicated bomber craft. However in ground RB the Hornet can strike at errant ground vehicles to assist its team before turn to maintain air superiority once its payload is spent.

The bomb payloads will be ample to knock out most if not all enemy ground vehicles the hornet may encounter, the rockets may struggle greatly at it's BR due to a maximum of only 100mm of armour penetration from the AP Mk II rockets.

== Usage in battles ==

Being a twin-engine fighter, it handles rather poorly when compared to single-engined fighters. It should not be expected to outmanoeuvre enemies, therefore you should really rely on your speed and try to keep you energy advantage. It might be possible to lure enemies into various manoeuvres where the excellent acceleration can be used to your advantage. If you have any experience from similar fighters like the [[Hornet Mk.III]] or any [[Mosquito (Family)|Mosquito]], you can heavily use that to you advantage. Because the Hornet is an all-wooden construction, its ripping speed and maximum wing overload is rather low compared to other fighters.

When engaging fighters, a BnZ-playstyle should be used. One shouldn't commit to turning with the engaged enemy, because almost every plane, even light bombers will outturn you. The 4x Hispano Mk.Vs mounted in the front of the plane with an ammo pool of 190 rounds per gun, provide excellent firepower. The Hornet should be flown near friendlies because even when it can't get its guns on target, the enemy planes need to evade the bullets, therefore being an easy target to get picked off by allied planes nearby.

Because of its excellent climb rate, the Hornet can also be used as a bomber hunter. In his role, the main focus should lie on getting altitude to engage bombers from above, with far more speed than them. Do not try to spray your guns whilst being near the rear of the bomber, instead focus on one wing, then disengage after you've stricken the bomber.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Auto control available || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent armament
* Very good climb rate
* Very fast, especially at high altitude

'''Cons:'''

* Poor roll and turn rates
* Wooden frame is vulnerable to fires and damage dealt from enemies
* Easily catches fire, the wings are littered with fuel tanks

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=hornet_mk1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer deHavilland}}
{{Britain fighters}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

Nimrod Mk II

2022-10-24T12:09:52Z

U120664986: Description amendment to make more 'information concise' and tasks outlined in WSP.

{{About
| about = British naval fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = Nimrod Mk I
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=nimrod_mk2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British naval fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The Nimrod Mk II is a rank I plane for Britain. It is a biplane with 2 x 7.7 mm Vickers machine guns. The main difference between it and the Mk. I is the slightly swept wing and more powerful engine. Climb rate, turn rate, roll rate, and acrobatic ability are superb, mostly due to the Nimrod being a biplane.

Being a biplane, the Nimrod is very forgiving and thus is very flexible in techniques and tactics. Turn rate provides players with a thrilling beginning in Arcade, and the roll rate and climb rate provides for some interesting acrobatics with the Nimrod. The armament is poor when compared to contemporaries.

The endurance of the Nimrod Mk II is very good given the high ammunition count, turn, roll and climb rates. Realistic Battles (RB) with the Nimrod are a great first taste of actual RB play with more specialised planes.

Simulator battles (SB) with the Nimrod provide a great chance for players to have their first taste of Simulator Battles. The open cockpit provides beginners with an open and clear view,. learning to use the gun sight provides unique gameplay for beginners.

Overall, the Nimrod provides a solid and reliable foundation experience for players who have recently begun the game.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
The Nimrod Mk II is a superlatively agile aircraft owing to its Bi-plane design. The Nimrod will handily and readily match most if not all enemy aircraft it encounters in turn fighting. It can be noted that it has a rather steady rate of acceleration with nothing exceptional to note. It can readily climb at a respectable rate to allow it to keep pace and join the fray alongside its teammates without much issue either. All around the Nimrod at it's base level will perform what its pilot asks of it with little issue

It typically tops out at around 255 Km/h during level flight, during a dive this will rise to around 350 Km/h on average with of course further attainable speed with harsher dives. It will still respond to sharp turns even at its diving speed and bleed back to around 255 Km/h retaining most of this speed well during a turnfight if the pilot is careful to not stall by climbing. Should the player push the Nimrod to its upper limits of around 400 Km/h in very steep dives they will find the control surfaces begin to lock up, meaning an immediate turn to engage a threat will be impossible and the Nimrod will sluggishly turn until it bleeds enough energy to regain its agility once more around the 350 Km/h mark.

The Nimrod can handle as many Gees as it is able to generate at its speed and weight, provided the pilot is trained. Lower level crews may suffer the occassional blackout due to the gees pulled during the harsher maneuvers the Nimrod can pull.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,100 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 377 || 354 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 16.6 || 18.3 || 7.6 || 7.6 || rowspan="2" | 232
|-
! Upgraded
| 412 || 394 || 15.8 || 16.0 || 29.5 || 15.7
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || X || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 200 || < 300 || > 200
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


This aircraft is vulnerable, as there is no armour protection for any of the modules. All the modules are focused towards the front of the plane.

* No armour protection
* Self-sealing fuel tanks

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}Being a basic Bi-plane with no secondary armaments the modification path is a simple recommendation of focus on attaining the 'New 7mm MG's' modification. Owing to the relatively low damage caused by 7.7mm Vickers, trigger time on your target will be vital and this upgrade ill extend the amount of time the guns may run before overheating and potentially jamming.

Further to this is simply enhancing the agility and mobility of the Nimrod MK II.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Vickers E (7.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 7.7 mm Vickers E machine guns, nose-mounted (600 rpg = 1,200 total)

These are the standard Vickers machine guns prevalent in early GB, they are high capacity and very fast firing but owing to their lower calibre they do considerably less damage to an airframe than their contemporaries such as the 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns found on Italian aircraft. However their high RoF allows them to be more forgiving for newer players, scoring hits and allowing one to get a feel for the lead on these guns comfortably.

Focusing vital spots if possible is essential, head on engagements are not encouraged due to the unfavourable chances of destroying an aircraft that most likely will have superior firepower.

The belts available are simply different mixtures of rounds already suitably available on the default belt. However it is advisable to take the 'universal' belt as it removes filler 'Ball' rounds and leaves only a mix of Tracer, AP and IAI rounds.

== Usage in battles ==
Piloting the Nimrod Mk II will be relatively the same regardless of the game mode (AB, RB or SB.) The Nimrod is a pure fighter craft and is not capable of carrying any strike armaments and its ability to provide CAS is limited to opportune gun runs on vehicles with open tops or no armour whatsoever.

The Nimrod Mk II is very much a dogfighter, it is sturdy comparatively as Bi-planes go. Able to turn with the best of it's peers and keep them on their toes. Players may find it more suitable to focus on anti-fighter and anti-strike craft gameplay as the Vickers machine guns will struggle to bring down full size bombers when encounters and most likely end up with a destroyed Nimrod at the hands of one of many turrets typically found upon bomber aircraft.

Positions where the Nimrod has the chance to tail another craft are the most likely to result in a confirmed kill, however with pilot skill the Nimrod can easily reverse a tail on itself with patience. Head-on engagements are discouraged due to the low damage potential of the Vickers machine guns, however confident pilots may succeed readily due to the high RoF and ability to 'pilot snipe'.

Opponents to keep a keen eye out for are:

'''CR.32''': These italian craft can match and even out turn the Nimrod MK II while boasting the aforementioned fearsome twin Breda 12.7mm machine guns. Even a small pass during a turnfight can reduce the Nimrod to a flaming wreckage.

'''Ki-10''': These japanese craft, while sporting the same calibre armament as the Nimrod. Can also readily outturn and harass a Nimrod Mk II.

'''I-15''': All I-15 aircraft whether the Russian or Chinese variants are fearsome opponents owing to their excellent agility and slightly superior firepower comparative to the Nimrods own.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fantastic turn rate
* Good climb rate
* Great roll rate
* Good endurance

'''Cons:'''

* Low speed
* Low service ceiling
* Extremely weak armament
* Weak durability

== History ==


=== In-game description ===
The Hawker Nimrod was a carrier-borne, biplane fighter which entered service with Britain's Fleet Air Arm in 1931. By 1934, full-scale production of Nimrod Mk I fighters was replaced by that of Mk II fighters. All Nimrod Mk IIs were fitted with an arrestor hook for carrier operations, their wings were modified with a slight sweep back and tail surfaces were slightly larger than those of the Nimrod Mk I. The powerplant was also improved in the Mk II; a 608 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel V liquid cooled, in-line engine replaced the earlier 590 hp engine. Only 30 Nimrod Mk IIs were build for service in the Fleet Air Arm, although many of the Mk Is were updated to Mk II standard.

Hawker Aircraft Ltd failed to receive significant export orders for the Nimrod; only four machines were sent abroad, including one supplied to Japan, one to Portugal, and two to Denmark. The Danish fighters were known as the Nimrodderne.

In 1933, the Fleet Air Arm's units were reorganized. Independent flights were combined into Squadrons, which were numbered from 800 up. Hawker Nimrod fighters were in service with No. 800 (HMS Courageous), 801 (HMS Furious) and 802 (HMS Glorious) Squadrons, with two flights of nine Nimrods in each. The command structure again saw change following the 1937 Inskip Report, when naval aviation was handed back from the Royal Air Force to the Royal Navy, and Britain's Nimrods became the property of the Admiralty.

The Hawker Nimrod fighter was replaced in first-line units by the Gloster Sea Gladiator and the Blackburn Skua before the start of World War II. Nimrods continued to be operated as training and liaison aircraft until July 1941, by which time they had long been considered obsolete and were taken out of service. The Danish Nimroddernes were used until the German invasion in April 1940, but did not see combat against the Luftwaffe.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=nimrod_mk2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Hawker}}
{{Britain fighters}}

SARC MkVI (2pdr)

2022-10-24T10:58:18Z

U120664986: Added Usage in battles

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_marmon_herrington_mk_6_2pdr
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]].

The SARC (''South African Reconnaissance Car'') also known as the Marmon-Herrington is an armoured car developed by South Africa during World War II, now present in the game as an entry vehicle on the South African ground forces sub-tree.

The 2-Pounder variant present in the game features a Quick Firing 2-pounder gun of 40 mm, several light machine guns and a variety of auxiliary abilities as scouting and smoke charges - An excellent vehicle for adept teamplayers. The SARC is not just decently equipped but is also highly mobile on most grounds. This pleasant high mobility is the distinction of both of the SARCs presents in the game and certainly, of most following South African vehicles.

To recap, the balanced mix of firepower and speed brings to tankers of the British ground forces, a very competent early light car.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Overall the vehicle is very lightly armoured, it does not have enough armour to stop anything above a small-calibre machine gun and it is vulnerable to overpressure. There are some places on the rear where even a 7.62 mm machine gun will find its way through. The most reliable armour is the frontal armour thanks to the angled plates and the gun mantlet.

For its misfortune, It is also open-topped, and with one of the 4 crew members partially exposed. The SARC will find itself getting strafed out by planes very frequently. However, sometimes the side armour might not cause APHE fuses to go off, successfully saving the vehicle from any damage, although this is inconsistent and in no way reliable. Overall, it's not very well armoured considering its turret is also exposed, and thus comparably worse than the Axis analogue, the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] (Puma).

Aside from the unreliability of the armour, the vehicle might hold off some poorly aimed shots to areas as the gun mantlet and the lower powertrain. The 30 mm gun mantlet features < 150 mm in angling on some areas capable of bouncing off shells, while the tall profile might increase survivability in some situations as careless shots are likely to pass under the vehicle without major damage to fighting modules or the crew. On close-quarters battles, self-propelled assault tanks like the low-profile [[StuG III A]] or [[StuH 42 G]] might hastily aim at this area, causing most likely the immobilization of the SARC yet with intact crew members.

But being tall is also an unfavourable trait for survivability since on plain maps like the [[Carpathians (Ground Forces)|Carpathians]], the SARC or the commander atop will be easily spotted; using the spare set of stock smoke grenades might help overcome these encounters.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled Homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
* Cast Homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
* Wheel (tires)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (20-30°) || 8 mm ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' || 10 mm || 5 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm ''Turret front'' 50 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 14.5 mm || 14.5 mm || 8 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Wheels are only 10mm thick
* The transmission is 10mm of structural steel, which equates to about 5mm of actual protection
* The gun mantlet is the thickest frontal armour (30 mm)

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The SARC can navigate its way through most environments speedily and get into an optimal position. However, it is worth noting that due to its tall profile, high centre of gravity and its 8-wheeled configuration that is does not turn as sharply or cleanly as the Daimler and is slower owing to its additional weight.

Player should take care to learn the dangers of snowy, boggy or sandy ground early as to prevent leaving their vehicle bereft of its strong mobility at crucial moments. But where the ground does not give way, the excellent suspension of South African vehicles will introduce itself to the player front and centre when speeding over hills and rocky terrain.

On the open road, the SARC will hit and comfortably cruise at its top speed of 65 km/h while speed on uneven ground will range from roughly 41-45 km/h. It is worth noting that compared to its top speeds the SARC only boasts a reverse of -18 Km/h maximum, while not awful it is sluggish compared to the forward acceleration of the vehicle and worth considering in factoring any getaway options in battle.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=294|rbMinHp=168}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
Stock, the SARC MkVI (2pdr) boasts great mobility and turret adjustment speeds. So which early modification unlock is the player's choice, however it is advised to prioritise unlocking the Shell Mk.1 AP/T due to its explosive filler being a quickly-lost luxury for the GB tree. The explosive-filled shell means the rapid firing 2-pounder gun can maximise its damage potential and ensure any penetration is a disabling or crippling shot. Enhancing the mobility of the SARC is advised throughout the modification tree however as it relies on its mobility to survive.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|QF 2-pounder (40 mm)}}

Being a light vehicle with a tall profile, the centre of gravity on the {{PAGENAME}} is very high. Coupled with the recoil of the gun, this gives a wobbly effect when firing over the sides (not so much when firing forwards or backwards).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|40 mm QF 2-pounder]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 80 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Shoulder || 34.3 || 47.4 || 57.6 || 63.7 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 3.64 || rowspan="2" | 3.22 || rowspan="2" | 2.97 || rowspan="2" | 2.80
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || 25.2 || 30.6 || 33.8 || 36.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot Mk.1 AP/T || AP || 72 || 68 || 52 || 37 || 27 || 19
|-
| Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T || APCBC || 89 || 86 || 77 || 66 || 57 || 50
|-
| Shot Mk.1 APHV/T || AP || 80 || 75 || 58 || 41 || 30 || 21
|-
| Shell Mk.1 AP/T || APHE || 66 || 62 || 49 || 36 || 26 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot Mk.1 AP/T || AP || 792 || 1.08 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T || APCBC || 792 || 1.24 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Shot Mk.1 APHV/T || AP || 853 || 1.08 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| Shell Mk.1 AP/T || APHE || 792 || 1.08 || 1.2 || 9 || 20.9 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''80''' || 67 ''(+13)'' || 53 ''(+27)'' || 39 ''(+41)'' || 20 ''(+60)'' || 1 ''(+79)'' || No
|-
|}
Note:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear from the rack after having been loaded in the breech.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,025 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+20° || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+20° || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The SARC represents a blend of advantages and challenges that can be approached by the player in mostly any way they see fit. While highly mobile a tall profile and thin armour present significant factors that must be considered if this vehicle is to be played to any success.

It is possible to flank with the SARC very readily if the terrain is advantageous to the top speed of the vehicle where it can position itself ahead of the team, spot enemies and provide harassing if not outright disabling fire with its 2pdr gun. However it is worth noting that at its BR the 2pdr begins to show its age and the ability to flank with the SARC will be crucial in making sure it can remain effective with side-shots and exposing weaknesses in opponents armour. Once again the explosive-filled Mk. 1 AP/T is highly recommended to make the most of any penetrating shots with its explosive filler.

While they suffer from a lack of vertical angle due to the nature of the mounting, the SARC MkVI (2pdr) boasts a pair of 7.62 mm machine guns atop its turret, in a pinch it can serve as makeshift SPAA, capable of deterring or outright shooting down early aircraft with saturate fire. Especially if an opponent is not expecting such fire to occur from positions the SARC may likely be seated. While less effective on enclosed vehicles due to their calibre, the machine guns are also excellent for dispatching open topped vehicles such as SPAA the SARC can commonly encounter when pushing past enemy lines.

Enemies worth noting:

'''All SPAA''': Up to its BR all nations it will face will be sporting SPAA with weapons of increasing caliber such as the 37mm Flak 36 cannon from the german tech tree or the common sight of the various GMC vehicles from the USA. All will be encountered behind enemy lines typically and can easily destroy a SARC if cornered and able to return fire.

'''Sd.Kfz.234/2''': A German contemporary of the SARC, with superior mobility and firepower it is very likely this vehicle will be encountered attempting the same tactics as the SARC and will be a deadly opponent if the SARC does not manage to disable, evade or destroy it first.

'''AB 43''': Much like the Sd.Kfz.234/2 above the dangers are identical, faster and capable of delivering more punishment than the SARC it should be treated with the same respect and caution.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fast-firing 40 mm gun with adequate ballistics
* High mobility of the SARC chassis; reverse speed also useful
* Frontal armour can withstand heavy machine gun at some distances
* Shoulder stabilizer is useful in some situations
* Equipped with Scouting, anti-air capable machine guns and numerous quick-release smoke grenades
* Quick turret traverse speed

'''Cons:'''

* Open-top turret with a crew member partially visible
* Side and top armour is vulnerable to machine guns and autocannons
* 40 mm gun struggles to penetrate sloped armour such as the [[T-34 (1940)]] or [[M4]]
* Tall profile and prone to rollover while turning at high speeds
* Limited off-road mobility on snow, mud and sand; typical of most wheeled cars
* High centre of mass gives the gun a wobbly handling when firing to the sides

== History ==

'''Development'''

The Marmon-Herrington Mk V (also known as South African Reconnaissance Car/SARC Mk V) was a prototype for an eight wheeled armored car produced for South Africa by the Marmon-Herrington Corporation. It ended up very heavy at sixteen tonnes, much too heavy to meet requirements. As such, a project was started to create a lighter eight wheeled armored car known as the Mk VI. During the development it was questioned whether the Mk VI should be armed with the 2-pounder or 6-pounder gun, so two prototypes were made (one with each gun). The prototypes were built in 1943.<ref name=":0">http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/uac/marmon_mk6.htm</ref>

'''Design'''

A completely new eight wheeled chassis was designed for the Mk VI. All eight wheels were powered and both the first and last axles were used for steering. The hull was taller than that of the Mk V and used a distinctive angled armor construction. The crew compartment was at the front of the vehicle and the engine compartment was at the rear; the driver's compartment was at the very front and the turret was in the center. As no powerful enough engine could be acquired, two separate 95 horsepower Ford V8 engines were fitted for at total of 190 horsepower. The transmission had four forward and one reverse gear. With a weight of 11,185 kilograms, the Mk VI was over five tonnes lighter than the Mk V and had much better performance with a maximum speed of 65 km/h and a range of 400 km. The two prototypes had different turrets but both had a radio station in the turret bustle.

The first prototype mounted the 40 mm Ordnance QF 2-pounder gun in an open-topped turret. The open-topped turret was crewed by three men - commander, gunner, and loader - which made a total of four crew members. Secondary armament consisted of a 7.92 mm Besa machine gun with two 7.62 mm (.30 cal) M1919 Browning machine guns mounted on top of the turret.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">http://www.warwheels.net/MarmonHerrington6INDEX.html</ref>

'''Production and Service'''

The two prototypes were completed in 1943. The first prototype with 2-pounder gun was sent to the UK while the second prototype with 6-pounder gun was kept in South Africa. The British Army expressed interest in the Mk VI and even ordered 250 of them but cancelled the order as they were no longer needed once American armored cars such as the M8 Greyhound became available for import in 1943. The first prototype can still be found at the Bovington Tank Museum in Britain.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_marmon_herrington_mk_6_2pdr Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|yxaetXvzh7w|'''First 10: SARC Mk.VI 2Pdr''' - ''Orangefan''}}

== See also ==

'''Succeeded by'''

* [[SARC MkVI (6pdr)]]

'''Similar configuration'''

* [[BA-11]]
* [[AB 43]]
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
* [[M8 Greyhound]]
* [[AMD.35]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Marmon-Herrington}}
{{Britain light tanks}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

SARC MkVI (2pdr)

2022-10-23T15:59:55Z

U120664986: Mobility and mods

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_marmon_herrington_mk_6_2pdr
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]].

The SARC (''South African Reconnaissance Car'') also known as the Marmon-Herrington is an armoured car developed by South Africa during World War II, now present in the game as an entry vehicle on the South African ground forces sub-tree.

The 2-Pounder variant present in the game features a Quick Firing 2-pounder gun of 40 mm, several light machine guns and a variety of auxiliary abilities as scouting and smoke charges - An excellent vehicle for adept teamplayers. The SARC is not just decently equipped but is also highly mobile on most grounds. This pleasant high mobility is the distinction of both of the SARCs presents in the game and certainly, of most following South African vehicles.

To recap, the balanced mix of firepower and speed brings to tankers of the British ground forces, a very competent early light car.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Overall the vehicle is very lightly armoured, it does not have enough armour to stop anything above a small-calibre machine gun and it is vulnerable to overpressure. There are some places on the rear where even a 7.62 mm machine gun will find its way through. The most reliable armour is the frontal armour thanks to the angled plates and the gun mantlet.

For its misfortune, It is also open-topped, and with one of the 4 crew members partially exposed. The SARC will find itself getting strafed out by planes very frequently. However, sometimes the side armour might not cause APHE fuses to go off, successfully saving the vehicle from any damage, although this is inconsistent and in no way reliable. Overall, it's not very well armoured considering its turret is also exposed, and thus comparably worse than the Axis analogue, the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] (Puma).

Aside from the unreliability of the armour, the vehicle might hold off some poorly aimed shots to areas as the gun mantlet and the lower powertrain. The 30 mm gun mantlet features < 150 mm in angling on some areas capable of bouncing off shells, while the tall profile might increase survivability in some situations as careless shots are likely to pass under the vehicle without major damage to fighting modules or the crew. On close-quarters battles, self-propelled assault tanks like the low-profile [[StuG III A]] or [[StuH 42 G]] might hastily aim at this area, causing most likely the immobilization of the SARC yet with intact crew members.

But being tall is also an unfavourable trait for survivability since on plain maps like the [[Carpathians (Ground Forces)|Carpathians]], the SARC or the commander atop will be easily spotted; using the spare set of stock smoke grenades might help overcome these encounters.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled Homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
* Cast Homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
* Wheel (tires)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (20-30°) || 8 mm ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' || 10 mm || 5 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm ''Turret front'' 50 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 14.5 mm || 14.5 mm || 8 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Wheels are only 10mm thick
* The transmission is 10mm of structural steel, which equates to about 5mm of actual protection
* The gun mantlet is the thickest frontal armour (30 mm)

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=294|rbMinHp=168}}Early Britain boasts a couple of vehicles with excellent mobility such as the Daimler Mk II or the Tetrarch. The opening vehicle of the South African tech line is no exception to these two but sharing more in common with the Daimler due to its wheels over tracks. The SARC can navigate it's way through most environments speedily and get into an optimal position. However it is worth noting that due to it's tall profile, high centre of gravity and its 8 wheeled configuration that is does not turn as sharply or cleanly as the Daimler and is slower owing to it's additional weight.

Player should take care to learn the dangers of snowy, boggy or sandy ground early as to prevent leaving their vehicle bereft of it's strong mobility at crucial moments. But where the ground does not give way, the excellent suspension of South African vehicles will introduce itself to the player front and centre when speeding over hills and rocky terrain.

On the open road the SARC will hit and comfortably cruise at its top speed of 65 Km/h while speed on uneven ground will range from roughly 41-45 Km/h. It is worth noting that compared to its top speeds the SARC only boasts a reverse of -18 Km/h maximum, while not awful it is sluggish compared to the forward acceleration of the vehicle and worth considering in factoring any getaway options in battle.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}From stock the SARC 2 pounder boasts great mobility and turret adjustment speeds. So early modification is the players choice, however it is advised to prioritise unlocking the Shell Mk.1 AP/T due to its explosive filler being a quickly-lost luxury for the GB tree. The explosive filled shell means the rapid firing 2 pounder gun can maximise its damage potential and ensure any penetration is a disabling or crippling shot.

Enhancing the mobility of the SARC is advised throughout the modification tree however.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|QF 2-pounder (40 mm)}}

Being a light vehicle with a tall profile, the centre of gravity on the {{PAGENAME}} is very high. Coupled with the recoil of the gun, this gives a wobbly effect when firing over the sides (not so much when firing forwards or backwards).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|40 mm QF 2-pounder]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 80 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Shoulder || 34.3 || 47.4 || 57.6 || 63.7 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 3.64 || rowspan="2" | 3.22 || rowspan="2" | 2.97 || rowspan="2" | 2.80
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || 25.2 || 30.6 || 33.8 || 36.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot Mk.1 AP/T || AP || 72 || 68 || 52 || 37 || 27 || 19
|-
| Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T || APCBC || 89 || 86 || 77 || 66 || 57 || 50
|-
| Shot Mk.1 APHV/T || AP || 80 || 75 || 58 || 41 || 30 || 21
|-
| Shell Mk.1 AP/T || APHE || 66 || 62 || 49 || 36 || 26 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot Mk.1 AP/T || AP || 792 || 1.08 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T || APCBC || 792 || 1.24 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Shot Mk.1 APHV/T || AP || 853 || 1.08 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| Shell Mk.1 AP/T || APHE || 792 || 1.08 || 1.2 || 9 || 20.9 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''80''' || 67 ''(+13)'' || 53 ''(+27)'' || 39 ''(+41)'' || 20 ''(+60)'' || 1 ''(+79)'' || No
|-
|}
Note:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear from the rack after having been loaded in the breech.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,025 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+20° || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+20° || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fast firing 40 mm gun with adequate ballistics
* High mobility of the SARC chassis; reverse speed also useful
* Frontal armour can withstand heavy machine gun at some distances
* Shoulder stabilizer is useful in some situations
* Equipped with Scouting, anti-air capable machine guns and numerous quick-release smoke grenades
* Quick turret traverse speed

'''Cons:'''

* Open-top turret with a crew member partially visible
* Side and top armour is vulnerable to machine guns and autocannons
* 40 mm gun struggles to penetrate sloped armour such as the [[T-34 (1940)]] or [[M4]]
* Tall profile and prone to rollover while turning at high speeds
* Limited off-road mobility on snow, mud and sand; typical of most wheeled cars
* High centre of mass gives the gun a wobbly handling when firing to the sides

== History ==

'''Development'''

The Marmon-Herrington Mk V (also known as South African Reconnaissance Car/SARC Mk V) was a prototype for an eight wheeled armored car produced for South Africa by the Marmon-Herrington Corporation. It ended up very heavy at sixteen tonnes, much too heavy to meet requirements. As such, a project was started to create a lighter eight wheeled armored car known as the Mk VI. During the development it was questioned whether the Mk VI should be armed with the 2-pounder or 6-pounder gun, so two prototypes were made (one with each gun). The prototypes were built in 1943.<ref name=":0">http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/uac/marmon_mk6.htm</ref>

'''Design'''

A completely new eight wheeled chassis was designed for the Mk VI. All eight wheels were powered and both the first and last axles were used for steering. The hull was taller than that of the Mk V and used a distinctive angled armor construction. The crew compartment was at the front of the vehicle and the engine compartment was at the rear; the driver's compartment was at the very front and the turret was in the center. As no powerful enough engine could be acquired, two separate 95 horsepower Ford V8 engines were fitted for at total of 190 horsepower. The transmission had four forward and one reverse gear. With a weight of 11,185 kilograms, the Mk VI was over five tonnes lighter than the Mk V and had much better performance with a maximum speed of 65 km/h and a range of 400 km. The two prototypes had different turrets but both had a radio station in the turret bustle.

The first prototype mounted the 40 mm Ordnance QF 2-pounder gun in an open-topped turret. The open-topped turret was crewed by three men - commander, gunner, and loader - which made a total of four crew members. Secondary armament consisted of a 7.92 mm Besa machine gun with two 7.62 mm (.30 cal) M1919 Browning machine guns mounted on top of the turret.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">http://www.warwheels.net/MarmonHerrington6INDEX.html</ref>

'''Production and Service'''

The two prototypes were completed in 1943. The first prototype with 2-pounder gun was sent to the UK while the second prototype with 6-pounder gun was kept in South Africa. The British Army expressed interest in the Mk VI and even ordered 250 of them but cancelled the order as they were no longer needed once American armored cars such as the M8 Greyhound became available for import in 1943. The first prototype can still be found at the Bovington Tank Museum in Britain.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_marmon_herrington_mk_6_2pdr Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|yxaetXvzh7w|'''First 10: SARC Mk.VI 2Pdr''' - ''Orangefan''}}

== See also ==

'''Succeeded by'''

* [[SARC MkVI (6pdr)]]

'''Similar configuration'''

* [[BA-11]]
* [[AB 43]]
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
* [[M8 Greyhound]]
* [[AMD.35]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Marmon-Herrington}}
{{Britain light tanks}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Challenger Mk.3

2022-10-23T14:00:28Z

U120664986:

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Challenger (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_mk_3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened as '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].

The Challenger Mk.3 retains most of the characteristics of the [[Challenger Mk.2]]. It has some unique differences; such as: [[Armour#Explosive_reactive_armour_.28ERA.29|"ROMOR-A ERA"]] which covers the lower glacis and sides, along with the addition of the ammunition storage being covered with rolled homogeneous armour. It retains the same engine (1200 hp) as the Mk.2, however with a minor increase in weight it suffers slightly reduced mobility and acceleration. Its iconic, legendary, and pin-point accurate gun stays the same as on the Challenger Mk.2.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The armour protection on the Challenger Mk.3 is excellent in some areas and bad in others. The upper half of the turret cheeks are capable of withstanding almost all kinetic penetrators and will stop most chemical penetrators with less than 800 mm, while the lower half won't protect against most top-rank rounds. Additionally, the breech weak spot is quite small. This means the turret has excellent protection and hulldown play is recommended. The hull composite is only good against lower penetrating APFSDS rounds such as [[T-55AM-1|T-55AM]], and can also withstand some chemical munitions, but it is not advised to rely on this armour. The rest of the tank (turret and hull sides, lower front plate) has decent protection against chemical rounds due to the add on armour, ERA, and thick turret sides.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38 mm (79-81°), 50* mm (60°) ''Upper glacis'' 70 mm (30°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm, 25 mm (74°) ''Top'' 38 mm (12°) ''Bottom''
| 25 mm (29-30°) || 20 mm 8 mm ''Engine grille''
|-
| Turret || 50* mm (51-54°) 60 mm (55-56°), 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 80 mm + 15 mm ''Front right'' 80 + 25 mm + 4 mm ''Front'' 45 + 4 mm ''Rear'' || 44 + 4 mm || 38 mm (82°) ''Front'' 20 mm (80-90°) ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" | 60 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour* !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || 200 mm NERA + 80 mm RHA + 50 mm RHA ''Upper glacis'' || 150 mm NERA, 70 mm screens ''Side skirts''
|-
| Turret || 300 mm NERA + 50 mm RHA + 110 mm CHA || 300 mm NERA + 25 mm RHA + 80 mm RHA
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Reactive Armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || 30 mm ROMOR-A ERA ''Lower glacis'' '''Protection against:''' 30 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 mm ''Chemical'' || 150 mm NERA ''Side skirts'' '''Protection against:''' 30 mm ''Kinetic'' 400 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The propellant ammo racks are surrounded by 5 mm RHA.
* Side skirts consist of 150 mm NERA composite, 70 mm composite screens, or 19 mm aluminium.
* Tracks and wheels are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,860|rbMinHp=1,061}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has an acceptable top speed, however, acceleration and mobility (primarily due to its weight) are lacklustre compared to other MBTs.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! '''Module rotation speed'''
! 90 Degrees
! 180 Degrees
! 360 Degrees
|-
| '''Tank Hull'''
| 5 Seconds
| 10 Seconds
| 20 Seconds
|-
| '''Tank Turret'''
| 3 Seconds
| 6 Seconds
| 12 Seconds
|-
| '''Test Conditions'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left" | *Tested with a spaded {{PAGENAME}}, crew at maximum skill, with basic training qualification. Results can vary based on tank research state, crew levels & qualifications.
|}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}

The Challenger's main gun, while not the most powerful at its rank, is competitive, and more importantly, accurate. With over 470 mm of penetration at point blank, there is no need to aim for weak spots, unless you are facing higher-ranked vehicles such as the T-80U, Leopard 2A5, etc.). Make good use of the Challenger's good reload speed to knock out important modules first.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 52 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.9 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 471 || 469 || 464 || 458 || 450 || 444
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,550 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
|-
|'''52''' ||''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 50 ''(+2)'' ''47 (+5)'' || 47 ''(+5)''  ''41 (+11)'' || 45 ''(+7)''  ''35 (+17)'' || 43 ''(+12)'' 29 ''(+23)'' || 39 ''(+17)'' 21 ''(+31)'' || 37 ''(+15)''  ''11 (+28)''
|-
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! 13th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 34 ''(+18)''  ''4 (+48)'' || 27 ''(+25)''  ''1 (+51)'' || 22 ''(+30)'' N/A || 21 ''(+31)'' N/A || 7 ''(+45)'' N/A || 4 ''(+38)'' N/A || 1 ''(+51)'' N/A || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Packing only 29 rounds will keep the front hull empty of charges.
* All propellant charges are protected by a box of 5 mm of steel

[[File:Ammoracks_Challenger_Mk.2.png|right|thumb|x450px|[[Ammo racks]] of the Challenger Mk.3]]

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}

The machine gun's calibre won't present any major advantage in armoured combat other than serving as target spotter to allies, ranging gun and obstacle clearer. But a major important role is against low flying aircrafts and especially, helicopters. As the highly adequate rate of fire is capable to bring down the biggest of the hovering birds, with enough well placed rounds that is.

{{Notice|Tip: It is possible to switch to the machine gun as the main weapon and use thermals through the machine gun sight.}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 3,600 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,400 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


;Urban Environments

In urban environments, the Challenger will struggle relative to the [[T-80B]], [[M1 Abrams]] and [[Leopard 2A4]] - it's large, heavy and sluggish which proves costly in close quarters or when engagements occur in open streets. While the Challenger's gun still proves effective, often opposition vehicles will achieve valuable positioning before a Challenger can, forcing the Challenger tanker to play defensively. However, playing carefully and avoiding obvious routes, the Challenger can be comfortably put to use in urban environments.

;Rural Environments

The Mk.3 performs very well in rural areas, where defilades and ditches that can be used for cover are far more readily available. The Challenger is still best played in hull-down defensive positions, clearing areas of maps before moving up, but a patient playstyle will be rewarded. Make use of the vehicle's good gun depression and competitive reload, utilising off-angles and hull-down positions. If a situation begins to degrade, make use of the Challenger's reasonably good reverse speed and reposition.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent turret armour; efficiency increased even more with proper hull down in slopes
* Reasonably small breech protected by turret cheek's armour
* Good HEAT and ATGM resistance on front/sides thanks to ERA and NERA elements
* Good neutral steering and decent reverse speed provides a great boost from the slower [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]]
* Reasonably good reload, particularly for a 120 mm gun; one of the most remarkable aspects of the latter British MBTs
* Brand-new TOGS system provides easy target acquisition in day or night
* Precise L11 gun with adequate penetration values; support rounds available
* Access to L26 APFSDS, a noticable upgrade over the stock L23A1 APFSDS shell
* 5 second reload when aced

'''Cons:'''

* Lacklustre sloped armour penetration, worst at high BR battles facing omni-present [[Leopard 2A6]] or [[T-72B (1989)]]; must aim for weak spots
* The lower half of the turret cheeks are vulnerable to some higher-tier FIN rounds
* Slower MBT than most of the vehicles it faces, albeit not by a huge margin
* Hull is large and tall, very vulnerable to kinetic rounds or aerial attacks
* Cannot shoot straight over its engine deck; a notable disadvantage on urban engagements
* Top-tier shells can easily penetrate Challenger's turret armour, even at range
* Ready-rack is depleted very fast due to the low amount of shells it carries and the quick reloading of the gun

== History ==

Once the Challenger was established as the latest MBT for the British army following the decommissioning of the older Chieftain tank, it entered service with the British Army in 1983.

The British Army chose to test this newly designated tank in the Canadian Army Trophy (CAT) competition in West Germany, 1986. Once in the competition and despite having adequate scores, the Challengers were amongst the last in the score tables versus the equally powerful Abrams and Leopards. This proved to be discouraging results, as it was hoped the all-around better Challengers would provide excellent results this time unlike the older Chieftain - distinctly on the mobility and off-road abilities as the new Rolls-Royce CV12 provided almost twice the horsepower of the Chieftain's Leyland L60 Powerpack.

The apparent complete failure on the CAT went further to the British Army withdrawing from the competition in 1987, leaving statements like the following:

{{Quote|I do not believe that the performance of tanks in the artificial circumstances of a competition, such as the recent Canadian Army Trophy, is a proper indication of their capability in war. Challenger's gun gives the best penetrative performance against the tanks of a potential enemy. The tank itself is arguably the best protected in the world and has excellent mobility. It carries an advanced thermal imaging system which is much admired by our allies and ensures that Challenger can fight effectively by night and by day. Participation in international tank gunnery competitions is one useful option in the complete spectrum of training opportunities available in preparing our tank crews for war, but it is not on its own a basis for judgment of overall capability.|'''Ian Stewart, former Minister for the Armed Forces''' when asked if he is satisfied with the standard of British tank international gunnery demonstrated in recent competitions; and if he will make a statement.}}

'''Mk.3 Upgrade'''

Before the Gulf War, the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) updated the Challenger 1 Mk.2 into the Mk.3 with even more armour protection, increased operational range, desert filters amongst other internal refits. This was the first mass-production use of the Royal Ordnance-made ROMOR-A, of over 250 armour sets were going to be used in the imminent Desert storm - These packages were also included in the Centurion AVRE deploying along with the Challengers 1.

Numerous Challengers were up-armoured by to Mk.3 desert modification with packages of explosive reactive armour (ERA) ROMOR-A in the lower frontal plate and non-energetic reactive armour (NERA) in the sides - this NERA proved to be safer from accidental detonations for any possible friendly units adjacent to the tank. It was estimated the upgrades would increase the protection in these reinforced areas up to 95% against the performance of shaped charges or ATGMs of approximately 127 mm.

The armour requirements were exponentially increasing because new lethal weaponry as the infamously portable Soviet RPG-7 became the most widely used anti-tank weapon in the world. The revolutionary and yet classified to this day Chobham armour proved extremely reliable against most possible frontal engagements. However, areas like the side armour or the lower frontal plate remained a weak spot against the powerful anti-tank armaments been constantly developed.

'''Trial of fire'''

3 days after of the US-designated Desert storm operation started, the vast miles of desert defended by Iraqi forces were damaged by French and American aerial and ground attacks but fiercely resisting. It was then the only UK armoured division, the 1st Armoured Division headed to combat under the British code name of Operation Grandby. They were equipped with Warriors acting as the mechanized infantry and Challengers leading the spearhead of the assault.

Charging along with the US' 1st Calvary division, the Challengers Mk.2 and Mk.3 advanced with low visibility conditions and sand storm, during day and night. This advantage is granted to the technologically superior Thermal Observation Gunnery Sight (TOGS) system, that enabled the tank commanders to designate targets in complete darkness. The developing GPS technology also proved vital to increase the mobility of the tanks squadrons in the desert.

On February 27, 1991, Battle of Norfolk part of the Battle of 73 Easting. One of the major battles for the Challenger 1 MBT took part. It allowed the British tanks to achieved over 200 Iraqi tank kills and other various vehicles kill with no losses. This ardent engagements at long and very close distances versus the sand-dug Iraqi T-55s and T-62s allowed the Challenger to prove its true combat capabilities.

{{Notice|A Challenger 1 got the longest tank kill of all time, at a range of over 4.6 km, when it knocked out an Iraqi tank with an APFSDS round!}}

Lt Col Tim Purbrick, Queen's Royal Irish Hussars Battlegroup for the Liberation of Kuwait recollects

{{Quote|First, Gus's 4,700 m first round FIN kill. It was a supreme technical achievement for man and machine. 4,700m, a shade under 3 miles, is more than three times the 1,200 m battle range of the Challenger. The shot is written up in books, sometimes incorrectly, with one book saying it was a Depleted Uranium (DU) round, it wasn't, it was a normal service FIN round while another book said it was at longer range, it wasn't, it was 4,700 m. I believe that it is the longest range direct fire kinetic round kill ever achieved by a tank on the battlefield.}}

The Challenger regiments were given several of the specially conceived depleted Uranium APFSDS L26A1 rounds also known as "Jericho". In case of facing the ultimate adversary, the Iraqi Republican's guard T-72M; these engagements never occurred but the round was applied years later in the intended user, the Challenger 2.

Despite the early perceived poor fidelity of the tank, the Challenger 1 fought till the end of the war without major losses but minor external damages. They travelled approximately 350 km in the desert till the final Gulf war objective; the Basra Highway north of Multa Ridge on February 27, 1991.

{{Quote|Challenger is a tank built for war and not for competitions.|Patrick Cordingley, Commander of 7th Armoured Brigade}}

'''Fate'''

The Challengers 1 continued their British service until the 99's as part of the KFOR, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo.

Eventually with most of the 400 tanks being sold or gifted in the 2000s to Jordan, in which the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau innovated with newer technologies, a rebirth tank, known locally as Al-Hussein. The Jordanians developed an upgrade package prototype unveiled in 2003, adding a crew-less turret fitted with a powerful Swiss RUAG Defense Systems 120 mm/L50 smoothbore with auto-loader, hunter-killer system, laser warning system, thermal imaging and Soft-Kill Active Protection; this variant is known as the '''Falcon turret'''.

The Challenger 1 Mk.2 and Mk.3 were replaced by the Challenger 2 in the UK service but is still in service until this day in Jordan where the large fleet is being gradually replaced by the more modern French MBT, the Leclerc.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_mk_3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zlTWSpm0-KA|'''Challenger I Mk.3 - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|Lwcx7vVieUQ|'''Tank Chats #82 Challenger 1''' - ''The Tank Museum''|TCpSxqaqo-s|'''Challenger 1 Main Battle Tank''' - ''TankNutDave''}}

== See also ==


'''Shared operational History - Gulf War'''

* [[M1 Abrams]]
* [[Warrior]]
* [[Challenger Mk.2|Challenger Mk. 2]]
* [[M3 Bradley]]
* [[T-55A|T-55]]
* [[T-62]]

'''Analogues on other nations'''

* [[Leopard 2K]]
* [[T-72B]]
* [[T-72B (1989)]]
* [[Leopard 1A5 (Italy)|Leopard 1A5]]
* [[AMX-30B2 BRENUS]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5918-development-challenger-mk-3-a-royal-upgrade-en|[Devblog] Challenger Mk 3 - A Royal Upgrade]]
* [https://britisharmyblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/desert-storm-part-24-back-to-germany/ Lt Col Tim Purbrick's UK Army blogs - Desert Storm Experience]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=54 Military Factory.com - Challenger 1 MBT]
* Dunstan, Simon (1998). ''Challenger Main Battle Tank 1982-97''. Osprey Publishing, p. 18. ISBN <bdi>1-85532-485-7</bdi>.
* Challenger 2 Owners' Tank Manual, Haynes Manuals, 1998 to Present - ''An Insight Into the Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of the British Army's Main Battle Tank of the 21st Century'', 2018

{{TankManufacturer Department of Tank Design}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

Challenger Mk.3

2022-10-23T13:57:56Z

U120664986: Updating of ammoracks 2.19.0.82

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Challenger (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_mk_3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened as '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].

The Challenger Mk.3 retains most of the characteristics of the [[Challenger Mk.2]]. It has some unique differences; such as: [[Armour#Explosive_reactive_armour_.28ERA.29|"ROMOR-A ERA"]] which covers the lower glacis and sides, along with the addition of the ammunition storage being covered with rolled homogeneous armour. It retains the same engine (1200 hp) as the Mk.2, however with a minor increase in weight it suffers slightly reduced mobility and acceleration. Its iconic, legendary, and pin-point accurate gun stays the same as on the Challenger Mk.2.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The armour protection on the Challenger Mk.3 is excellent in some areas and bad in others. The upper half of the turret cheeks are capable of withstanding almost all kinetic penetrators and will stop most chemical penetrators with less than 800 mm, while the lower half won't protect against most top-rank rounds. Additionally, the breech weak spot is quite small. This means the turret has excellent protection and hulldown play is recommended. The hull composite is only good against lower penetrating APFSDS rounds such as [[T-55AM-1|T-55AM]], and can also withstand some chemical munitions, but it is not advised to rely on this armour. The rest of the tank (turret and hull sides, lower front plate) has decent protection against chemical rounds due to the add on armour, ERA, and thick turret sides.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38 mm (79-81°), 50* mm (60°) ''Upper glacis'' 70 mm (30°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm, 25 mm (74°) ''Top'' 38 mm (12°) ''Bottom''
| 25 mm (29-30°) || 20 mm 8 mm ''Engine grille''
|-
| Turret || 50* mm (51-54°) 60 mm (55-56°), 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 80 mm + 15 mm ''Front right'' 80 + 25 mm + 4 mm ''Front'' 45 + 4 mm ''Rear'' || 44 + 4 mm || 38 mm (82°) ''Front'' 20 mm (80-90°) ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" | 60 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour* !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || 200 mm NERA + 80 mm RHA + 50 mm RHA ''Upper glacis'' || 150 mm NERA, 70 mm screens ''Side skirts''
|-
| Turret || 300 mm NERA + 50 mm RHA + 110 mm CHA || 300 mm NERA + 25 mm RHA + 80 mm RHA
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Reactive Armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || 30 mm ROMOR-A ERA ''Lower glacis'' '''Protection against:''' 30 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 mm ''Chemical'' || 150 mm NERA ''Side skirts'' '''Protection against:''' 30 mm ''Kinetic'' 400 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The propellant ammo racks are surrounded by 5 mm RHA.
* Side skirts consist of 150 mm NERA composite, 70 mm composite screens, or 19 mm aluminium.
* Tracks and wheels are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,860|rbMinHp=1,061}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has an acceptable top speed, however, acceleration and mobility (primarily due to its weight) are lacklustre compared to other MBTs.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! '''Module rotation speed'''
! 90 Degrees
! 180 Degrees
! 360 Degrees
|-
| '''Tank Hull'''
| 5 Seconds
| 10 Seconds
| 20 Seconds
|-
| '''Tank Turret'''
| 3 Seconds
| 6 Seconds
| 12 Seconds
|-
| '''Test Conditions'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left" | *Tested with a spaded {{PAGENAME}}, crew at maximum skill, with basic training qualification. Results can vary based on tank research state, crew levels & qualifications.
|}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}

The Challenger's main gun, while not the most powerful at its rank, is competitive, and more importantly, accurate. With over 470 mm of penetration at point blank, there is no need to aim for weak spots, unless you are facing higher-ranked vehicles such as the T-80U, Leopard 2A5, etc.). Make good use of the Challenger's good reload speed to knock out important modules first.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 52 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.9 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 471 || 469 || 464 || 458 || 450 || 444
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,550 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
|-
|'''52''' ||''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 50 ''(+2)'' ''47 (+5)'' || 47 ''(+5)''  ''41 (+11)'' || 45 ''(+7)''  ''35 (+17)'' || 43 ''(+12)'' 29 ''(+23)'' || 39 ''(+17)'' 21 ''(+31)'' || 37 ''(+15)''  ''11 (+28)''
|-
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! 13th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 34 ''(+18)''  ''4 (+48)'' || 27 ''(+25)''  ''1 (+51)'' || 22 ''(+30)'' N/A || 21 ''(+31)'' N/A || 7 ''(+45)'' N/A || 4 ''(+38)'' N/A || 1 ''(+51)'' N/A || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Packing only 29 rounds will keep the front hull empty of charges.
* All propellant charges are protected by a box of 5 mm of steel

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}

The machine gun's calibre won't present any major advantage in armoured combat other than serving as target spotter to allies, ranging gun and obstacle clearer. But a major important role is against low flying aircrafts and especially, helicopters. As the highly adequate rate of fire is capable to bring down the biggest of the hovering birds, with enough well placed rounds that is.

{{Notice|Tip: It is possible to switch to the machine gun as the main weapon and use thermals through the machine gun sight.}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 3,600 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,400 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


;Urban Environments

In urban environments, the Challenger will struggle relative to the [[T-80B]], [[M1 Abrams]] and [[Leopard 2A4]] - it's large, heavy and sluggish which proves costly in close quarters or when engagements occur in open streets. While the Challenger's gun still proves effective, often opposition vehicles will achieve valuable positioning before a Challenger can, forcing the Challenger tanker to play defensively. However, playing carefully and avoiding obvious routes, the Challenger can be comfortably put to use in urban environments.

;Rural Environments

The Mk.3 performs very well in rural areas, where defilades and ditches that can be used for cover are far more readily available. The Challenger is still best played in hull-down defensive positions, clearing areas of maps before moving up, but a patient playstyle will be rewarded. Make use of the vehicle's good gun depression and competitive reload, utilising off-angles and hull-down positions. If a situation begins to degrade, make use of the Challenger's reasonably good reverse speed and reposition.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent turret armour; efficiency increased even more with proper hull down in slopes
* Reasonably small breech protected by turret cheek's armour
* Good HEAT and ATGM resistance on front/sides thanks to ERA and NERA elements
* Good neutral steering and decent reverse speed provides a great boost from the slower [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]]
* Reasonably good reload, particularly for a 120 mm gun; one of the most remarkable aspects of the latter British MBTs
* Brand-new TOGS system provides easy target acquisition in day or night
* Precise L11 gun with adequate penetration values; support rounds available
* Access to L26 APFSDS, a noticable upgrade over the stock L23A1 APFSDS shell
* 5 second reload when aced

'''Cons:'''

* Lacklustre sloped armour penetration, worst at high BR battles facing omni-present [[Leopard 2A6]] or [[T-72B (1989)]]; must aim for weak spots
* The lower half of the turret cheeks are vulnerable to some higher-tier FIN rounds
* Slower MBT than most of the vehicles it faces, albeit not by a huge margin
* Hull is large and tall, very vulnerable to kinetic rounds or aerial attacks
* Cannot shoot straight over its engine deck; a notable disadvantage on urban engagements
* Top-tier shells can easily penetrate Challenger's turret armour, even at range
* Ready-rack is depleted very fast due to the low amount of shells it carries and the quick reloading of the gun

== History ==

Once the Challenger was established as the latest MBT for the British army following the decommissioning of the older Chieftain tank, it entered service with the British Army in 1983.

The British Army chose to test this newly designated tank in the Canadian Army Trophy (CAT) competition in West Germany, 1986. Once in the competition and despite having adequate scores, the Challengers were amongst the last in the score tables versus the equally powerful Abrams and Leopards. This proved to be discouraging results, as it was hoped the all-around better Challengers would provide excellent results this time unlike the older Chieftain - distinctly on the mobility and off-road abilities as the new Rolls-Royce CV12 provided almost twice the horsepower of the Chieftain's Leyland L60 Powerpack.

The apparent complete failure on the CAT went further to the British Army withdrawing from the competition in 1987, leaving statements like the following:

{{Quote|I do not believe that the performance of tanks in the artificial circumstances of a competition, such as the recent Canadian Army Trophy, is a proper indication of their capability in war. Challenger's gun gives the best penetrative performance against the tanks of a potential enemy. The tank itself is arguably the best protected in the world and has excellent mobility. It carries an advanced thermal imaging system which is much admired by our allies and ensures that Challenger can fight effectively by night and by day. Participation in international tank gunnery competitions is one useful option in the complete spectrum of training opportunities available in preparing our tank crews for war, but it is not on its own a basis for judgment of overall capability.|'''Ian Stewart, former Minister for the Armed Forces''' when asked if he is satisfied with the standard of British tank international gunnery demonstrated in recent competitions; and if he will make a statement.}}

'''Mk.3 Upgrade'''

Before the Gulf War, the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) updated the Challenger 1 Mk.2 into the Mk.3 with even more armour protection, increased operational range, desert filters amongst other internal refits. This was the first mass-production use of the Royal Ordnance-made ROMOR-A, of over 250 armour sets were going to be used in the imminent Desert storm - These packages were also included in the Centurion AVRE deploying along with the Challengers 1.

Numerous Challengers were up-armoured by to Mk.3 desert modification with packages of explosive reactive armour (ERA) ROMOR-A in the lower frontal plate and non-energetic reactive armour (NERA) in the sides - this NERA proved to be safer from accidental detonations for any possible friendly units adjacent to the tank. It was estimated the upgrades would increase the protection in these reinforced areas up to 95% against the performance of shaped charges or ATGMs of approximately 127 mm.

The armour requirements were exponentially increasing because new lethal weaponry as the infamously portable Soviet RPG-7 became the most widely used anti-tank weapon in the world. The revolutionary and yet classified to this day Chobham armour proved extremely reliable against most possible frontal engagements. However, areas like the side armour or the lower frontal plate remained a weak spot against the powerful anti-tank armaments been constantly developed.

'''Trial of fire'''

3 days after of the US-designated Desert storm operation started, the vast miles of desert defended by Iraqi forces were damaged by French and American aerial and ground attacks but fiercely resisting. It was then the only UK armoured division, the 1st Armoured Division headed to combat under the British code name of Operation Grandby. They were equipped with Warriors acting as the mechanized infantry and Challengers leading the spearhead of the assault.

Charging along with the US' 1st Calvary division, the Challengers Mk.2 and Mk.3 advanced with low visibility conditions and sand storm, during day and night. This advantage is granted to the technologically superior Thermal Observation Gunnery Sight (TOGS) system, that enabled the tank commanders to designate targets in complete darkness. The developing GPS technology also proved vital to increase the mobility of the tanks squadrons in the desert.

On February 27, 1991, Battle of Norfolk part of the Battle of 73 Easting. One of the major battles for the Challenger 1 MBT took part. It allowed the British tanks to achieved over 200 Iraqi tank kills and other various vehicles kill with no losses. This ardent engagements at long and very close distances versus the sand-dug Iraqi T-55s and T-62s allowed the Challenger to prove its true combat capabilities.

{{Notice|A Challenger 1 got the longest tank kill of all time, at a range of over 4.6 km, when it knocked out an Iraqi tank with an APFSDS round!}}

Lt Col Tim Purbrick, Queen's Royal Irish Hussars Battlegroup for the Liberation of Kuwait recollects

{{Quote|First, Gus's 4,700 m first round FIN kill. It was a supreme technical achievement for man and machine. 4,700m, a shade under 3 miles, is more than three times the 1,200 m battle range of the Challenger. The shot is written up in books, sometimes incorrectly, with one book saying it was a Depleted Uranium (DU) round, it wasn't, it was a normal service FIN round while another book said it was at longer range, it wasn't, it was 4,700 m. I believe that it is the longest range direct fire kinetic round kill ever achieved by a tank on the battlefield.}}

The Challenger regiments were given several of the specially conceived depleted Uranium APFSDS L26A1 rounds also known as "Jericho". In case of facing the ultimate adversary, the Iraqi Republican's guard T-72M; these engagements never occurred but the round was applied years later in the intended user, the Challenger 2.

Despite the early perceived poor fidelity of the tank, the Challenger 1 fought till the end of the war without major losses but minor external damages. They travelled approximately 350 km in the desert till the final Gulf war objective; the Basra Highway north of Multa Ridge on February 27, 1991.

{{Quote|Challenger is a tank built for war and not for competitions.|Patrick Cordingley, Commander of 7th Armoured Brigade}}

'''Fate'''

The Challengers 1 continued their British service until the 99's as part of the KFOR, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo.

Eventually with most of the 400 tanks being sold or gifted in the 2000s to Jordan, in which the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau innovated with newer technologies, a rebirth tank, known locally as Al-Hussein. The Jordanians developed an upgrade package prototype unveiled in 2003, adding a crew-less turret fitted with a powerful Swiss RUAG Defense Systems 120 mm/L50 smoothbore with auto-loader, hunter-killer system, laser warning system, thermal imaging and Soft-Kill Active Protection; this variant is known as the '''Falcon turret'''.

The Challenger 1 Mk.2 and Mk.3 were replaced by the Challenger 2 in the UK service but is still in service until this day in Jordan where the large fleet is being gradually replaced by the more modern French MBT, the Leclerc.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_mk_3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zlTWSpm0-KA|'''Challenger I Mk.3 - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|Lwcx7vVieUQ|'''Tank Chats #82 Challenger 1''' - ''The Tank Museum''|TCpSxqaqo-s|'''Challenger 1 Main Battle Tank''' - ''TankNutDave''}}

== See also ==


'''Shared operational History - Gulf War'''

* [[M1 Abrams]]
* [[Warrior]]
* [[Challenger Mk.2|Challenger Mk. 2]]
* [[M3 Bradley]]
* [[T-55A|T-55]]
* [[T-62]]

'''Analogues on other nations'''

* [[Leopard 2K]]
* [[T-72B]]
* [[T-72B (1989)]]
* [[Leopard 1A5 (Italy)|Leopard 1A5]]
* [[AMX-30B2 BRENUS]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5918-development-challenger-mk-3-a-royal-upgrade-en|[Devblog] Challenger Mk 3 - A Royal Upgrade]]
* [https://britisharmyblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/desert-storm-part-24-back-to-germany/ Lt Col Tim Purbrick's UK Army blogs - Desert Storm Experience]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=54 Military Factory.com - Challenger 1 MBT]
* Dunstan, Simon (1998). ''Challenger Main Battle Tank 1982-97''. Osprey Publishing, p. 18. ISBN <bdi>1-85532-485-7</bdi>.
* Challenger 2 Owners' Tank Manual, Haynes Manuals, 1998 to Present - ''An Insight Into the Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of the British Army's Main Battle Tank of the 21st Century'', 2018

{{TankManufacturer Department of Tank Design}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

Challenger Mk.2

2022-10-21T15:32:36Z

U120664986: grammar correction

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Challenger (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Like the Chieftain Mk 10, the Challenger has a very strong turret front, with composite armour protecting the entire front and part of the sides. The turret front can resist up to 470 mm of rolled homogeneous armour equivalency (RHAe) against long-rod kinetic (~550 mm RHAe against rounds without the long-rod slope modifier) and up to 600 mm against chemical penetrators. This theoretically makes the strongest part of the turret frontally invulnerable to all but the top-rank kinetic ammunition in the game. In practice, however, there is a weak spot on the lower leading edge of the turret front, where the backing plate of the composite inside the turret flattens to a 90° angle. This reduces the effective thickness of the lower turret cheeks by approximately 100 mm, making it vulnerable to most long-rod APFSDS. A small portion of the turret front, the area just around the gun, is unprotected by composite armour and is 200 mm of CHA with a 50 mm RHA spall liner. This area extends above the gun and transitions to 60 mm CHA at 60°. While these areas are small and unlikely to lead to catastrophic damage when hit (the gun breech will tend to soak up shrapnel), they are important to be wary of.

The Challenger's turret sides are similar to many top-rank MBTs - they can only resist enemy fire at relatively high angles of attack. Protection is 140 mm RHAe against kinetic and 300 mm RHAe against chemical shells, meaning that the armour can only resist autocannon fire and low-calibre HEAT when struck dead-on.

Compared its turret, the Challenger hull is significantly weaker against kinetic projectiles with only 220 mm of RHAe (~300 mm for projectiles without the long-rod slope modifier) on the UFP. Chemical protection in this area is similar to the turret at 600 mm RHAe. An exception to these numbers is the area directly above the driver's hatch, which is not covered by composite armour and is vulnerable to essentially any anti-tank ammunition. The lower frontal plate is also lacking composite and is comprised of a single 70 mm RHA plate at a slight angle, providing ~80-90 mm of effective thickness. Shots to the LFP will at least incapacitate the driver, or more likely catastrophically detonate the hull ammunition. British tankers should be quite used to this weak spot by this point, as the weak LFP is present on the entire Chieftain line. However, the upper third of the LFP shares some of the UFP's composite protection due to its design. This means that the upper third of the LFP has slightly more protection than the lower sections.

Hull sides are generally very weak, as is typical of top-rank MBTs. The upper hull (above the tracks) is comprised of a 20 mm RHA + fuel tanks + 25 mm RHA array. The lower hull (around the tracks) is comprised of 19 mm aluminium side skirts and 34 mm RHA.

'''Armour type:'''

* Composite armour (hull UFP, turret front and sides)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun "mantlet")
* Aluminium (side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38-50* mm (60-81°) ''Front glacis'' 70 mm (30°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm (0-3°), 25 mm (74°) ''Top'' 34 + 19 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (29°) ''Top'' 25 mm (30°) || 20 mm 8 mm ''Engine grille''
|-
| Turret || 50* mm (51-54°) 60 mm (55-56°), 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25* + 4 mm (1°) ''Front'' 45 + 4 mm ''Rear'' || 44 + 4 mm (43-48°) 20 mm (85°) ''Turret underside'' || 38 mm ''Front'' 20 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 60 mm || 60 mm || 60 mm || 60 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour* !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Front glacis:''' ~220 mm @ 60° against ''Kinetic'' ~600 mm @ 60° against ''Chemical''
!
|-
| Turret || '''Turret front:''' ~500 mm @ 60° against ''Kinetic'' ~600 mm @ 60° against ''Chemical'' || '''25 mm sections:''' ~ 140 mm @ 0° against ''Kinetic'' ~ 300 mm @ 0° against ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, torsion bars, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Turret ring is 60 mm thick.
* 20-25 mm RHA plates surround the fuel tanks on the hull sides.
* Hull composite armour configuration is 50 mm RHA + 200 mm NERA elements + 80 mm RHA.
* Front turret composite armour configuration is 50 mm RHA + 600 mm NERA elements + 110 mm RHA.
* Turret side composite armour configuration is 25 mm RHA + 300 mm NERA elements + 80 mm RHA.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,860|rbMinHp=1,061}}

The {{PAGENAME}}'s speed sets it apart from the previous Chieftain tanks, as it is capable of reaching 56 km/h on roads and 46 km/h off-road. Reverse speed is also a noticeable improvement from the Chieftain line. Despite this, the 62 ton mass of this vehicle makes it the slowest of its high-rank contemporaries (e.g. Abrams, Leopard, and Type 90).

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The FPE module should be a priority, since the fuel tanks are located all around the hull above the tracks, meaning that the tank will be set on fire often. This comes with added protection, however, as the fuel tanks will frequently absorb most shrapnel - protecting the crew and ammunition from the occasional side-shot - giving the player ample time to return fire and eliminate the threat.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}

The Challenger bears the 120 mm L11A5, an updated but essentially identical version of the gun found on the Chieftains. It has access to the same rounds as the Chieftain Mk 10, with the notable addition of the L23A1 APFSDS ammunition. L23A1 penetrates angled armour much more efficiently than its predecessor L23, making it especially useful for dealing with Russian late T-series hulls.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 52 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.8 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23 || APFSDS || 410 || 408 || 405 || 400 || 390 || 380
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
|-
|'''52''' ||''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 50 ''(+2)'' ''47 (+5)'' || 47 ''(+5)''  ''41 (+11)'' || 45 ''(+7)''  ''35 (+17)'' || 43 ''(+12)'' 29 ''(+23)'' || 39 ''(+17)'' 21 ''(+31)'' || 37 ''(+15)''  ''11 (+28)''
|-
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! 13th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 34 ''(+18)''  ''4 (+48)'' || 27 ''(+25)''  ''1 (+51)'' || 22 ''(+30)'' N/A || 21 ''(+31)'' N/A || 7 ''(+45)'' N/A || 4 ''(+38)'' N/A || 1 ''(+51)'' N/A || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Stocking only 29 rounds will empty the front hull of charges.
* All propellant charges are protected by a box of 5 mm of steel

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 3,600 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,400 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

New drivers of the Challenger 1 will appreciate a similar playstyle to the earlier Chieftain tanks, particularly the [[Chieftain Mk 10]]. Most of the armour's weak points could be minimized by assuming a hull-down position on the incline of a hill, and using the Challenger's excellent -10° of gun depression to keep the gun on target. This will increase the angle of the turret and thus increase the effective thickness of the back-plate on the turret.

When encountering common enemies:

* [[T-64B]]: L23A1 APFSDS can theoretically penetrate the UFP, but it is difficult. The drivers port weak spot is the recommended target from the front. If not possible, aim for the breech/cannon barrel to eliminate the threat of return fire
* [[T-64A (1971)]]: APFSDS will go right through the front of this tank, but the Challenger can still be penetrated by the top APFSDS (3BM12) in the weak spot on the turret's leading edge.
* [[Leopard 2K]]: Probably the most dangerous opponent, as its APFSDS can go right through the upper front plate and parts of the turret. Shoot anywhere but the front of the turret, unless trying to take out the Leo's cannon barrel.
* [[Leopard A1A1]]: Its APFSDS poses a risk to the weak spot on the turret, but only if it gets the first shot off. Shoot anywhere near hull centre or low turret area.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good composite armour for both kinetic and chemical protection on hull and turret
* Very accurate main gun with effective gun stabilizers, depression angles and decent stock APFSDS shell
* Decent mobility for its weight and size: a drastic increase and from all previous British MBTs
* Great hull down performance that multiplies armour efficiency, especially at long ranges
* No stock HEATFS shells unlike most counterparts at the rank, easing the module research
* One of the few MBTs that has access to a smoke shell for the main gun; with the auxiliary HESH against light armour
* Reload can get down to 5 seconds, fastest firing 120 mm along with [[Type 90]]/[[Type 90 (B)]]

'''Cons:'''

* Only 4 rounds of first-stage ammunition, then it can take up to 8.7 seconds to reload the gun until ready rack replenishes again
* Large and tall target, with the accessible Driver's optics weak spot on the upper frontal plate and vulnerable hull armour
* No external composite or reactive armour
* HESH shell is generally useless against other MBTs
* Ammunition and charges takes a lot of space (easy to hit)
* Firepower, mobility or armour characteristic are outmatched by tanks as [[Leopard 2 (Family)]], [[Ariete (Family)]] or [[T-80 (Family)]]

== History ==

In 1977, the Iranian government ordered an improved version of the Chieftain tank, which was arguably the best main battle tank (MBT) in service at its time. The Chieftain offered unparalleled protection and firepower; however, its mobility was lacklustre and something its successor needed to improve upon. In response, the engineers at the MVEE created the Chieftain Mk.5(P), from which three additional prototypes were created. It was one of these prototypes that would become the basis for the Challenger 1. Unfortunately, after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the fall of the Shah, Iran canceled its order for an improved Chieftain. In addition, a parallel British tank project (the MBT90) was also abandoned, and the British Army quickly became a new potential customer for a new MBT.

The Challenger's design was based on the cancelled project called "Shir-2"" planned for export to Iran, and retained its deadly 120 mm gun and superb armour. The Challenger was also equipped with Chobham armour, a composite armour made from multiple layers of different materials. The additional materials gave the Challenger its distinctive, heavily-sloped armour on the front of the turret and upper glacis. The Challenger's mobility and off-road capabilities were significantly improved with the installation of a new 1,200 horsepower Rolls-Royce engine and hydropneumatic suspension. The Challenger 1 entered production and service in 1983. Production ended in 1990, having yielded a total of about 420 vehicles. It served primarily with British forces during the Gulf War. It was also used in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the mid 1990s, and Jordan still operates a number of Challenger 1 tanks to this day. The Challenger 1 was withdrawn from active service by 2001 and later replaced by the Challenger 2.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5323-development-challenger-1-a-worthy-heir-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|dglE5EGyY0o|'''The Shooting Range #87''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the Challenger Mk.2.}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5323-development-challenger-1-a-worthy-heir-en|[Devblog] Challenger 1: A Worthy Heir]]

{{TankManufacturer Department of Tank Design}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

File:Ammoracks Challenger Mk.2.png

2022-10-20T22:04:21Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Challenger Mk.2.png

Challenger Mk. 2 ammo
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

Challenger Mk.2

2022-10-20T22:03:57Z

U120664986: Updated ammo racks 2.19.0.82

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Challenger (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Like the Chieftain Mk 10, the Challenger has a very strong turret front, with composite armour protecting the entire front and part of the sides. The turret front can resist up to 470 mm of rolled homogeneous armour equivalency (RHAe) against long-rod kinetic (~550 mm RHAe against rounds without the long-rod slope modifier) and up to 600 mm against chemical penetrators. This theoretically makes the strongest part of the turret frontally invulnerable to all but the top-rank kinetic ammunition in the game. In practice, however, there is a weak spot on the lower leading edge of the turret front, where the backing plate of the composite inside the turret flattens to a 90° angle. This reduces the effective thickness of the lower turret cheeks by approximately 100 mm, making it vulnerable to most long-rod APFSDS. A small portion of the turret front, the area just around the gun, is unprotected by composite armour and is 200 mm of CHA with a 50 mm RHA spall liner. This area extends above the gun and transitions to 60 mm CHA at 60°. While these areas are small and unlikely to lead to catastrophic damage when hit (the gun breech will tend to soak up shrapnel), they are important to be wary of.

The Challenger's turret sides are similar to many top-rank MBTs - they can only resist enemy fire at relatively high angles of attack. Protection is 140 mm RHAe against kinetic and 300 mm RHAe against chemical shells, meaning that the armour can only resist autocannon fire and low-calibre HEAT when struck dead-on.

Compared its turret, the Challenger hull is significantly weaker against kinetic projectiles with only 220 mm of RHAe (~300 mm for projectiles without the long-rod slope modifier) on the UFP. Chemical protection in this area is similar to the turret at 600 mm RHAe. An exception to these numbers is the area directly above the driver's hatch, which is not covered by composite armour and is vulnerable to essentially any anti-tank ammunition. The lower frontal plate is also lacking composite and is comprised of a single 70 mm RHA plate at a slight angle, providing ~80-90 mm of effective thickness. Shots to the LFP will at least incapacitate the driver, or more likely catastrophically detonate the hull ammunition. British tankers should be quite used to this weak spot by this point, as the weak LFP is present on the entire Chieftain line. However, the upper third of the LFP shares some of the UFP's composite protection due to its design. This means that the upper third of the LFP has slightly more protection than the lower sections.

Hull sides are generally very weak, as is typical of top-rank MBTs. The upper hull (above the tracks) is comprised of a 20 mm RHA + fuel tanks + 25 mm RHA array. The lower hull (around the tracks) is comprised of 19 mm aluminium side skirts and 34 mm RHA.

'''Armour type:'''

* Composite armour (hull UFP, turret front and sides)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun "mantlet")
* Aluminium (side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38-50* mm (60-81°) ''Front glacis'' 70 mm (30°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm (0-3°), 25 mm (74°) ''Top'' 34 + 19 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (29°) ''Top'' 25 mm (30°) || 20 mm 8 mm ''Engine grille''
|-
| Turret || 50* mm (51-54°) 60 mm (55-56°), 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25* + 4 mm (1°) ''Front'' 45 + 4 mm ''Rear'' || 44 + 4 mm (43-48°) 20 mm (85°) ''Turret underside'' || 38 mm ''Front'' 20 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 60 mm || 60 mm || 60 mm || 60 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour* !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Front glacis:''' ~220 mm @ 60° against ''Kinetic'' ~600 mm @ 60° against ''Chemical''
!
|-
| Turret || '''Turret front:''' ~500 mm @ 60° against ''Kinetic'' ~600 mm @ 60° against ''Chemical'' || '''25 mm sections:''' ~ 140 mm @ 0° against ''Kinetic'' ~ 300 mm @ 0° against ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, torsion bars, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Turret ring is 60 mm thick.
* 20-25 mm RHA plates surround the fuel tanks on the hull sides.
* Hull composite armour configuration is 50 mm RHA + 200 mm NERA elements + 80 mm RHA.
* Front turret composite armour configuration is 50 mm RHA + 600 mm NERA elements + 110 mm RHA.
* Turret side composite armour configuration is 25 mm RHA + 300 mm NERA elements + 80 mm RHA.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,860|rbMinHp=1,061}}

The {{PAGENAME}}'s speed sets it apart from the previous Chieftain tanks, as it is capable of reaching 56 km/h on roads and 46 km/h off-road. Reverse speed is also a noticeable improvement from the Chieftain line. Despite this, the 62 ton mass of this vehicle makes it the slowest of its high-rank contemporaries (e.g. Abrams, Leopard, and Type 90).

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The FPE module should be a priority, since the fuel tanks are located all around the hull above the tracks, meaning that the tank will be set on fire often. This comes with added protection, however, as the fuel tanks will frequently absorb most shrapnel - protecting the crew and ammunition from the occasional side-shot - giving the player ample time to return fire and eliminate the threat.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}

The Challenger bears the 120 mm L11A5, an updated but essentially identical version of the gun found on the Chieftains. It has access to the same rounds as the Chieftain Mk 10, with the notable addition of the L23A1 APFSDS ammunition. L23A1 penetrates angled armour much more efficiently than its predecessor L23, making it especially useful for dealing with Russian late T-series hulls.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 52 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.8 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23 || APFSDS || 410 || 408 || 405 || 400 || 390 || 380
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x500px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
|-
|'''52''' ||''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 50 ''(+2)'' ''47 (+5)'' || 47 ''(+5)''  ''41 (+11)'' || 45 ''(+7)''  ''35 (+17)'' || 43 ''(+12)'' 29 ''(+23)'' || 39 ''(+17)'' 21 ''(+31)'' || 37 ''(+15)''  ''11 (+28)''
|-
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! 13th rack empty
|Visual discrepancy
|-
| 34 ''(+18)''  ''4 (+48)'' || 27 ''(+25)''  ''1 (+51)'' || 22 ''(+30)'' N/A || 21 ''(+31)'' N/A || 7 ''(+45)'' N/A || 4 ''(+38)'' N/A
| 1 ''(+51)''
N/A
|Yes
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Equipping between 29 rounds will empty the front hull of charges.
* All propellant charges are protected by a box of 5 mm of steel

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 3,600 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,400 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

New drivers of the Challenger 1 will appreciate a similar playstyle to the earlier Chieftain tanks, particularly the [[Chieftain Mk 10]]. Most of the armour's weak points could be minimized by assuming a hull-down position on the incline of a hill, and using the Challenger's excellent -10° of gun depression to keep the gun on target. This will increase the angle of the turret and thus increase the effective thickness of the back-plate on the turret.

When encountering common enemies:

* [[T-64B]]: L23A1 APFSDS can theoretically penetrate the UFP, but it is difficult. The drivers port weak spot is the recommended target from the front. If not possible, aim for the breech/cannon barrel to eliminate the threat of return fire
* [[T-64A (1971)]]: APFSDS will go right through the front of this tank, but the Challenger can still be penetrated by the top APFSDS (3BM12) in the weak spot on the turret's leading edge.
* [[Leopard 2K]]: Probably the most dangerous opponent, as its APFSDS can go right through the upper front plate and parts of the turret. Shoot anywhere but the front of the turret, unless trying to take out the Leo's cannon barrel.
* [[Leopard A1A1]]: Its APFSDS poses a risk to the weak spot on the turret, but only if it gets the first shot off. Shoot anywhere near hull centre or low turret area.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good composite armour for both kinetic and chemical protection on hull and turret
* Very accurate main gun with effective gun stabilizers, depression angles and decent stock APFSDS shell
* Decent mobility for its weight and size: a drastic increase and from all previous British MBTs
* Great hull down performance that multiplies armour efficiency, especially at long ranges
* No stock HEATFS shells unlike most counterparts at the rank, easing the module research
* One of the few MBTs that has access to a smoke shell for the main gun; with the auxiliary HESH against light armour
* Reload can get down to 5 seconds, fastest firing 120 mm along with [[Type 90]]/[[Type 90 (B)]]

'''Cons:'''

* Only 4 rounds of first-stage ammunition, then it can take up to 8.7 seconds to reload the gun until ready rack replenishes again
* Large and tall target, with the accessible Driver's optics weak spot on the upper frontal plate and vulnerable hull armour
* No external composite or reactive armour
* HESH shell is generally useless against other MBTs
* Ammunition and charges takes a lot of space (easy to hit)
* Firepower, mobility or armour characteristic are outmatched by tanks as [[Leopard 2 (Family)]], [[Ariete (Family)]] or [[T-80 (Family)]]

== History ==

In 1977, the Iranian government ordered an improved version of the Chieftain tank, which was arguably the best main battle tank (MBT) in service at its time. The Chieftain offered unparalleled protection and firepower; however, its mobility was lacklustre and something its successor needed to improve upon. In response, the engineers at the MVEE created the Chieftain Mk.5(P), from which three additional prototypes were created. It was one of these prototypes that would become the basis for the Challenger 1. Unfortunately, after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the fall of the Shah, Iran canceled its order for an improved Chieftain. In addition, a parallel British tank project (the MBT90) was also abandoned, and the British Army quickly became a new potential customer for a new MBT.

The Challenger's design was based on the cancelled project called "Shir-2"" planned for export to Iran, and retained its deadly 120 mm gun and superb armour. The Challenger was also equipped with Chobham armour, a composite armour made from multiple layers of different materials. The additional materials gave the Challenger its distinctive, heavily-sloped armour on the front of the turret and upper glacis. The Challenger's mobility and off-road capabilities were significantly improved with the installation of a new 1,200 horsepower Rolls-Royce engine and hydropneumatic suspension. The Challenger 1 entered production and service in 1983. Production ended in 1990, having yielded a total of about 420 vehicles. It served primarily with British forces during the Gulf War. It was also used in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the mid 1990s, and Jordan still operates a number of Challenger 1 tanks to this day. The Challenger 1 was withdrawn from active service by 2001 and later replaced by the Challenger 2.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5323-development-challenger-1-a-worthy-heir-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|dglE5EGyY0o|'''The Shooting Range #87''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the Challenger Mk.2.}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5323-development-challenger-1-a-worthy-heir-en|[Devblog] Challenger 1: A Worthy Heir]]

{{TankManufacturer Department of Tank Design}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

File:Ammoracks Challenger Mk.2.png

2022-10-20T21:39:05Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Challenger Mk.2.png

Challenger Mk. 2 ammo
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

Concept 3

2022-10-18T23:04:41Z

U120664986: Grammar and some word choice

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_concept3_ngac
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

The Concept 3 is a direct ancestor in development to the well-known Rooikat family of vehicles. Though it lacks the level of agility those vehicles can attain, the Concept 3 is by no means a slouch. Offering a fast and punchy contender to follow up from the SARC vehicles players will have experienced prior, boasting the same firepower not seen until later British medium tanks but on a nimble albeit fragile chassis.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Like the American [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]], the Concept 3 only has 12.7 mm (0.5 in) of armour in most areas, with some areas being only 6.5 mm. As a result, anything at this BR can penetrate this vehicle's armour. Compounding issues, the Concept 3 has ammunition scattered all throughout its body. In other words: while incoming fire from the sides is somewhat prone to overpenetration, this cannot be depended upon. Try to avoid being shot at in the first place.

However it is worth noting the geometry of the Concept 3 when presented from the front. While thin, the armour can ricochet rounds with far more consistency than one might expect, offering angles of around 65-80 degrees across the frontal profile.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
* Wheel (tires)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 12.7 mm (70°) ''Upper glacis'' 25.4 mm (31°) ''Lower glacis'' || 12.7 mm (25°) ''Top'' 12.7 mm ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm ''Rear armour'' 5 mm ''Engine grille'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 12.7 mm (19°) ''Turret front'' 25.4 mm (7-69°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 12.7 mm (18-19°) || 12.7 mm (21°) || 12.7 mm (10°) ''Front'' 6.35 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Wheels and torsion bars are 10 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 6.35 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The Concept 3 represents the crystallization of the set of traits that define the South African tech line. It is able to comfortable reach 70+ km/h when stock on paved roads and a respectable 40-50 km/h across rough terrain with the common exceptions of boggy, sandy, or snow-covered ground. It will get the player where they wish to go swiftly; however, owing to its 8 wheel design, it does offer a much more sluggish turning radius than its predecessors in the SARC family, or its contemporary in the SPAA line, the Ystervark. Take care to begin turning earlier than than previous vehicles to avoid crashing into a street corner or odd boulder.

The suspension is superb even stock, allowing the Concept 3 to maintain good speed across rough ground and steady the chassis swiftly upon halting; crucial to bringing its armament to bear upon its target or a surprise encounter.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=324|rbMinHp=185}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

At its battle rating, the threat of coming up against such formidable tanks such as the Tiger H1, IS-1, and the M4A3E2 Jumbo means that after the necessary acquiring of the parts and FPE kits, players are advised to prioritise the unlocking of the Shot Mk.8. While the stock Mk.6 can be sufficient in examples such as engaging the frontal plate of a Tiger H1, the extra penetration is more reliable insurance, particularly when engaging Soviet tanks.

Further on it is advised to acquire the Horizontal turret drive as stock the traversal of the turret is poor, from there it is entirely up to player's choice if they wish to improve the turret's elevation and accuracy or focus on the mobility aspect of the Concept 3 first.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|OQF Mk.II (77 mm)}}

Due to highly mobile playstyle, one might try to fight on the move or to attack by driving uphill to suddenly shoot enemies. Unfortunately, the gun is not stabilized and the gun elevation speed is extremely slow, which leads to significant uncontrollable "rocking" of the gun, inevitably pushing it down into the ground. This makes fighting on the move in RB/SB very difficult to the point of impossible. Thus, one should always wait until the gun has settled, or drive over completely flat terrain and slow down before firing to try one's luck.

In AB, the rocking can be countered by maxing out "targeting" and "leadership", gaining at least "expert" crew qualification and getting all of the tank modifications. The gun will still shake a bit and fail when the car is moving over hills, but the gunner will try his best to stop this.

The gun also has a very powerful recoil, which slows the car down and can throw it around if fired broadside. It's generally not fatal, but it can be extremely annoying when firing to the side off slopes, because it will move the car and ruin the aim by pushing the car above the gun depression threshold.

Due to the low weight of the car, any enemy can ram the Concept 3 to prevent it from firing. Melee combat with tanks is possible, but going literally into their face is not recommended.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[OQF Mk.II (77 mm)|77 mm OQF Mk.II]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 14.3 || 19.8 || 24.0 || 26.5 || 28.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.78 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
While lacking the APDS rounds of the [[Comet I]], the Concept 3's rounds are pretty impressive for its BR, capable of penetrating the thickest of armour, including the dreaded [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]]. The post penetration damage won't be as good as an APHE round, but it is quite acceptable.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot Mk.6 || AP || 137 || 134 || 123 || 111 || 100 || 91
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9
|-
| Shot Mk.4 || APC || 137 || 134 || 123 || 111 || 100 || 91
|-
| Shot Mk.8 || APCBC || 152 || 149 || 137 || 124 || 112 || 101
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot Mk.6 || AP || 754 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 754 || 6.98 || 0 || 0.1 || 580 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shot Mk.4 || APC || 754 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Shot Mk.8 || APCBC || 754 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || 41 ''(+19)'' || 37 ''(+23)'' || 33 ''(+27)'' || 28 ''(+32)'' || 21 ''(+39)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* If you pack 21 ''(+39)'' shells, it will keep the turret empty of ammo.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Browning MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,500 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Concept 3 will be the first iteration of the iconic 8 wheeled light vehicles that return often along the South African tech line. This vehicle is extremely large for a scout vehicle, eclipsing the Panzer IV in height and length. Concealing the Concept 3 will prove to be a difficult challenge for the player, usually finding themselves relying heavily upon its mobility to compete.

As with most if not all of the South African vehicles, the Concept 3 boasts an excellent level of mobility. A viable tactic for the Concept 3 can be to advance swiftly to a good position and provide scouting support, taking shots of opportunity when they present themselves. The player is advised to prioritize positions that allow an easy avenue of escape to ensure the potent mobility of the Concept 3 is not rendered useless, especially the superb reverse speed of this vehicle.

The Concept 3 has little in the way of armour to rely upon, only being able to resist rifle calibre rounds where a flat strike is concerned. The vast majority of munitions fired at the Concept 3 will penetrate its armour, with some parts of the armour still thick enough to activate the fuse of an APHE round. Avoiding being struck is always the most favourable scenario for any vehicle. However the Concept 3 can in some instances show surprising resilience in the harshly angled geometry of its frontal profile which boasts the aforementioned extreme angles of around 65-80 degrees. Many rounds such as the BR-350SP round utilised by the T-34 family have a ricochet chance of 100% at 71 degrees of angle. Meaning that a savvy Concept 3 player can use the respectable gun depression of 10 degrees to increase these angles and be a more tricky contender for an inexperienced opponent.

In conclusion, the Concept 3 can be reliably played the same way as the previous SARC vehicles albeit with a punchy gun and a little trickery in the armour department with ricochet.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun for its tier, good penetration and decent reload
* Fast with good acceleration when spaded
* Reverse speed is as good as forward speed, allowing for quick getaways
* Above average muzzle velocity

'''Cons:'''

* Solid shot ammunition only, accurate fire is needed to disable vehicles
* Suspension is quite bouncy and the gun elevation speed is slow, making shots difficult
* Turning is slow when stock
* Suffers in soft terrain, sometimes speed will drop massively upon the slightest obstacle
* Negligible armour, vulnerable to artillery overpressure
* Sub-par accuracy at range when stock
* Lacks a smoke grenade launcher

== History ==


The Concept 3 was based on the British FV603 Alvis Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier. It was designed to fulfil a new South African requirement for a "New Generation Armoured Car". The project started in 1976 and ended in 1979. 3 testbed vehicles were made, Concept 3 being one of them. The Concept 3 differed from the Alvis Saracen APCs - it had an 8-wheel configuration, giving it superior off-road characteristics and superior performance. The Concept 3 was fitted with a [[OQF Mk.II (77 mm)|77mm OQF Mk.II]], identical to the one found on the [[Comet I|A34 Comet I]] which, while underwhelming for the time was merely a placeholder and was later swapped for a [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm Royal Ordnance L7]] which was a licence built version of the same gun found on the British [[Centurion Mk 10]]. The L7 variant was known as the "Bismarck". The vehicle was built by South African company Sandock-Austral (later merged into BAE Systems), the same company credited with creating and producing the Ratel family ([[Ratel 20]] / [[Ratel 90|90]]) and the [[Eland 90 Mk.7]]. Several tests were conducted over the years at Potchefstroom, South Africa. The Concept 3 series was nicknamed the "Cheetah" and the vehicle was officially designated "Concept 3, Class 2B" and was built to slightly different medium specifications, raising the original weight of the vehicle from a modest 17 tonnes to a rather considerable weight of up to 23 tonnes.

When all is said and done, the Concept series deviated from the original vision of the Armoured Personnel Carrier, morphing into a light Armoured Fighting Vehicle or reconnaissance car. The original intended role of Armoured Personnel Carrier was ultimately fulfilled by the excellent Ratel family which doubled as an effective Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Therefore the South African National Defence Force ultimately cancelled the order for the Concepts, and immediate further development of the Concept programme was promptly terminated.

However, the legacy of the Concept cannot be asserted enough: the basic design of the Concept and in particular its chassis would later become that of the Rooikat family ([[Rooikat 105]] / [[Rooikat MTTD|MTTD]] / [[Rooikat Mk.1D|Mk.1D]] / [[ZA-35]]) which are still used to this day. The Concept, while often forgotten, disregarded and dishonoured is perhaps one of the most - if not the most - influential military vehicle design in South African history.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_concept3_ngac Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|GSSJKUqU3WE|'''The Shooting Range #260''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related developement

* [[Rooikat Mk.1D]]
* [[Rooikat 105]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain light tanks}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Black Night

2022-10-18T20:55:59Z

U120664986: Ammorack information added

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_2_bn
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret inner wall, hatches)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38 mm (79-82°) ''Upper glacis - Top'' 50 mm (60°) ''Upper glacis - Bottom'' 70 mm (28°) ''Lower glacis'' 60 mm ''Driver hatch''|| 25+38 mm ''Top - Front'' 25+50 mm ''Top - Rear'' 38 mm (14°) + 4 mm ''Bottom'' || 50 mm (30°) || 38 mm (10°) ''Front glacis'' 20 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 25 mm (16-20°) ''Sides'' 10 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 50+50+38 mm (50°) 30 mm (0-52°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 10+38 mm (7°) ''Front'' 20+38 mm (7°) ''Rear'' || 20 mm (17°) + 38 mm (7°) || 38 mm (8-15°) ''Front '' 38+10 mm ''Centre'' 25 mm (7°) ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 60 mm || 60 mm || 60 mm || 44 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 16 mm thick.
* A 5 mm internal plate separates the crew from the engine.
* Ammunition is surrounded by 5 mm casings
* A 25 mm plate separates the driver from the crew compartment.
* Additional composite armour is as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Upper''' Kinetic: 420-1,000 mm Chemical: 700-950 mm '''Lower''' Kinetic: 100-400 mm Chemical: 350-570 mm
!
|-
| Turret || '''Cheeks''' Kinetic: 440-720 mm Chemical: 780-1,000 mm ||'''Internal Composite''' Kinetic: 190-740 mm Chemical: 300-1,000 mm
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,886|rbMinHp=1,076}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L30A1 (120 mm)|120 mm L30A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.9 || 49.6 || 54.9 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 493 || 491 || 487 || 481 || 474 || 468
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 564 || 562 || 557 || 551 || 545 || 538
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
!Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
!7th rack empty
!8th rack empty
!9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50'''
|''Projectiles''
''Propellants''
| 48 ''(+2)''
45 ''(+5)''
| 45 ''(+5)''
39 ''(+11)''
| 43 ''(+7)''
31 ''(+19)''
| 41 ''(+9)''
22 ''(+28)''
| 35 ''(+15)''
14 ''(+36)''
| 29 ''(+21)''
5 ''(+45)''
|5 ''(+45)''
1 ''(+49)''
|4 ''(+46)''
N/A
|1 ''(+49)''
N/A
| No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L94A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,700 (100) || 650 || -10°/+25° || -90°/+50°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L94A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L94A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (2,000) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has a highly effective APS (Active Protection System) which can defend against the majority of weapons
* It has 20 smoke grenades with 4 uses
* The Black Night has modern thermal systems equipped in the gunner view and commander view with a high resolution
* It comes equipped with a laser warning system which can give an idea of where an enemy might be attacking from

'''Cons:'''

* It only has two 7.62 mm machine guns which are only capable of spotting enemies
* The engine is rather weak leading to poor acceleration and mobility
* Large weak spots in armour and poor placement of ammo and charges in the tank limit the survivability

== History ==

The Black Night demonstrator was BAE System's bid for the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme contract, prior to the forming of the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) joint venture company in July 2019.

The Black Night was fully unveiled in October 2018 and showed a focus on improving the technology of the vehicle, with a Safran PASEO panoramic Commander Primary Sight, a generation 3 Leonardo thermal imaging system (still mounted in the housing above the main gun), a laser warning system, the Iron Fist Hardkill Active Protection System, regenerative braking in the turret ring, and a new fire control system. The armour and firepower were retained from the base Challenger 2, as was the powerpack.

Rheinmetall's proposal was revealed in January 2019, featuring the Rh 120 mm L/55 gun (L55A1 in British use) and a completely new turret. When RBSL was formed, an internal decision was made in favour of Rheinmetall's design, which was seen again at DSEI 2019, putting the Black Night proposal to rest. The MoD confirmed the signing of a £800M (~$1.1B at the time) contract with RBSL for Challenger 3 using Rheinmetall's design on 7th May 2021.

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


* [[Challenger 2 (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Black Night

2022-10-18T20:47:46Z

U120664986:

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_2_bn
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret inner wall, hatches)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38 mm (79-82°) ''Upper glacis - Top'' 50 mm (60°) ''Upper glacis - Bottom'' 70 mm (28°) ''Lower glacis'' 60 mm ''Driver hatch''|| 25+38 mm ''Top - Front'' 25+50 mm ''Top - Rear'' 38 mm (14°) + 4 mm ''Bottom'' || 50 mm (30°) || 38 mm (10°) ''Front glacis'' 20 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 25 mm (16-20°) ''Sides'' 10 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 50+50+38 mm (50°) 30 mm (0-52°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 10+38 mm (7°) ''Front'' 20+38 mm (7°) ''Rear'' || 20 mm (17°) + 38 mm (7°) || 38 mm (8-15°) ''Front '' 38+10 mm ''Centre'' 25 mm (7°) ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 60 mm || 60 mm || 60 mm || 44 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 16 mm thick.
* A 5 mm internal plate separates the crew from the engine.
* Ammunition is surrounded by 5 mm casings
* A 25 mm plate separates the driver from the crew compartment.
* Additional composite armour is as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Upper''' Kinetic: 420-1,000 mm Chemical: 700-950 mm '''Lower''' Kinetic: 100-400 mm Chemical: 350-570 mm
!
|-
| Turret || '''Cheeks''' Kinetic: 440-720 mm Chemical: 780-1,000 mm ||'''Internal Composite''' Kinetic: 190-740 mm Chemical: 300-1,000 mm
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,886|rbMinHp=1,076}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L30A1 (120 mm)|120 mm L30A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.9 || 49.6 || 54.9 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 493 || 491 || 487 || 481 || 474 || 468
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 564 || 562 || 557 || 551 || 545 || 538
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L94A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,700 (100) || 650 || -10°/+25° || -90°/+50°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L94A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L94A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (2,000) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has a highly effective APS (Active Protection System) which can defend against the majority of weapons
* It has 20 smoke grenades with 4 uses
* The Black Night has modern thermal systems equipped in the gunner view and commander view with a high resolution
* It comes equipped with a laser warning system which can give an idea of where an enemy might be attacking from

'''Cons:'''

* It only has two 7.62 mm machine guns which are only capable of spotting enemies
* The engine is rather weak leading to poor acceleration and mobility
* Large weak spots in armour and poor placement of ammo and charges in the tank limit the survivability

== History ==

The Black Night demonstrator was BAE System's bid for the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme contract, prior to the forming of the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) joint venture company in July 2019.

The Black Night was fully unveiled in October 2018 and showed a focus on improving the technology of the vehicle, with a Safran PASEO panoramic Commander Primary Sight, a generation 3 Leonardo thermal imaging system (still mounted in the housing above the main gun), a laser warning system, the Iron Fist Hardkill Active Protection System, regenerative braking in the turret ring, and a new fire control system. The armour and firepower were retained from the base Challenger 2, as was the powerpack.

Rheinmetall's proposal was revealed in January 2019, featuring the Rh 120 mm L/55 gun (L55A1 in British use) and a completely new turret. When RBSL was formed, an internal decision was made in favour of Rheinmetall's design, which was seen again at DSEI 2019, putting the Black Night proposal to rest. The MoD confirmed the signing of a £800M (~$1.1B at the time) contract with RBSL for Challenger 3 using Rheinmetall's design on 7th May 2021.

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


* [[Challenger 2 (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Challenger 2 TES

2022-10-18T20:45:47Z

U120664986: Ammo racks information added

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Challenger 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_2_tes
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The Challenger 2 TES has the armour that would be expected of the name (TES - Theatre Entry Standard). The tank has been updated to meet the modern theatres of war, including streetfighting and more effective chemical munitions and kinetic weapons. The ERA on the sides displays this exact line of thought. In-game, the combined ERA and composite screen add ~240 mm of effective protection against shaped charges and about 46 mm protection against KE rounds at 0 degrees.

Equipped with the iconic jammer plate mounted to the roof, this tank will be easy to spot and identify, so one should take care to cover their weak points with extra care, as many will know where the weaknesses are, and feel pressured to shoot them due to the increased armour elsewhere. The tank retains the same weakspots: the gun mantlet, driver's port, and the lower frontal plate, though unlike the [[Challenger 2 (2F)]] you get the LFP composite block (and the rest of the add-on) stock, which does help with the chemical protection. The gun breech will most likely block spalling from any penetrating round, allowing TES players to retreat and repair their breech, should they be far enough away from danger.

When opposing enemy tanks, commanders should attempt to angle their tank slightly, as the side add-on will be more effective against HEAT-FS and ATGMs (so long as they don't have tandem charge warheads), though this won't prevent any darts you meet from going through - M735 and DM23 can make it through 3 ERA blocks and still have enough energy to take out the engine. Angling has the added bonus of making the driver's port less effective as a means of knocking out the tank's crew.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38-50 mm (56-83°) ''Upper plate'' 70 mm (31-34°) ''Lower glacis'' 60 mm (0-80°) ''Driver's port'' || 25 mm (70°) Top 25 mm ''Middle'' 38 mm ''Bottom'' || 25 mm (32°) || 10-20 mm
|-
| Turret || 38 - 50 mm (56-82°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (3-82°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 20-25 mm (8-10°) || 20 mm (18°) || 10-38 mm
|-
| Cupola || 8 mm (3-78°) || 8 mm (9-60°) || 8 mm (1-80°) || 44-60 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* ''Upper front plate'' has additional 6.35 mm external structural steel plate.
* ''Lower front plate'' has additional composite with NERA elements, which is very effective against chemical munitions.
* Tracks and suspension wheels are 20 mm thick.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour
! Frontal effective protection !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Upper''' Kinetic: 420-700 mm Chemical: 800-1100 mm '''Lower''' Kinetic: 100-270 mm Chemical: 130-800 mm || '''Ext. Composite Screen with ERA:''' Kinetic: 90-120 mm Chemical: 560-680 mm
|-
| Turret || '''Turret Cheeks''' Kinetic: 440-720 mm Chemical: 780-1000 mm || '''Internal Composite''' Kinetic: 190 mm Chemical: 324 mm '''External NERA''': Kinetic: 15 mm Chemical: 280 mm
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The mobility of the TES is poor, even by Challenger 2 standards. The drastic increase in weight over the [[Challenger 2 (2F)]] makes the already below average power-to-weight ratio even worse, and getting the add-on stock ironically makes the situation worse: other Challenger 2s allow you to go for mobility upgrades before the add-on packages, making mobility through the stock grind more bearable as you decide when the extra weight is added, whereas with the TES you start out at 75t and 1076 hp. Even with all the mobility upgrades, the TES is slow to turn and slow to accelerate, and on some dirt roads it may struggle to reach 25 km/h. The neutral steering is unaffected by the increase in weight, completing a 360 traverse in the same amount of time as a 62.5t Challenger 2 (~14.5s).

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1886|rbMinHp=1076}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L30A1 (120 mm)|120 mm L30A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.8 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 493 || 491 || 487 || 481 || 474 || 468
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 564 || 562 || 557 || 551 || 545 || 538
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
!Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
!7th
rack empty
!8th
rack empty
!9th
rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50'''
|''Projectiles''
''Propellants''
| 48 (''+2)''
45 ''(+5)''
| 45 ''(+5)''
39 ''(+11)''
| 43 ''(+7)''
31 ''(+19)''
| 41 ''(+9)''
22 ''(+28)''
| 34 ''(+16)''
14 ''(+36)''
| 29 ''(+31)''
5 ''(+45)''
|5 ''(+45)''
1''(+49)''
|4 ''(+46)''
''N/A''
|1 ''(+49)''
''N/A''
| __
|-
|}

* Projectile racks 8 and 9, and propellant rack 7, are first-stage ammo racks.
* Hull front empty: 38 ''(+12)'' shells

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L94A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,700 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L94A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L94A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (2,000) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Impressive chemical protection on the front and sides
* Maintains the kinetic protection from previous variants, with improvements in places
* Very accurate L30A1 120 mm gun
* Fast reload

'''Cons:'''

* No composite plates behind the ERA panels on the turret sides
* Heaviest MBT in the game with a very poor hp/ton ratio; very poor acceleration
* Same ammunition options as the previous Challengers
* Maintains the same weak spots from previous variants
* No CITV (Commander Independent Thermal Viewer)
* L27A1 has low penetration compared to other top rank NATO ammunition
* ERA is useless against tandem-charge warheads
* Cannot maintain the short reload time after the first-stage ammo rack (4 rounds) has been depleted

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_2_tes Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|LufGqZTfvoI|'''MBTs with Best Armor''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 03:52 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7438-development-challenger-2-tes-a-new-perspective-en|[Devblog] Challenger 2 TES: a new perspective]]

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Challenger 2 TES

2022-10-18T20:37:27Z

U120664986: ammo racks image

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Challenger 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_2_tes
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The Challenger 2 TES has the armour that would be expected of the name (TES - Theatre Entry Standard). The tank has been updated to meet the modern theatres of war, including streetfighting and more effective chemical munitions and kinetic weapons. The ERA on the sides displays this exact line of thought. In-game, the combined ERA and composite screen add ~240 mm of effective protection against shaped charges and about 46 mm protection against KE rounds at 0 degrees.

Equipped with the iconic jammer plate mounted to the roof, this tank will be easy to spot and identify, so one should take care to cover their weak points with extra care, as many will know where the weaknesses are, and feel pressured to shoot them due to the increased armour elsewhere. The tank retains the same weakspots: the gun mantlet, driver's port, and the lower frontal plate, though unlike the [[Challenger 2 (2F)]] you get the LFP composite block (and the rest of the add-on) stock, which does help with the chemical protection. The gun breech will most likely block spalling from any penetrating round, allowing TES players to retreat and repair their breech, should they be far enough away from danger.

When opposing enemy tanks, commanders should attempt to angle their tank slightly, as the side add-on will be more effective against HEAT-FS and ATGMs (so long as they don't have tandem charge warheads), though this won't prevent any darts you meet from going through - M735 and DM23 can make it through 3 ERA blocks and still have enough energy to take out the engine. Angling has the added bonus of making the driver's port less effective as a means of knocking out the tank's crew.

'''Armour type:'''
* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38-50 mm (56-83°) ''Upper plate'' 70 mm (31-34°) ''Lower glacis'' 60 mm (0-80°) ''Driver's port'' || 25 mm (70°) Top 25 mm ''Middle'' 38 mm ''Bottom'' || 25 mm (32°) || 10-20 mm
|-
| Turret || 38 - 50 mm (56-82°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (3-82°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 20-25 mm (8-10°) || 20 mm (18°) || 10-38 mm
|-
| Cupola || 8 mm (3-78°) || 8 mm (9-60°) || 8 mm (1-80°) || 44-60 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* ''Upper front plate'' has additional 6.35 mm external structural steel plate.
* ''Lower front plate'' has additional composite with NERA elements, which is very effective against chemical munitions.
* Tracks and suspension wheels are 20 mm thick.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour
! Frontal effective protection !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Upper''' Kinetic: 420-700 mm Chemical: 800-1100 mm '''Lower''' Kinetic: 100-270 mm Chemical: 130-800 mm || '''Ext. Composite Screen with ERA:''' Kinetic: 90-120 mm Chemical: 560-680 mm
|-
| Turret || '''Turret Cheeks''' Kinetic: 440-720 mm Chemical: 780-1000 mm || '''Internal Composite''' Kinetic: 190 mm Chemical: 324 mm '''External NERA''': Kinetic: 15 mm Chemical: 280 mm
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The mobility of the TES is poor, even by Challenger 2 standards. The drastic increase in weight over the [[Challenger 2 (2F)]] makes the already below average power-to-weight ratio even worse, and getting the add-on stock ironically makes the situation worse: other Challenger 2s allow you to go for mobility upgrades before the add-on packages, making mobility through the stock grind more bearable as you decide when the extra weight is added, whereas with the TES you start out at 75t and 1076 hp. Even with all the mobility upgrades, the TES is slow to turn and slow to accelerate, and on some dirt roads it may struggle to reach 25 km/h. The neutral steering is unaffected by the increase in weight, completing a 360 traverse in the same amount of time as a 62.5t Challenger 2 (~14.5s).

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1886|rbMinHp=1076}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L30A1 (120 mm)|120 mm L30A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.8 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 493 || 491 || 487 || 481 || 474 || 468
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 564 || 562 || 557 || 551 || 545 || 538
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L94A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,700 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L94A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L94A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (2,000) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Impressive chemical protection on the front and sides
* Maintains the kinetic protection from previous variants, with improvements in places
* Very accurate L30A1 120 mm gun
* Fast reload

'''Cons:'''

* No composite plates behind the ERA panels on the turret sides
* Heaviest MBT in the game with a very poor hp/ton ratio; very poor acceleration
* Same ammunition options as the previous Challengers
* Maintains the same weak spots from previous variants
* No CITV (Commander Independent Thermal Viewer)
* L27A1 has low penetration compared to other top rank NATO ammunition
* ERA is useless against tandem-charge warheads
* Cannot maintain the short reload time after the first-stage ammo rack (4 rounds) has been depleted

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_2_tes Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|LufGqZTfvoI|'''MBTs with Best Armor''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 03:52 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7438-development-challenger-2-tes-a-new-perspective-en|[Devblog] Challenger 2 TES: a new perspective]]

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Challenger 2 (2F)

2022-10-18T20:29:26Z

U120664986: Ammo racks information updated 2.19.0.76

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Challenger 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_2_dorchester
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The Challenger 2 (2F) was created to give increased protection against shaped charges and as much is evident when evaluating the armour. While the internal composite armour remains the same from the previous variant, a large amount of external composite and ERA has been added to the hull front and sides as well as the turret sides. Additional slat armour has also been mounted to the sides and rear of the hull and turret.

With the only real change being the additional external armour, the same structural weak spots that exist on the Challenger 2 remain on the 2F. The large driver's port is an obvious target for enemy armour, which can penetrate it at almost any angle due to only RHA protection. Kinetic rounds aimed through the driver's port from the direct or near-direct front will often go straight through the tank, often taking several crew members, the cannon breech or the engine, occasionally resulting in a knocked out crew. Chemical rounds are less effective but fragments may set off the charges stored next to the driver, especially when fired at from above.

The gun mantlet is also a large weak spot, although kinetic rounds will be most effective, as chemical rounds will often only knock out the cannon breech or be blocked by the optics mounted at the top of the gun, which will allow the tank to pull back and repair provided it has the distance to do so. Kinetic rounds will often not fragment properly, going straight through the back of the turret, at max taking out two crew members due to the breech acting as a shield to the other side of the turret. Only when attacking from above will rounds have a significant chance of detonating ammunition due to the 2 stage system used by British tanks. Any ammunition stored in the turret will be warheads which are not able to be detonated.

As with the last variant and many other MBTs, the sides have no real kinetic protection, however the 2F has additional protection against chemical rounds. Most shots to the side of the front half of the turret have a high likelihood of taking out the cannon breech and a crew member, occasionally knocking out 2 or 3 crew. Any shots the the back half of the turret from the side will be ineffective due to the large amount of empty space. Aiming low on the tank's hull will give the best results for penetration and ammo detonation. Despite the additional ERA on the lower frontal plate, chemical rounds such as the German DM12A1 can still get through, and can get through the side mounted composite screens on a flat angle (0-25°).

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38-50 mm (56-83°) ''Upper Plate'' 70 mm (31-34°) ''Lower Glacis'' 60 mm (0-80°) ''Driver's Port'' || 25 mm (70°) ''Top'' 25 mm ''Middle'' 38 mm ''Bottom'' || 25 mm (32°) || 10-20 mm
|-
| Turret || 38 - 50 mm (56-82°) ''Turret Front'' 30 mm (3-82°) ''Gun Mantlet'' || 20-25 mm (8-10°) || 20 mm (18°) || 10-38 mm
|-
| Cupola || 8 mm (3-78°) || 8 mm (9-60°) || 8 mm (1-80°) || 44-60 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* ''Upper Frontal Plate'' has additional 10 mm external plate.
* ''Lower Frontal Plate'' has 25.4 mm external steel and ROMOR-A ERA. This is upgraded to a composite with NERA plate when mounting the Dorchester 2F upgrade, as detailed in the table above.
* Parts of the side and rear hull have mounted Slat Armour (50 mm Chemical Protection).

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite Armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Upper''' Kinetic: 420-1,000 mm Chemical: 700-950 mm '''Lower''' Kinetic: 100-400 mm Chemical: 350-570 mm
'''With Dorchester 2F Modification''' '''Upper''' Kinetic: 420-1,000 mm Chemical: 700-1200 mm '''Lower''' Kinetic: 140-180 mm Chemical: 200-860 mm
| '''Ext. Composite with NERA:''' Kinetic: 30 mm Chemical: 400 mm
|-
| Turret ||'''Turret Cheeks''' Kinetic: 440-720 mm Chemical: 780-1,000 mm || '''Internal Composite''' Kinetic: 190-740 mm Chemical: 300-1,000 mm '''Ext. Composite with NERA''' Kinetic: 30 mm Chemical: 400 mm
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,886|rbMinHp=1,076|AoAweight=1.1|weight=63.6}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L30A1 (120 mm)|120 mm L30A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.8 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 493 || 491 || 487 || 481 || 474 || 468
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 564 || 562 || 557 || 551 || 545 || 538
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50'''
| ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants''
| 48 ''(+2)'' 45 ''(+5)''
| 45 ''(+5)'' 39 ''(+11)''
| 43 ''(+7)'' 31 ''(+19)''
| 41 ''(+9)'' 22 ''(+28)''
| 34 ''(+16)'' 14 ''(+36)''
| 29 ''(+21)'' 5 ''(+45)''
| 5 ''(+45)'' 1 ''(+49)''
| 4 ''(+46)''  
| 1 ''(+49)''  
| No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_Challenger_2.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the Challenger 2]]

* Projectile racks 8 and 9, and propellant rack 7, are first-stage ammo racks
* Hull front empty: 38 ''(+12)''

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L94A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,700 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L94A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L94A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (2,000) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

In many ways, the Challenger (2F) plays the same as the precursor [[Challenger 2]]. This is because the original armour from the base Challenger 2 chassis remains unchanged, the same occurs with the powerplant. However, it distinguishes with an increase in the ability to brawl, mainly because of the optional Dorchester armour package. The 2F can more confidently find itself brawling alongside its teammates. Though players should be wary of the adversaries they are facing to decide which way of engagement is safer, depending on the map or the circumstances of the battle.

==== Protecting the Challenger ====
Ideally, Challenger 2 needs distance to operate to its full potential as a support tank sniping from very afar. This is beneficial for 3 main reasons:

* Obscure major weak spots on frontal armour (Driver position and gun mantlet)
* Protect the side armour from faster tanks capable of flanking
* Increase the effectiveness of the armour against enemy rounds

As expected, the tank excels at sniping as it has access to its Depleted Uranium round, the L27A1. It will be enough to knock out most enemy tanks, even at large distances. The combined use of the laser range finder and this round will be very effective during sniping. Smoke rounds are readily available for more supporting roles. Some moments will be more appropriate to use the smoke shells, as when capturing a point, interrupting an enemy sniper, or covering allied tanks while they advance; perfect for those who desire a more teamplayer gameplay.
[[File:Challenger 2F hulldown.png|thumb|Challenger's gun elevation angles should be used to increase the armour effectiveness whenever possible.]]
Apart from distance, another key aspect in the gameplay of the Challenger 2 is the'' smart terrain placing and hull-down tactics''. The nearly-unbeatable turret cheeks of the Challenger 2 are one of its specialties, therefore is greatly rewarding to enhance these protection levels even more with the gun depression levels; in a way echoing the older British MBTs as the Chieftains and Challenger Mk.1

The best way to use this strong turret protection is by choosing uneven terrain, where the lower frontal plate remains hidden from the enemy light of sight. Usually, on slopes, small rocks, impact craters or even destroyed enemy tanks. Most maps will offer some degree of elevations or slopes in which the Challenger 2 can lay down to snipe. This hull-down can be mixed with shoot-and-scoot tactics and sustained throughout the entire match, if done correctly this is one of the best ways of fighting.

Unfortunately, this playstyle comes with the hindrance of putting the Challenger 2 in exposed positions against enemy aircraft and helicopters, therefore is very important to relocate and keep a situational awareness, even if the tank is not in the core of the fight. Luckily, the Challenger can now more easily resist missiles from helicopters which one can expect to happen in open areas that lend to sniping. This is possible provided the missile does not hit the roof, so if a player sees a missile approaching, release smoke grenades and aim the turret towards the missile. The slat armour on the back of the tank is very effective against chemical rounds, including missiles, which can be the difference between living and being knocked out. Once hit, however, it will fall off and therefore players should attempt to avoid exposing their rear more-so where slat armour has been destroyed.

==== Urban maps ====
Brawling with the Challenger is now more plausible because of the 2F armour pack, although is not recommended to brawl in every scenario. Since the tank is heavier, taller and with more weak spots than many tanks in close ranges. Especially against enemies such as the [[T-90A]] or [[T-72B3]]. Both of these Soviet tanks are similar in speed to the Challenger, but their weak spots in frontal armour are harder to pinpoint than those on the Challenger. The brawling also creates an unsustainable situation against relentless adversaries such as the [[Leopard (Family)|Leopards]], [[T-80 (Family)|T-80]]<nowiki/>s or other various light tanks. Whenever possible, these fast vehicles will flank the Challenger 2. If CQB cannot be avoided, slight angling should be used to counter rounds. Players should attempt to draw attention to their turret or bait shots onto the Challenger 2s impenetrable turret cheeks, any experienced enemy player will quickly target the gun mantlet or driver's hatch. Challenger players should never attempt to endure in brawling with tanks as a [[Leopard 2A6]] or [[Ariete]], these tanks bring powerful rounds capable of nullifying any armour advantage of the Challenger on close ranges.

Anticipation, ambushing and camping tactics are important while in urban areas (guarding roads, crossroads or bridges). Moving up, taking a position, and waiting to see tanks or hear approaching engines is a viable strategy. Especially when going against Russian or American tanks, as their turbine engines give off that characteristic rotary whine.

During the early module research, the urban engagements can be done with some level of success, once the laser rangefinder, 2F armour pack and the L27A1 round has been researched, the full sniping potential of the Challenger 2 will be unleashed.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Effective side-ERA against air-to-ground missiles
* Fast reload, particularly for a 120 mm (5 seconds aced)
* Sights with high zoom, 2nd generation thermals and a wide FOV
* High reverse of -40 km/h
* The L30A1 120 mm gun is incredibly accurate, even at long range
* Turret cheeks are invulnerable to all HEAT-FS and APFSDS, including the dreaded DM53 shell

'''Cons:'''

* Vulnerable commander's hatch and cannon breech
* Accessible weak spots, especially the gun mantlet
* Dorchester 2F only marginally increases LFP armour against APFSDS
* Dorchester 2F adds 1,100 kg of weight to an already sluggish tank
* No CITV (Commander Independent Thermal Viewer)
* L27A1 has low penetration compared to other top rank NATO ammunition

== History ==

The Challenger 2 (2F) is an upgraded version of the Challenger 2, featuring the Theatre Entry Standard (TES) kit. Rather than being a single modification, the TES is updated as new threats and/or technologies emerge. The TES aims to increase the protection levels against the operational threats of the British Army such as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), hollow charges, or tandem charges - common threats during suburban deployments.

'''MCS'''

The Challenger 2 was covered with an MCS (Mobile Camouflage System) all around the tank, reducing the heat signature and keeping the vehicle almost indistinguishable from its surroundings to thermal imaging devices.

'''Bar armour '''

The slat or bar armour was added to the sides and the rear of the vehicle to increase the levels of protection against rocket-propelled grenades while not downgrading the mobility of the Challenger. The bar armour disrupts any hollow charges from detonating; either by crushing it upon impact or damaging the warhead and the fuse through contact with the bars.

'''Dorchester 2F armour kit'''

Most previous NERA (Non-Explosive Reactive Armour) side plates have been reinforced with additional Dorchester armour plates, notably the lower frontal-glacis protection was drastically improved, with the addition of a large block of Chobham armour composite; augmenting the protection in one of the most vulnerable areas for the Challenger 2. Furthermore, the sides of the turret also received external Chobham armour packages, enhancing the protection of the crew inside the fighting compartment from possible side-attacks.

'''Remote controlled weapon systems (RCWS) '''

As an offensive upgrade, the TES kit includes a new remote-controlled weapons system (RCWS) over the loader's hatch ring, capable of assessing the battlefield and engaging light targets or infantry from within the vehicle. Previously, the operator had to open the hatch to fire the pintle-mounted L37A2 7.62 mm GPMG machine gun.

The CR2 (2F) also received IED jammers near the left and right front fenders and ECM countermeasures antennas capable of detecting nearby IEDs.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_2_dorchester Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Gj2pAfJ5cxo|'''Should You Grind The Challenger 2 (2F)?''' - ''Sako Sniper''}}

== See also ==


;Analogues in other nations

* [[Leopard 2A6]]
* [[Ariete PSO]]
* [[Leclerc S2]]
* [[M1A2 Abrams]]
* [[T-72B3]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain medium tanks}}

File:Ammoracks Challenger 2.png

2022-10-18T20:21:03Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Challenger 2.png

[[Category:Ammo racks]]

Challenger 2

2022-10-18T20:20:31Z

U120664986: Updated ammo rack information to 2.19.0.76

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Challenger 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_II
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', FV4034 or '''CR2''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]].

The Challenger 2 MBT is the epitome of British tank design; a direct result of all the experience gained over the previous British MBTs as the Chieftain and the Challenger 1.

The Challenger 2 is a force to be reckoned on the battlefield, thanks to competent grades in firepower and armour. On the other end, the vehicle's mobility is not excellent when placed against opponents such as the [[Leopard 2 (Family)|Leopard 2]] which follows a distinct tank doctrine. Because of this, a skilled commander is required to take advantage of each of the strengths of the Challenger 2.

This vehicle design is dated back to 1986, therefore some technological aspects might be lacking when compared to more up-to-date adversaries. However, it is constantly updated with various modifications, allowing the CR2 to stand up against any of the tanks in real life and present in War Thunder.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Challenger 2 Density Visualisation.png|thumb|CR2 Frontal [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]
The Challenger 2 reinforces the strengths of the Challenger 1 Mk.2/Mk.3, with extremely well protected turret cheeks and better UFP protection, while suffering from similar weaknesses - a particularly weak lower front plate and negligible side protection.

The Challenger 2 has a defined gun mantlet that is far larger in area compared to previous Challenger models. This mantlet is very weak in comparison to the rest of the turret, providing roughly 300 mm of RHAe protection, making it a glaring weak spot that easily results in the destruction of the gun breech and loss of turret crew. Additionally, the taller turret design exposes a weak frontal roof slope - while this is a somewhat small vulnerability, penetration may result in the gunner or commander's incapacitation.

Similarly to the Challenger 1s, the driver's hatch on the Challenger 2 is a significant weakness that compromises the well protected UFP. The hatch has no composite behind it and provides at best 100 mm of RHA protection. As such, the Challenger 2 thrives in hull-down positions where minimal vulnerabilities are exposed and it can retreat into further cover if one of the few weak spots are penetrated. In situations where protective positioning is not an option, the Challenger 2 should be used conservatively and carefully, avoiding direct confrontation wherever possible.

If direct melee confrontation with Soviet medium tanks is impossible to avoid, operator should note, that, due to design differences, Challenger 2 towers over tanks like [[T-64B]] and at point blank (almost ramming range), LFP becomes untargetable for them, while UFP and turret take such a high angle, that even upgraded APFSDS of theirs have problems penetrating them. While it's very unlikely that rank VI or VII player will be this startled, Challenger 2 can survive about two to three panic shots like this.

If the enemy was not confused by your aggression and immediately fired at driver's hatch or gun mantlet, the outcome will then be decided by amount of ammunition still stored inside of tank turret. If it was low enough, and the enemy didn't account for it, then, depending on shell used, tank will lose either driver, loader, gunner or gun breech.

During urban combat it is also important to remember, that Challenger 2 hull is very big and long, compared to small Soviet MBT. It can block entire street with just its hull if it was immobilized, rendering your teammates unable to assist. It is also very heavy and hard to push around, so they won't be able to just move you out of the way.

Keep yourself closer to walls and avoid narrow streets, if you ever need to be helped/towed.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38 mm (79-82°), 50* mm (60°) ''Upper glacis'' 70 mm (28°) ''Lower glacis'' 60 mm (84°-0°) ''Driver hatch'' || 25 mm (0°) ''Top'' 50 mm 38 mm (14°) + 4 mm ''Bottom'' || 25 mm (29-30°) + 4 mm || 20 mm 25 mm (71-74°) ''Sides'' 10 mm (90°) ''Engine grille''
|-
| Turret || 50* mm (50°) 30 mm (50-0°), 4 mm ''Gun mantlet'' 38 mm (0-90°) ''Turret cast'' || 20 mm (6-7°) ''Front'' 25 mm (6°) ''Mid right'' 80 mm (6°) ''Mid'' 10 mm (6-7°) ''Rear'' || 10 mm (17-18°) 38 mm (82°) || 10 mm (80-90°) ''Rear'' 38 mm (75-78°) 20 mm (71°) ''Sides'' 38 mm (82-79°)''Turret cast''
|-
| Cupola || 60 mm || 60 mm || 60 mm || 44 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour* !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || 200 mm NERA + 80 mm RHA + 50 mm RHA || 150 mm NERA, 70 mm screens ''Side skirts''
|-
| Turret || 400 mm NERA + 100 mm RHA + 170 mm RHA 200 mm RHA ''Gun mantlet'' || 230 mm NERA + 20 mm RHA + 70 mm RHA
|-
|}


'''Notes:'''

* 50-200 mm RHA armoured ammo bins inside the crew compartment.
* 25 mm RHA armour plates next the driver position.
* Exterior fuel tanks separate the external side armour plate and the composite side armour plate.
* The floor armour thickness is 16 mm.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,886|rbMinHp=1,076|weight=63.6|AoAweight=1.1}}

The {{PAGENAME}} is fitted with a similar twin turbo V12 diesel engine to the Challenger 1, producing a maximum of 1,200 horsepower. The {{PAGENAME}} can reach a maximum forward speed of 66 km/h (41 mph) in AB and 59 km/h (37 mph) in RB. The vehicle's stock performance is lacklustre, with acceleration and manoeuvrability suffering due to the {{PAGENAME}}'s 62.5 tonne total weight. However, once all upgrades are researched, the {{PAGENAME}} performs acceptably, despite being generally out-classed by competitor vehicles like the M1A2 and T-80U. The {{PAGENAME}} also utilises a fully functional neutral steering system, and even when stock the vehicle's neutral steering ability is admirable - easiest used with manual gear selection to avoid shifting during traverse. Notably, the {{PAGENAME}}'s reverse speed is quite comfortable, with the vehicle capable of up to 36 km/h (RB/SB) backwards thanks to the two reverse gears.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}

The Challenger 2's primary armament is the 120 mm L30A1 cannon. Unlike most modern MBT cannons, the L30A1 is rifled as opposed to smoothbore. This is primarily due to the British preference for HESH ammunition availability (High-Explosive Squash Head), the design of which requires a rifled cannon for accurate fire. The rifled design has some positive attributes: it's extremely accurate with both HESH and APFSDS rounds, including at long range; however the downside is a limited selection of ammunition: the CR2 only has the L23A1, L26 and L27A1 APFSDS rounds, the L31A7 HESH round and the L34 Smoke round available to it.

The L30A1 has a base reload time of 6.5 seconds, improving to 5 seconds with an aced crew. As a result, the Challenger 2 sports the fastest reloading non-autoloaded 120 mm cannon in-game. In addition, the Challenger 2 allows the L30A1 a comfortable 10° of gun depression and a reasonable turret traverse speed.

The characteristics of the CR2 in combination with the L30A1 weight the vehicle towards a long-range sniping playstyle, generally the vehicle feels very comfortable doing as it minimises the inferior mobility of the vehicle by having it stay in the back, providing long range fire support and exploiting unaware enemies.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L30A1 (120 mm)|120 mm L30A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 29.5 || 40.8 || 49.6 || 54.8 || 58.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 18.4 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.1 || 31.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 493 || 491 || 487 || 481 || 474 || 468
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 564 || 562 || 557 || 551 || 545 || 538
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| L27A1 || APFSDS || 1,650 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
|-
| '''50''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 48 ''(+2)'' 45 ''(+5)'' || 45 ''(+5)'' 39 ''(+11)'' || 43 ''(+7)'' 31 ''(+19)'' || 41 ''(+9)'' 22 ''(+28)'' || 34 ''(+16)'' 14 ''(+36)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! colspan="3" | Visual discrepancy
|-
| 29 ''(+21)'' 5 ''(+45)'' || 5 ''(+45)'' 1 ''(+49)'' || ''4 (+46)'' N/A || 1 ''(+49)'' N/A || colspan="3" | No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Projectile racks 8 and 9, and propellant rack 7, are first-stage ammo racks.
* Hull front empty: 39 ''(+11)'' shells.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L37A2 (7.62 mm)|L94A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The Challenger 2 possesses one pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun and one coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. While these aren't particularly effective against tanks, they can be used as a aircraft deterrent, and lucky shots may result in critical damage or pilot snipes. Besides anti-aircraft fire, they're useful for clearing light obstacles and the crew of open-top vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,700 (100) || 650 || -10°/+25° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L94A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L94A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (2,000) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''The Challenger 2 excels as a sniper or a support tank''', and should be played as such whenever possible; the farther the better. As such, it's important to try to find reasonable cover, regardless of the situation, with the ideal position being hull-down, preferably with some degree of angling available to maximise the bouncing capability of the frontal turret roof section. The Challenger 2 is the slowest of the top rank MBTs - a fact which is extremely important to keep in mind when using it - and as such should never be expected to rush points or used for quick flanks.

'''Rural Combat'''

The CR2 is most comfortable in rural combat, where cover is generally plentiful and targets will often open themselves to fire when moving forward. This is particularly perceptible on maps such as [[Maginot Line (Ground Forces)|Maginot Line]], where, in most configurations, the main routes to capture points are open to snipers on hills throughout the landscape. In these situations the CR2 excels, able to hold a defensive position while protecting team members in faster MBTs and covering capture points.

'''Urban Combat'''

The Challenger 2 is less agreeable in urban situations, where proper cover is more rare and its fatal weak points are often more exposed. In some situations, such as [[Alaska]], the opportunity may arise to flank around the side roads and pick a somewhat protected position behind the ridges lining them. However, in other maps like [[American Desert]] or [[Cargo Port]] proper hull-down cover is sparse and the vehicle can only be utilised without proper protection. In situations such as this, the Challenger 2 is best played defensively holding angles and slowly pushing forward with careful attention to the local surroundings and where opposing vehicles may appear from.

'''Notable enemies'''

* [[Leopard 2A5]] - The 2A5 should be engaged with care: it has better overall protection than the Challenger 2, and in many situations can appear near-impossible to destroy at range. Aim for the gun mantlet with at least the intention of disabling the weapon; some rounds may make it past and knock crew out. If the frontal hull is presented, aim for the left side of the hull as usually the driver, gunner and commander are all lined up so they can be knocked out all at the same time, resulting in the Leopard's destruction.

* [[Leclerc]] - The Leclerc is in possession of one of the few rounds capable of penetrating the Challenger 2 UFP reliably. When in combat with the Leclerc, it's important to expose as little of the CR2 as possible - if the Leclerc is able to destroy your weapon, it will often be able to use its high speed to get close enough to finish you off.

* [[Ariete|C1 Ariete]]/[[Ariete PSO]] - The C1 Ariete and Ariete PSO with the CL1343 shell can penetrate nearly anywhere on the Challenger 2, with the exception of the outer turret cheeks (and even then, at close ranges and particular angles, it can punch through those). As such, it's a potent sniper and should be handled with care. Fortunately, the Ariete MBTs have somewhat sub-par protection characteristics, and the Challenger 2 will often prove itself capable of quickly dispatching an Ariete at any range.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely accurate main cannon with a fast reload, particularly for a 120 mm; also good gunner optics
* 10° of gun depression is highly useful and also increases the extremely good turret cheek protection
* 36 km/h reverse speed, a far cry from the early poor reverse speed of other British MBTs
* Has ESS, smoke shells and smoke grenades, a potential combat support tank
* Excellent armour protection levels and can get upgraded chemical protection with Dorchester armour pack
* Ammunition on the turret is inert; less vulnerable to overpenetrating shots by APFSDS, like on [[Ariete]]. (NATO tanks with "blowout panel" as [[IPM1]], get sniped through the turret)

'''Cons:'''

* A CR2 with an exposed hull is extremely vulnerable because of the negligible LFP armour
* Cannon mantlet area has unreliable armour; this is the worst weak spot as is impossible to hide while firing
* The frontal turret roof is somewhat vulnerable to chemical rounds when the optics or the machine gun is hit
* Ammunition propellants are strewn inside the vehicle; hull or side penetrations often result in ammo detonation (Avoidable with only 16 shells loaded)
* Sub-par acceleration and top speed relative to many other MBTs
* Prior to mobility upgrades being researched, manual neutral gear selection is required for reasonable hull traverse

== History ==

Work on developing a successor to the Challenger 1 began only a short time after the vehicle entered service with the British armed forces. Already by the mid-1980s, the Vickers company had developed a new MBT as part of a private venture. After requirements for a next-generation MBT have been issued, Vickers immediately submitted their design on the new Challenger 2 to the Ministry of Defence. Having briefly considered the adoption of the M1 Abrams, the Ministry decided to proceed with the Vickers design by ordering the construction of a prototype Challenger 2 for testing and evaluation. The Challenger 2 passed the evaluation and met expectations even when put through comparative testing against contemporary MBTs of other nations, such as the American M1 Abrams and German Leopard 2. Satisfied with the test results, the Ministry of Defence adopted the Challenger 2 and placed the first production order in 1993, with the initial batch consisting of 127 tanks in addition to 13 trainer vehicles. The first Challenger 2 tanks were delivered to the tank regiments by 1994. The Challenger 2 participated in several operations during the '90s and into the 2000s, ranging from peacekeeping missions on the Balkans to military interventions in Iraq. A number of Challenger 2 MBTs have also been exported to Oman, with this nation being the only operator of the Challenger 2, besides the UK. Production of Challenger 2 tanks seized in 2002 after all pending production orders were fulfilled, with close to 440 vehicles being produced. Since 2008, Challenger 2 tanks have constantly been undergoing modernization work, with a number of upgrade packages being developed. Thanks to these upgrades, the Challenger 2 MBT is expected to serve with the British Army well into the future.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6035-development-challenger-2-and-rank-vii-armored-vehicles-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_challenger_II Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|7YrtSp7ADe8|'''The Shooting Range #146''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the Challenger 2.|re-zMIOtSk0|'''Tank Chat #92 {{!}} Challenger 2: Full Length''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


* ␙Challenger 2 - ([[wt:en/news/6286-esport-war-thunder-youtube-cup-results-en|YouTube Cup 2019]] prize)

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6035-development-challenger-2-and-rank-vii-armored-vehicles-en|[Devblog] Challenger 2 and rank VII armored vehicles]]

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Concept 3

2022-10-18T18:53:56Z

U120664986: Completed tasks outlined in WSP, refreshed description and battle usage.

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_concept3_ngac
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

The Concept 3 is a direct ancestor in development to the well-know Rooikat family of vehicles, while lacking the level of agility those vehicles can attain. The Concept 3 is by no means a slouch, offering a fast and punchy contender to follow up from the SARC vehicles players will have experienced prior. Boasting the same firepower not seen until later British medium tanks on a nimble albeit fragile chassis.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Like the American [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]], the Concept 3 only has 12.7 mm (0.5 in) of armour in most areas, with some areas being only 6.5 mm. As a result, anything at this BR can penetrate this vehicle's armour. Compounding issues, the Concept 3 has ammunition storage scattered all throughout its body. In other words: while incoming fire from the sides is somewhat prone to overpenetration, this cannot be depended upon. Try to avoid being shot at in the first place.

However it is worth noting the geometry of the Concept 3 when presented from the front, while thin the armour can ricochet rounds with far more consistency than one might expect offering angles of around 65-80 degrees across the frontal profile.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
* Wheel (tires)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 12.7 mm (70°) ''Upper glacis'' 25.4 mm (31°) ''Lower glacis'' || 12.7 mm (25°) ''Top'' 12.7 mm ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm ''Rear armour'' 5 mm ''Engine grille'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 12.7 mm (19°) ''Turret front'' 25.4 mm (7-69°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 12.7 mm (18-19°) || 12.7 mm (21°) || 12.7 mm (10°) ''Front'' 6.35 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Wheels and torsion bars are 10 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 6.35 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
The Concept 3 signals the crystallization of the identity of the South African tech line. It is fast at it's BR, able to comfortable reach 70 Km/h+ when stock on paved roads and a respectable 40-50 Km/h across rough terrain with the common exceptions of boggy, sandy or snow covered ground. It will get the player where they wish to go swiftly, however owing to its 8 wheel design; it does offer a much more sluggish turning radius than its predecessor's in the SARC family. Or it's contemporary in the SPAA line the Ystervark. Take care to begin turning earlier than than previous vehicles to avoid crashing into a street corner or odd boulder.

The suspension is superb even stock, allowing the Concept 3 to maintain good speed across rough ground and steady the chassis swiftly upon halting. Crucial to bringing its armament to bear upon its target or a surprise encounter.{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=324|rbMinHp=185}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

At a BR 4.3 the threat of coming up against such formidable tanks such as the Tiger H1, IS-1 and the M4A3E2 Jumbo means that once the necessary acquiring of the parts and FPE kits, players are advised to prioritise the unlocking of the Shot Mk. 8. While the stock MK.6 can be sufficient in examples such as engaging the frontal plate of a Tiger H1. The extra penetration is more reliable insurance, particularly when engaging Russian tanks.

Further on it is advised to acquire the Horizontal turret drive as stock the traversal of the turret is poor, from there it is entirely up to players choice if they wish to improve the turrets elevation and accuracy or focus on the mobility aspect of the Concept 3 first.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|OQF Mk.II (77 mm)}}

Due to highly mobile playstyle, one might try to fight on the move or to attack by driving uphill to suddenly shoot enemies. Unfortunately, the gun is not stabilized and the gun elevation speed is extremely slow, which leads to the significant uncontrollable "rocking" of the gun, inevitably pushing it down into the ground. This makes fighting on the move in RB/SB very difficult to the point of impossible. Thus, one should always wait until the gun has settled, or drive over completely flat terrain and slow down before firing to try one's luck.

In AB, the rocking can be countered by maxing out "targeting" and "leadership", gaining at least "expert" crew qualification and getting all of the tank modifications. The gun will still shake a bit and fail when the car is moving over hills, but the gunner will try his best to stop this.

The gun also has a very powerful recoil, which slows the car down and can throw it around if fired broadside. It's generally not fatal, but it can be extremely annoying when firing to the side off slopes, because it will move the car and ruin the aim by pushing the car above the gun depression threshold.

Due to the low weight of the car, any enemy can ram the Concept 3 to prevent it from firing. Melee combat with tanks is possible, but going literally into their face is not recommended.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[OQF Mk.II (77 mm)|77 mm OQF Mk.II]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 14.3 || 19.8 || 24.0 || 26.5 || 28.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.78 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
While lacking the APDS rounds of the [[Comet I]], the Concept 3's rounds are pretty impressive for its BR, capable of penetrating the thickest of armour, including the dreaded [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]]. The post penetration damage won't be as good as an APHE round, but it is quite acceptable.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot Mk.6 || AP || 137 || 134 || 123 || 111 || 100 || 91
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9
|-
| Shot Mk.4 || APC || 137 || 134 || 123 || 111 || 100 || 91
|-
| Shot Mk.8 || APCBC || 152 || 149 || 137 || 124 || 112 || 101
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot Mk.6 || AP || 754 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 754 || 6.98 || 0 || 0.1 || 580 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shot Mk.4 || APC || 754 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Shot Mk.8 || APCBC || 754 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || 41 ''(+19)'' || 37 ''(+23)'' || 33 ''(+27)'' || 28 ''(+32)'' || 21 ''(+39)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* If you pack 21 ''(+39)'' shells, it will keep the turret empty of ammo.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Browning MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,500 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Concept 3 will be the first iteration of the iconic 8 wheeled light vehicles that return often along the South African tech line. This vehicle is extremely large for a scout vehicle, eclipsing the Panzer IV in height and length. Concealing the Concept 3 will prove to be a difficult challenge for the player, usually finding themselves relying heavily upon its mobility to compete.

As with most if not all of the south African vehicles, the Concept 3 boasts an excellent level of mobility. A viable tactic for the Concept 3 can be to advance swiftly to a good position and provide scouting support, taking shots of opportunity when they present themselves. The player is advised to prioritize positions that allow an easy avenue of escape to ensure the potent mobility of the Concept 3 is not rendered useless, especially the superb reverse speed of this vehicle.

The Concept 3 has little in the way of armour to rely upon, only being able to resist rifle calibre rounds where a flat strike is concerned. The vast majority of munitions fired at the Concept 3 will penetrate its armour, with some parts of the armour still thick enough to activate the fuse of an APHE round. Avoiding being struck is always the most favourable scenario for any vehicle. However the concept 3 can in instances show some surprising resilience in the harshly angled geometry of its frontal profile which boasts the aforementioned extreme angles of around 65-80 mm.

Many rounds such as the BR-350SP round utilised by the T-34 family have a ricochet chance of 100% at 71 degrees of angle. Meaning that a savvy Concept 3 player can use the respectable gun depression on 10 degrees to increase these angles and be a more tricky contender for an inexperienced opponent.

In conclusion, the Concept 3 can be reliably played the same way as the previous SARC vehicles albeit with a punchy gun and a little trickery in the armour department with ricochet.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun for its tier, good penetration and decent reload
* Fast with good acceleration when spaded
* Reverse speed is as good as forward speed, allowing for quick getaways
* Above average muzzle velocity

'''Cons:'''

* Solid shot ammunition only, accurate fire is needed to disable vehicles
* Suspension is quite bouncy and the gun elevation speed is slow, making shots difficult
* Turning is slow when stock
* Suffers in soft terrain, sometimes speed will drop massively upon the slightest obstacle
* Negligible armour, vulnerable to artillery overpressure
* Sub-par accuracy at range when stock
* Lacks a smoke grenade launcher

== History ==


The Concept 3 was based on the British FV603 Alvis Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier. It was designed to fulfil a new South African requirement for a "New Generation Armoured Car". The project started in 1976 and ended in 1979. 3 testbed vehicles were made, Concept 3 being one of them. The Concept 3 differed from the Alvis Saracen APCs - it had an 8-wheel configuration, giving it superior off-road characteristics and superior performance. The Concept 3 was fitted with a [[OQF Mk.II (77 mm)|77mm OQF Mk.II]], identical to the one found on the [[Comet I|A34 Comet I]] which, while underwhelming for the time was merely a placeholder and was later swapped for a [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm Royal Ordnance L7]] which was a licence built version of the same gun found on the British [[Centurion Mk 10]]. The L7 variant was known as the "Bismarck". The vehicle was built by South African company Sandock-Austral (later merged into BAE Systems), the same company credited with creating and producing the Ratel family ([[Ratel 20]] / [[Ratel 90|90]]) and the [[Eland 90 Mk.7]]. Several tests were conducted over the years at Potchefstroom, South Africa. The Concept 3 series was nicknamed the "Cheetah" and the vehicle was officially designated "Concept 3, Class 2B" and was built to slightly different medium specifications, raising the original weight of the vehicle from a modest 17 tonnes to a rather considerable weight of up to 23 tonnes.

When all is said and done, the Concept series deviated from the original vision of the Armoured Personnel Carrier, morphing into a light Armoured Fighting Vehicle or reconnaissance car. The original intended role of Armoured Personnel Carrier was ultimately fulfilled by the excellent Ratel family which doubled as an effective Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Therefore the South African National Defence Force ultimately cancelled the order for the Concepts, and immediate further development of the Concept programme was promptly terminated.

However, the legacy of the Concept cannot be asserted enough: the basic design of the Concept and in particular its chassis would later become that of the Rooikat family ([[Rooikat 105]] / [[Rooikat MTTD|MTTD]] / [[Rooikat Mk.1D|Mk.1D]] / [[ZA-35]]) which are still used to this day. The Concept, while often forgotten, disregarded and dishonoured is perhaps one of the most - if not the most - influential military vehicle design in South African history.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_concept3_ngac Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|GSSJKUqU3WE|'''The Shooting Range #260''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related developement

* [[Rooikat Mk.1D]]
* [[Rooikat 105]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain light tanks}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Ystervark

2022-10-13T23:45:54Z

U120664986: Completed tasks outlined in WSP

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_ystervark_spaa
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

The Ystervark much like it's namesake (A 'Cape Porcupine' for those curious) can be a very prickly foe for an enemy team to deal with. With its tiny and nimble frame, accurate and fast firing 20 mm cannon. It can pull any unwary aircraft crashing down from the sky within its reach, provided the player is attentive and clever with their positioning.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


As is the case with most truck or flatbed-based SPAA vehicles, the entire crew is not protected by any meaningful armour or cover. The commander and gunner sit freely outside unprotected and the driver at most is protected by thin armour and bulletproof glass. The bulletproof glass may in extreme cases or angles stop rifle calibre fire and even the odd 20 mm round keeping the driver safe but the thin armour that comprises the cabin renders any potential the glass holds practically null and void.

The survivability of this vehicle lies in it's compact size and speed, the Ystervark will endure at the hands of a shrewd and map-savvy player. The vehicle can hole up in smaller spaces or bury itself comfortably in thickets and bush. It can find itself nestled amongst burning wrecks or even climb into some building ruins. it also presents a small and hard to hit target when rushing away at its top speed to elude danger.

'''Armour type:'''

* Structural steel (chassis)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (cabin, truckbed, hood)
* Bulletproof glass (windshield)
* Wheel (tires)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Chassis || 2-5 mm (12-82°) ''Grille & Bumpers'' || 4 mm ''Top'' 4 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' 5 mm ''Chassis'' || 4 mm (19°)
!
|-
| Drivers cabin || 4 mm (12°) ''Cabin'' 60 mm (12°) ''Windshield'' || 4 mm (0-7°) ''Cabin'' 60 mm (0-7°) ''Windshield''
!
| 2 mm (2°)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Wheels are 10 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick.
* Vents and mudguards are 2 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=176|rbMinHp=110}}

With a top speed of 89 Km/h, the Ystervark is a very fast vehicle. Compared to most other vehicles it's weight of merely 6 metric tonnes renders it incredibly agile, able to clamber readily up steep slopes and turn tight corners without the loss of much speed. However this comes with one downside in the form of the reverse speed; the Ystervark has a reverse speed of only -13 Km/h meaning that getting into a position is easy, but not always as easy to escape it when things turn south if accelerating forward is not an option.

The suspension on the Ystervark is superb, maintaining a very stable base on the vehicle when performing manoeuvres such as turns on hills or crossing uneven solid terrain. The 20 mm gun is very much operable when driving at speed owing to the performance of this suspension even while stock.

As with all wheeled vehicles, beware such terrain types as: Snow, muddy ground and deeper sand. The Ystervark suffers greatly when it is bogged in these terrain types and loses it's one greatest asset: it's agility.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|GAI C01 (20 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[GAI C01 (20 mm)|20 mm GAI C01]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 600 (75) || rowspan="2" | 996 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+83° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 39.6 || 54.8 || 66.6 || 73.6 || 78.4 || rowspan="2" | 9.10 || rowspan="2" | 8.05 || rowspan="2" | 7.42 || rowspan="2" | 7.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 26.8 || 31.5 || 38.3 || 42.3 || 45.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''M594:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''M601:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="7" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Belt
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Default || 57 || 52 || 37 || 24 || 15 || 10
|-
| M594 || 57 || 52 || 37 || 24 || 15 || 10
|-
| M601 || 57 || 52 || 37 || 24 || 15 || 10
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 20 mm M601 || HVAP-T || 1,100 || 0.11 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 77° || 72°
|-
| 20 mm M594 || HEF-I || 1,054 || 0.12 || 0 || 0.1 || 27.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
|-
| '''8''' '''600''' || ''Magazines'' ''Rounds'' || 7 ''(+1)'' 525 ''(+75)'' || 6 ''(+2)'' 450 ''(+150)'' || 5 ''(+3)'' 375 ''(+225)'' || 4 ''(+4)'' 300 ''(+300)''
|-
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
!
|-
| 3 ''(+5)'' 225 ''(+375)'' || 2 ''(+6)'' 150 ''(+450)'' || 1 ''(+7)'' 75 ''(+525)'' || 0 ''(+8)'' 0 ''(+600)'' || No
!
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Ammunition is divided into 8 magazines of 75 rounds.

== Usage in battles ==

The Ystervark can be an exceptional ambush predator in the right hands. Whether your prey of choice is the flanks of unsuspecting tanks or aircraft buzzing overhead.

Staying low and unseen with a patient mindset when driving the Ystervark can be greatly rewarding to the player, with a 75 round fast firing belt of 20 mm ammunition the player can use their small size to lurk where aircraft will complacently fly low and not traditionally avoid (Like the opposing team's spawn where most SPAA prefer to seat themselves.). With this in mind the gun has the speed and accuracy to seize on opportunities created by the stealthy approach, often snapshot bursts are enough to bring an aircraft down with enough practise.

The same tactics can be employed on vehicles, however bare in mind the 57mm maximum penetration of the HVAP-T shells is the best the vehicle can get, further modifications from stock only change the belt composition. While this is sufficient for most medium tanks and light tanks the Ystervark will encounter at a BR of 4.3 in ground realistic there will be the appearance of many heavy tanks at this bracket such as the M6A1 at 5.0 or in a full up tier the Tiger H1 at 5.3. Neither of which the 20 mm HVAP-T can penetrate from the side.

When engaging aircraft such as strike fighters, it is advisable to employ a conserving attitude with trigger time. 75 rounds is sufficient but the fast firing rate of the 20 mm GAI C01 cannon can burn through that entire belt in just under five seconds (around 4.8 seconds during testing). With a 7 second reload from an untrained crew this can be enough time for a focused fighter to turn back and strafe the vehicle when it is completely defenceless if close enough, which owing to the non-existent nature of significant protection on the Ystervark will most of the time end in the vehicles demise.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fast rate of fire allows it easily score hits with a burst on an aircraft's flight path
* Small profile makes it very easy to conceal itself
* High top speed of 90 km/h means great agility
* Lack of armour means conventional cannons will struggle to knock it out with a single shot if poorly aimed
* 75-round belt allows it to confidently engage targets without worrying too much about reloading

'''Cons:'''

* The driving compartment can obstruct the autocannon's gun depression which might be sometimes fatal
* No armour protection, making it highly vulnerable to MG bullets, shrapnel, and even ramming from tanks and aircraft
* Is wheeled, meaning its mobility will be significantly worsened on bad road conditions
* Reverse speed of -13 km/h can be inadequate, especially when comparing to its counterpart [[R3 T20 FA-HS|R3 T20]]
* Gunsight is position far above the gun, which can be awkward to aim in simulator
* Complex appearance can make it hard to place bushes, decorators, and decals

== History ==

Up until the early 1980s, the SADF anti-air regiments were reliant on towed equipment. However, as the military doctrine shifted towards mobile warfare, the need for a self-propelled anti-air gun unit became clear. As a result, South African engineers began working on a respective design, which had to be rugged enough to withstand the harsh South African terrain and threat of landmines, yet light enough to ensure a high level of mobility.

Building on the basis of a previous mine-resistant vehicle project, the engineers came up with a light SPAAG design, built on top of the Bulldog APC chassis between 1983 and 1984. Entering service almost immediately, the Ystervark was used to accompany South African mechanized battalions and to protect strategic assets, such as air bases in the southwest African region. Ystervarks were first employed operationally during Operation Thunder Chariot in 1984 - a division -scale exercise in South Africa during which the Ystervarks were first tested.

However, the Ystervarks didn’t have to wait long for their first combat deployment. Taking part in several operations in the ongoing South African Border War from 1986, Ystervarks were used to great success as deterrents to low-flying Angolan attack aircraft and helicopters, even downing several Angolan MiGs in 1986 and 1987. After the conclusion of the Border War in 1989, the Ystervark was gradually being phased out of service in 1991 and replaced by the SAMIL 100 Kwêvoël mine-protected SPAAG armoured truck called the Bosvark. Officially, the Ystervark was withdrawn from active service in 1997 after more than 70 units were produced.

''- From [[wt:en/news/7390-development-ystervark-the-little-truck-that-could-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_ystervark_spaa Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7390-development-ystervark-the-little-truck-that-could-en|[Devblog] Ystervark:The Little Truck That Could]]

{{Britain anti-aircraft vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Chieftain Mk 3

2022-10-13T22:39:45Z

U120664986: Update to ammo racks information

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Chieftain (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_chieftain_mk_3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]] and established the series of end-game ground vehicle for the British tree. The Chieftain imposes a formidable force of reckoning on the battlefield with its heavily sloped armour and powerful [[Ordnance BL Tk. L11 (120 mm)|120 mm armament]].

The Chieftain series maintains the traditional UK lower front plate weak spot and strong turret armour of the Centurion series of tanks while increasing the firepower. Top speed increases from the Centurion line, but overall mobility is comparably worse.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (hull front, turret front half, cupola)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull sides, hull rear, hull roof, turret rear half, turret roof, cupola roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 70-127 mm (43-79°) ''Front glacis'' 76.2 mm (43-44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 88-220 (8-30°) + 13 mm ''Front Top'' 50 mm (1-31°) ''Center Top'' 37 mm (30°) + 13 mm ''Rear Top'' 37 (10°) + 13 mm ''Bottom'' || 37 mm (1-7°) || 13-28 mm
|-
| Turret || 125-250 mm (2-81°) ''Turret front'' 100-220 mm (1-53°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 45-196 mm (1-65°) || 45 mm (1°) || 50.8 mm ''Front'' 25 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 150 mm || 25 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick while bogies are 19 mm thick.
* Armour thickness throughout the vehicle is very complex and the tank relies more on sloping thickness to enhance its effective armour.
* The metal boxes on the sides of the turret and hull are 13 mm of structural steel.
* The belly of the {{PAGENAME}} is 15 mm thick (6°).

A major improvement from previous British MBTs is the Chieftain's thick, sloped armour. Reaching a compound-angled 152 mm on the turret and a respectable 86 mm at 71° on the upper front hull, the Chieftain can actually resist point-blank shots from some cannons it will face at its battle rating. In an up-tier, however, most of these benefits have less impact. This tank should avoid exposing its hull as certain tanks at 8.3 and above can penetrate the hull with an APFSDS shot, knocking out the entire crew or detonating an ammo rack. The armour around the gun breech leaves something to be desired. Lower-rank APDS rounds (e.g. a T-54/55's APDS) can penetrate the right turret face at closer ranges, incapacitating the gunner and commander. The lower glacis is 76 mm at 45°, leading to a significant disadvantage in close-range engagements. Even 7.3 tanks (and many below 7.3) will always penetrate the lower glacis. The Chieftain also has thin side armour, meaning that the tank is vulnerable to flank attacks. The thin side armour also means angling the hull is not effective. A Chieftain should remain hull down (at the very least covering the lower frontal plate) to best take advantage of its armour profile.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1,023|rbMinHp= 584}}

The {{PAGENAME}} suffers from a poor power-to-weight ratio. It is slow to reach its top speed of 45 km/h on almost any surface and will turn very slowly even when all mobility modules are researched. The {{PAGENAME}} especially struggles uphill and when pivoting. It has decent reverse speed (~ -9.4 km/h, compared to the -13 km/h reverse speed of tanks on the Centurion chassis).

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The first upgrades to head for are ''Parts'' and ''FPE'' for increased survivability. Then prioritize mobility upgrades (the {{PAGENAME}} needs all the mobility it can get) and gun accuracy upgrades (to further enhance its accurate fire).

;Modules to get in order, maximizing recovery and speed first:

* Parts
* FPE
* Tracks (critical for hull rotation speed)
* Adjustment of Fire
* Elevation Mechanism
* Horizontal Drive
* Other mobility upgrades as needed

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Ordnance BL Tk. L11 (120 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ordnance BL Tk. L11 (120 mm)|120 mm Ordnance BL Tk. L11]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 53 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 21.4 || 29.6 || 36.0 || 39.8 || 42.4 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 13.4 || 15.8 || 19.1 || 21.1 || 22.5
|-
|}

The cannon's reload rate is much faster than average for its calibre at its BR (7.5 seconds with an ace crew).

==== Ammunition ====
The Chieftain's 120 mm gun has access to APDS and HESH when stock, with a smoke shell as only unlockable ammunition. The L15A3 APDS shell has a very good slope modifier compared to other APDS and will penetrate essentially any vehicle at its battle rating, but has relatively weak post-penetration effects. The L31A7 HESH shell is slow and behaves similarly to other HESH shells in the game. It is a more situational round.

The available ammunition allows for engaging all types of targets:

* '''L15A3''': APDS; an armour-piercing round with a discarding sabot that has a good penetration power and no explosive filler. As it lacks post-penetration damage, the tactic with an APDS shot is to either knock out the majority of the tank's crew or to provoke ammo or fuel detonation by targeting their respective locations. This requires good knowledge of the layouts of potential opposing vehicles. Use the Protection analysis feature in the hangar menu to analyse potential foes for their weak spots! Also, keep in mind that with increased armour thickness the number of shrapnel shrinks.

* '''L31A7''': HESH; a high-explosive squash head projectile works very differently from other shell types. It ignores any angle, except for ricochet, and deals damage by metal-flakes which are blown off inside the armour by the exterior explosion. To create this deadly shrapnel inside the tank, make sure to only hit armour plates which are a direct part of the interior crew compartment of the tank. Hitting exterior parts of a tank like spaced armour, the suspension, tracks etc. will not harm crew members/modules at all. Currently, only true armour thickness (as opposed to the line of sight thickness) will provide sufficient means of protection, benefiting the USSR turret designs and in general German tanks. Like all high-explosive shells, the fuse is very sensitive and can be set-off by most objects e.g. fences, trees, posts. The slow muzzle velocity of this shell can make it quite hard to hit targets at longer distances, but at the same time it can be handy because its arc trajectory allows it to land hits on enemies hiding behind shallow hills.

* '''L34''': Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L15A3 || APDS || 320 || 315 || 305 || 294 || 280 || 270
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L15A3 || APDS || 1,372 || 7.48 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! 13th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''53''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 52 ''(+1)'' 49 ''(+4)'' || 49 ''(+4)'' 37 ''(+16)''|| 43 ''(+10)'' 25 ''(+28)''|| 41 ''(+12)'' 21 ''(+32)''|| 39 ''(+14)'' 12 ''(+41)''|| 37 ''(+16)'' 5 ''(+48)'' || 35 ''(+18)'' 1 ''(+52)'' || 30 ''(+25)'' N/A || 25 ''(+30)'' N/A || 18 ''(+35)'' N/A || 11 ''(+42)'' N/A || 5 ''(+48)'' N/A || 1 ''(+52)'' N/A || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
* Projectile racks 10 to 13 and propellant racks 4 to 7 are first stage ammo racks. They total 24 shots and get filled first when loading up the tank.
* To go into battle with the front hull empty of ammunition, pack 25 ''(+28)'' shells (projectile racks 1 to 9 emptied / propellant racks 1 to 3 emptied).

==== Optics and night vision ====
The magnification of the gunner's optics on the {{PAGENAME}} is ok, but not anything special compared to other tanks it faces. There is only a minimal difference between the default magnification and the zoomed in magnification.

The {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with a fairly basic night vision system, consisting of image intensifiers and an IR searchlight, there is no thermal imager. The image intensifiers are fairly standard compared to those fitted to vehicles of the same time period, they have a lower resolution and higher noise than those fitted to later vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic
! rowspan="3" |Magnification
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]
|-
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier
! rowspan="2" |{{Annotation|Thermal Imager Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! rowspan="2" |Notes
|-
! {{Annotation|Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! {{Annotation|Light Mult|By how much the image intensifier amplifies the existing light, primarily useful for comparing image intensifiers}}
! {{Annotation|Noise Level|How much noise is present in the image (how grainy the image is)}}
|-
! Gunner's Sight
| X7.25 - X8 || 800 x 600 || 8.0 || High || Not Fitted || Image intensifier unlocked by "NVD" mod (tier 3)
|-
! Commander's View
| X6 || 800 x 600 || 8.0 || High || Not Fitted || Image intensifier unlocked by "NVD" mod (tier 3)
|-
! Driver's View
| X1 || 800 x 600 || 5.0 || High || Not Fitted || Image intensifier unlocked by "NVD" mod (tier 3)
|-
|}

The IR searchlight on the {{PAGENAME}} is mounted in a distinctive box on the left hand side of the turret, it has a wide beam compared to other searchlights; however due to its placement some of the turret blocks some of the light which would otherwise go to the right. In practice this slightly narrows the beam, compared to the theoretical angle listed below (it is still much wider than other searchlights though).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Night_Vision_Devices#Infrared_Spotlights|IR Searchlight]]
|-
! Max Range
! Beam Width
! Location / Notes
|-
| 1,500 m || 15.3° || Searchlight mounted in box on left hand side of turret, does not pitch up or down.
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L21A1 (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L21A1 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm L21A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 588 (3) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The 12.7 mm L21A1 machine gun is specifically used to determine ranging for the main gun. While the game indicates a very short clip of 3 rounds, it is in fact more accurate to say that the MG only fires small bursts of 3 rounds. It is not fired alongside the other machine guns but through the "Fire from secondary guns" option (Controls > Ground Vehicles > Weaponry).

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|L37A1 (7.62 mm)|L8A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L37A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L37A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (100) || 650 || -10°/+50° || ±180°
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 6,000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the 7.62 mm machine gun makes them largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment.

== Usage in battles ==


Fundamental advantages of Chieftain Mk 3 are its fast fire rate and high penetration. Few vehicles within its BR range can resist the Chieftain's firepower, with some exceptions possibly being a well-positioned [[T95|T95]] or [[Maus|Maus]]. Because the 120 mm APDS shells have such high penetration, one should aim for critical internal modules rather than armour weak points. This requires good knowledge of the enemy tanks. You should know where shells, fuel tanks, and crew reside in the vehicles you'll face.

'''Defensively:''' 
The Chieftain's gun is very accurate when equipped with all gun modules -- move to a location overlooking enemy movements from long range. Maintain a hull-down position whenever possible to hide your weaker hull. Consider placing camouflage bushes on your turret to force your enemy to spend more time aiming.

'''Offensively:''' 
The Chieftain's common enemies are the German Leopard 1 tanks and Soviet T-54s. Aim for the hull to either knock out the enemy crew or detonate the hull ammunition stowage. Don't hesitate to try this on IS-3/4 or T-10M as your gun still has sufficient penetration.
Other tanks can be easily knocked out or disabled by aiming for crew members. Don't forget that reload time is your best friend.
While manoeuvring, beware to the width of Chieftain; it's very easy to make the mistake of exposing weak areas of the hull.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Turret armour strong enough to resist APDS, HEATFS and even some APFSDS shells
* Upper frontal plate is heavily sloped, providing adequate protection against enemies of the same rank
* Excellent reload time for a 120 mm (7.5-9.5 seconds)
* Access to 320 mm penetrating APDS shells and powerful HESH shells immediately
* 10 degrees of gun depression
* Has access to a dual plane stabiliser
* Includes an additional range finding .50 calibre machine gun that can be bound to a separate key
* Unlike other British tanks, it has a respectable reverse speed
* Only armour piercing round is unlocked from stock, so no need to grind for best shell

'''Cons:'''

* Weak hull armour overall
* Lower frontal plate is very poorly armoured and has an ammo rack behind it
* Very weak side and rear armour
* Ammo rack everywhere
* Small ammo variety (APDS or HESH only) means that it struggles with modern composite armour
* APDS deals minimal, punctual damage
* Slowest of all MBTs
* Poor mobility on rough terrain

== History ==


===Concept===
The idea of a "universal tank" began in Britain in 1944 when Montgomery and other influential people began advocating for a more standardized tank to replace the cruiser and infantry tank classes used on the field. Efforts did not start until after World War II under the General Staff designation A45, with development starting just as the new cruiser tank [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion]] started to enter military service. The A45 was cancelled in 1948 after development troubles and its inability to be used as a "universal" platform. Ironically, the Centurion proved to be a better "universal tank" platform than the A45.<ref name="DunstanChieftain">Dunstan Simon. ''Chieftain Main Battle Tank 1965-2003'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2003</ref>

===Development===
The [[Centurion Mk 10|Centurion]] tank series was very successful in British and its allies' service, but the development of new Soviet armour such as the [[IS-3]] and [[T-54 (1951)|T-54/55]] caused the British tank arms race to take another leap forward. The development of the Centurion's successor began in 1951 under the name ''Medium Gun Tank No. 2''. The project's priority was gun and armour, but with mobility to be equal to the Centurion's and a weight of fewer than 45 tons. The weight limit caused a program known as the Concept Study Programme to commence in order to find ways to keep the tank under that weight limit yet meet all the armour and firepower specifications. One of the concepts that came out was the usage of bagged charges, which were already in use on naval ships but were a new concept for tank ammunition. Thus, a gun using the bagged charge propellant system began development in 1954, along with a new specification by General Staff that the Medium Gun Tank No.2, now known as ''FV4201'', uses a conventional four crew tank with a turret and a better gun and armour than the Centurion. Though the [[Conqueror|Conqueror heavy tank]] was one such response to the firepower requirement, limited production cut that to only 200 units built.<ref name="DunstanChieftain">Dunstan Simon. ''Chieftain Main Battle Tank 1965-2003'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2003</ref>

The biggest bump to the firepower of the FV4201 was the recommendation of a 120 mm calibre tank cannon. Though the Conqueror used a 120 mm, the new one would incorporate more innovative features such as the bagged charges. Other design features added were the usage of a Rolls-Royce V8 engine, an auxiliary engine, an automatic gearbox, and a reclining seat for the driver. The reclining seat was a very new feature in tank design as it reduced the vehicle's hull height and thus gave it a lower profile. Leyland Motors was assigned to be the main designer for the tank despite their commitment to the Centurion production lines. The manufacturing process of the tank was decided to be cast rather than welded. In 1957, several specifications added to the FV4201 impeded its attempt to fit into the specifications. A bigger turret was designed and it mounted IR equipment for night fighting. Troops requested more frontal and turret side armour, which along with the turret change caused an increase in the tank's overall weight. A controversial decision was also made in 1957 by NATO that tanks should have multi-fuel engines. The FV4201 installed a new engine conforming to these standards in 1958, a German engine derived from a Junkers Jumo aviation engine. This extended development time since the engine compartment had to be redesigned to fit the engine, raising the total tank weight to 50 tons. The engine, designated the L60, was received with a mixed reception by the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) and other users due to its novel features. Britain stayed as the only user of a multi-fuel engine in the Cold War as many other nations found the concept impractical and abandoned it.<ref name="DunstanChieftain">Dunstan Simon. ''Chieftain Main Battle Tank 1965-2003'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2003</ref>

As the FV4201 finalized its prototype stages, General Staff sent a revised specification for it. The tank was to have the firepower of the Conqueror with the mobility of the Centurion, an armour that maximizes the protection-weight ratio, a weight limit at 45 tons with a top speed of 26 mph and an operating range of 300 miles. The first wooden prototype was made in March 1959, with full prototypes ordered in June 1959 for troop trials. Vickers-Armstrong and Royal Ordnance Factory shared the manufacturing process and the first prototypes were built in January 1960. The first two prototypes FV4201 were trialled in Germany alongside their new [[Leopard I|Leopard 1]]. The greatest issue with the FV4201 was the engine, which caused many failures due to vibration, a result of the flawed multi-fuel concept. Trials were delayed due to a lack of parts to fix broken pieces and redesigns were requested to fix problems. After a lengthy trial period in 1962, the FV4201, now named the '''Chieftain''', was sent to the operational unit in Germany for service and combat trials. The Chieftain was finally accepted for service in 1st May 1963, despite the many faults in the design. The first deliveries of the improved and redesigned Chieftains began in mid-1965. These were the ''Chieftain Mk.1's'', which further revealed problems with the horsepower that the ''Mk.2'' was designed and sent in April 1966. The '''Chieftain Mk.3''' rolled out of the production lines in September 1969, it now weighed 53 tons and the L60 engine was producing 650 hp, still underpowered for the weight. Engine failures were still frequent and left the Chieftain with a sour note until the ''Mk.5'' variant fixed these pressing issues with a new engine and NBC protection. The Mk.5 would be the main variant of the Chieftain in British service. During its production life from 1965 to 1985, a total of 2,265 Chieftains would be built by Britain, with about 1,000 used by the British Army.<ref name="DunstanChieftain">Dunstan Simon. ''Chieftain Main Battle Tank 1965-2003'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2003</ref>

===Service===
The first British units to receive the Chieftains were the 1st and 5th Royal Tank Regiments back during the trials. The Chieftain, despite its initial engine flaws, proved to be combat-proof and could be upgraded to fit new requirements. Some of these upgrades were the addition of composite add-on armour to fight off new anti-tank technology such as the HEAT rounds. The Chieftain earned the title "most formidable tank in the world" during the 1960s Cold War period and also redefined the specifications of a "main battle tank". Its success is due to its novel main gun and heavily sloped armour, as well as satisfactory mobility and speeds able to compete with the Leopard 1. The Chieftain stayed in use by the British Army On the Rhine on the German border with the Warsaw Pact, which caused the Soviets to in turn station their best tanks such as the T-64 against the Chieftains. The British retained the Chieftains all the way until 1995 when it was replaced by the Challenger I.

The Chieftain was also successful in the export market, primarily in the Middle East to the hands of Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, and Oman. Another user of the Chieftain was Israel, with Britain initially agreeing to help set up production for locally produced Chieftains. Two Chieftains were sent for trials among the Israeli Defense Force in 1967. After two years of trials and deliberation for the acquirement of the Chieftains, Britain ultimately refused to offer the Israelis the Chieftain for political reasons. The Israeli trials benefit Britain with data on desert combat with the Chieftain, however, and the refusal did jump start Israel's tank program that would become the ''Merkava''.

Despite that, sales to the Middle East soared, with Iran being the major buyer of the Chieftains with at least 887 of mostly the MK3 and MK5 variants sent to them before their revolution in 1979. The Chieftain saw prolonged combat in the Middle East in the Iran-Iraq War, including Operation Nasr which was the largest tank vs. tank battle of the war where the Iranian Chieftains and [[M60A1 (AOS)|M60A1 Pattons]] fought against the Iraqi [[T-62]]s. After that war, the Chieftain in Kuwait then saw combat fighting the Iraqis during their invasion in 1990. Kuwait eventually replaced their Chieftains with the Yugoslavian M-84 tanks, which are a variant of the Soviet T-72s.

The Chieftain is still in service in Iran, Jordan, and Oman in varying numbers, about 100 in Iran, 350 in Jordan, and 27 in Oman. The Chieftains underwent local upgrades to keep them up to date against a modern threat, such as the Iran ''Mobarez'' Chieftain upgrade.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_chieftain_mk_3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|3ZqP6YN8fjY|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|YN_lGpnF_nk|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|W4R1fPzk-tU|'''Review: {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|D3OF9IvtHLk|'''Tank Chats #34: Chieftain''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[Chieftain (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T-62]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/885|[Devblog] The Chieftain tank: A very British warlord!]]
* [[wikipedia:Chieftain_(tank)|[Wikipedia] Chieftain (tank)]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/UK/chieftain.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> FV4201 Chieftain]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=83 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> Chieftain MBT]

=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Leyland}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

File:Ammoracks Chieftain Mk 3.png

2022-10-13T22:32:13Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Chieftain Mk 3.png

[[Category:Ammo racks]]

File:Ammoracks Caernarvon.png

2022-10-13T01:01:21Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Caernarvon.png

Ammo racks layout of the [[Caernarvon]].

[[Category:Ammo racks]]

File:Ammoracks Caernarvon.png

2022-10-13T01:01:17Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Caernarvon.png

Ammo racks layout of the [[Caernarvon]].

[[Category:Ammo racks]]

Caernarvon

2022-10-13T01:00:44Z

U120664986: Updared Ammo racks information to current

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_fv221_caernarvon
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced along with the initial British tree line in [[Update_1.55_"Royal_Armour"|Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]]. Featuring heavy armour on the hull with a [[Centurion Mk 3]] turret, the Caernarvon provides adequate armour, mobility with the bite of a 20-pounder. The variant featured in the game is the ''Mark II'', the experimental series with the 20-pounder whereas the ''Mark I'' was the initial prototype with a 17-pounder instead.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola)
* Structural steel (side skirts, mudguards, storage boxes)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 127 mm (60°) ''Upper glacis'' 76.2 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50.8 + 4 mm || 38.1 mm ''Upper plate'' 20 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis'' || 127 mm (30°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (0-7°) ''Driver compartment'' 18 mm ''Centre'' 8 mm ''Engine vent'' 8 + 18 mm (7°) ''Radiator vent''
|-
| Turret || 120 + 152 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret front - Centre'' 89-152 mm (5-11°) ''Turret front - Sides '' 100-152 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' 200 mm ''MG port'' || 89 mm (5-9°) || 89 mm ''Bustle'' 89 mm (17-22°) ''Turret base'' || 50.8 mm (19°) ''Front'' 29 mm ''Centre'' 50.8 mm (4-32°) ''Peripheral edge''
|-
| Cupola || 152 mm (cylindrical) ''Base'' 29 mm (51-75°) ''Upper part'' || 152 mm (cylindrical) ''Front half'' 90 mm (cylindrical) ''Rear half'' || 90 mm (cylindrical) || 29 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Steel boxes and side skirts located on the hull and turret sides add 4 mm of armour.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1046|rbMinHp= 716}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|20pdr OQF Mk.I (84 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[20pdr OQF Mk.I (84 mm)|84 mm 20pdr OQF Mk.I]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 16.18 || 22.40 ||27.20|| 30.08 || 32.00 || rowspan="2" | 8.19 || rowspan="2" | 7.25 || rowspan="2" | 6.68 || rowspan="2" | 6.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.90 || 14.00 || 17.00 || 18.80 || 20.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The AP round is good to knock out crew members at it creates spalling. The solid shot does usually more damage inside enemy tanks than the APDS but its penetration power is lesser. When using APDS, target ammo racks (which it will easily set off). Know the weak spots on most vehicles s well as the crew's and modules' positions as you don't have rounds with explosive filler. The APDS shot can penetrate any Panthers' UFP, and also the Ferdinand's and Ho-Ri's frontal armour.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot Mk.1 || APCBC || 232 || 229 || 216 || 201 || 187 || 173
|-
| Shot Mk.3 || APDS || 285 || 283 || 262 || 239 || 218 || 198
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot Mk.1 || APCBC || 1,000 || 9.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Shot Mk.3 || APDS || 1,400 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 600 || 7.5 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,130 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| 20pdr Shell SS Mk.1 || 250 || 9.3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
|-
| '''65''' || 63 ''(+2)'' || 61 ''(+4)'' || 53 ''(+12)'' || 45 ''(+20)'' || 37 ''(+28)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 29 ''(+36)'' || 9 ''(+56)'' || 5 ''(+60)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || No
|-
|}

Notes:

* Shells are modelled individually and disappear from the rack after having been loaded in the breech.
* Racks 8 and 9 are first stage ammo racks. They total 8 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,600 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the BESA machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==


;Arcade Battles

In Arcade Battles, it is recommended to take mostly APDS shells, because the gameplay is much more reactive and it's more important to penetrate an enemy vehicle wherever you hit - because you don't have time to aim, or the enemies are very fast-moving due to increased horsepower.

In terms of game strategies, the Caernarvon is very versatile (almost MBT-like). You can get into sniping positions and rain shells on all enemies that enter your line of sight (or target the more armoured vehicles such as the Ferdinand and the Ho-Ri Production, which are impenetrable to many tanks around 6.7); you can also serve as a breakthrough tank, not because of armour, but because of speed and the stabilizer which allows you to shoot on the move at enemies that dare block your path; or, you can flank, although that role is often taken by much faster vehicles such as Ru 251, BMP-1 and R3.

To succeed in Arcade, you must learn to use your advantages, most notably the stabilizer and the APDS round. For example, whenever you are in a stand-off with a non-stabilized tank - get into cover, and when they try to drive out to hold your angle, you can also drive out and shoot them, because your gun will be ready to fire faster than theirs, even though they started driving out of cover before you.

;Realistic Battles

In Realistic Battles, most players prefer to take out the solid shot, because it has the potential to damage many more components while maintaining decent penetration values. However, you should take your time to aim this shot, because it will not penetrate some tougher enemies (e.g. Ferdinand, Ho-Ri Production, or IS-3/IS-4), or take some APDS rounds with you.

When playing the Caernarvon in Realistic Battles, try to play a supportive role. You don't know where the enemies are, and your armour will not save you from an ambush, so rely on your teammates to lead the way. Here, the sniping strategy is much more viable, because your round velocities are very high, making aiming over 1 km much easier, moreover 10 degrees of depression allow you to play in hilly areas and take pot shots at unsuspecting enemies (especially the Russian tanks, who lack gun depression). You can still push forward with your team because your stabilizer still allows you to take much more accurate reactive shots (or when on the move).

To succeed in Realistic, you must use cover and let your teammates take the shots. Usually, you will be able to return fire to avenge a teammate, and most of the time you get the kill, due to easy gun handling.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* The Caernarvon is like a beefed up Centurion Mk 3
** Same armament as the Centurion Mk 3, has a very good stock round and access to APDS, no learning curve
** Upper front plate is extremely strong - it has 127 mm thickness at a 60° angle
** Hull roof and most of the turret roof is 51 mm thick, so it will sustain heavy tank HE
* Gun reloads a bit faster than enemies with the same calibre
* Fast turret and hull traverse
* Good acceleration
* Brake system is very responsive
* Access to gun stabilizer
* Extremely strong gun mantlet
* Armour profile on the turret face is inconsistent - enemies think twice before firing

'''Cons:'''

* Although it is designated as a heavy tank, the Centurion turret sabotages its armour and it will be destroyed almost on autopilot by anyone familiar with the Centurion weakspots (almost everybody at this point)
* Lower glacis is still a weak spot, roof still can be breached by artillery tanks
* Large ammo rack behind LFP (can be removed by bringing less than 34 shells)
* APDS shot has little post-penetrative spalling
* No explosive filler in any regular shells
* Weak side armour, should not be exposed in any way when engaging an enemy
* Top armour covering the engine is still only 8 mm
* HEATFS shells can often easily penetrate the armour, even from the front

== History ==

===Development===
In 1944, General Staff started a project called ''A45 Infantry Support Tank'', which started around the same time as the development of the [[Centurion Mk 3|A41 Centurion]] cruiser tank. This project, after the war, was redesignated from a typical "Infantry Tank" and instead focused on a new role of a "Universal Tank" design in the form of the FV 200 series. The "Universal Tank" concept was to design a vehicle that would have a mobility comparable to that of cruiser tanks, but with the armour and firepower of heavy tanks. The FV 200 series designation was adopted and was to serve as a line of vehicles that used the same hull and chassis in different roles like armour recovery vehicles and self-propelled guns. The first tank of this series was to be the FV 201, which would be 55 tons and had the 20-pounder gun.

In 1949, a new requirement for the project called for the use of a 120 mm gun, possibly in response to the reveal of the Soviet [[IS-3]] heavy tank in the Berlin Victory Parade in 1945. This new requirement would delay the initial deadlines for the tank as no gun of that caliber had been developed yet. As a interim development before such a gun could be made, the FV 201 hull was mounted with a turret from a Centurion Mk.2, which had a 17-pounder gun. This Centurion turret mated FV 201 tank was designated the '''FV 221 Caernavon''', with a ''Mark I'' for the 17-pounder. The later combination of the [[Centurion Mk 3]] turret instead of the Mk.2 upped the armament of the tank to the more powerful 20-pounder gun, this version named the ''Mark II''. About 21 units of the Caernarvon Mark II was made in this method.

===Successor===
The Caernarvon, powerful as it was at the time period, was intended to fulfill the role of the new "Main Battle Tank" concept in the FV 200 series. However, the success of the lighter Centurion cruiser tank made it apparent that the Centurion was more capable in that role than the heavier and less mobile Caernarvon. Thus, this role was not given to the Caernarvon and its design was used instead for further chassis development for future tank development. In 1955, the basis of the Caernarvon was built into the first [[Conqueror|Conqueror]] tank. Several Caernarvon Mk.II's were rebuilt into Conqueror Mk. 2 standards in between 1958 and 1959.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=britain&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=uk_fv221_caernarvon Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|gR3JPNt0iPw|'''Heavyweight brits''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:02 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|9ayZTC2A6Ks|'''T34 vs {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|Fjh-tTr6TPs|'''Best Combo #2''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:00 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|fvOxbA46lZc|'''{{PAGENAME}} - How To Master It - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|p7ggBFTdxCk|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[Conqueror]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[Charioteer Mk VII]]
* [[FV4202]]
* [[Centurion Mk 3]]
* [[Centurion Action X]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T34]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Conqueror_(tank)|[Wikipedia] Conqueror (tank)]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar-uk-tank-medium-gun-fv221-caernarvon/ <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Tank, Medium Gun, FV221 Caernarvon]

{{Britain heavy tanks}}

File:Ammoracks Caernarvon.png

2022-10-13T00:51:56Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Caernarvon.png

Ammo racks layout of the [[Caernarvon]].

[[Category:Ammo racks]]

Conqueror

2022-10-12T23:58:15Z

U120664986: Updated the Ammo racks section and uploaded a new diagram image to show ammo order

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_conqueror_mk_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the initial British ground tree. Designed to combat the Soviet [[IS-3]], the Conqueror gives the British line a much-needed vehicle with an emphasis on armour and firepower, with a [[M58 (120 mm)|120 mm L1A2 cannon]] capable of defeating all of the Rank V competition it will face.

The Conqueror was the tank the [[Caernarvon]] hull was designed for. The Caernarvon itself only being a stop-gap measure, with most models being upgraded to Conquerors once the type was approved for production. The Conqueror augments this hull with a significantly upgraded turret design housing the 120 mm L1A2 cannon.

The Conqueror deviates from most earlier British designs, favouring firepower and armour. This, combined with its somewhat limited mobility, results in the Conqueror proving to be one of, if not the single most effective sniper and support tank at its rank. Despite this, it can be put to good use in close-range engagements.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Conqueror trapshot mantlet .png|thumb|400x400px|A basic weak spot of the Conqueror; the gun mantlet. The area is hit because of Conqueror's poor depression. It can be targeted by large-calibre HE, APDS and Sabot shells. -''The shown camouflage is known as 'Phalanx', part of the 'Night vision' trophy.'']]
The Conqueror utilises the same hull as the Caernarvon does, with respectable frontal armour capable of shrugging off rounds from many adversaries. Unfortunately, this hull suffers from similarly weak side and rear armour - and as such angling, the vehicle can prove extremely dangerous if it exposes the side too much. The Conqueror replaces the Caernarvon's Centurion-based turret with a fresh design, providing much better crew spacing and protection. The turret is not without its weaknesses, however; the commander's cupola protrudes quite significantly and APHE or HESH shells may disable internal turret components or crew members. There is also a weak section directly behind the mantlet at the top of the turret, penetration of which will disable crew or the breech/horizontal turret drive.
Trap shots are possible, it is likely to get shot with a high calibre HE, capable of damaging the tank by hitting the base of the turret and exploding into the driver and/or ammo rack just below it. Unlike with similar tank [[M103]] though, for most heavy tanks HE can only penetrate the driver hatch, taking them out, and damage the gun breech on a good hit. SPG calibre HE (like 152 mm of [[Object 268]]) will definitely destroy the roof armour and ammo rack, resulting in a knock-out, unless only a few shells are being carried (which is highly impractical). Non-HE shells are less likely to ricochet and do significant internal damage like this, but it is still possible to push them into the tank.

The frontal track guards are also very vulnerable at particular angles and can be exploited even when sides are not exposed to instantly destroy the tank using nearly any gun, like with [[Churchill Mk VII]]. The more realistic scenario, however, is high calibre HESH hitting the ground next to them and setting the tank on fire or outright destroying it. Fortunately, most tanks which are capable of this and are going out of their way to use HESH instead of HEAT are British and can only be your opponent in AB, in RB the likelihood of receiving such hit is greatly reduced.

The Conqueror has a researchable add-on armour package which improves the vehicle's survivability to HEAT rounds and by a small amount to kinetic rounds.<ref name="dtic" />

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
* Structural steel (Side skirts)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 130 + 20 mm (59°) ''Front glacis'' 76 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 51 + 6 mm || 38 mm ''Top'' 20 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 44 mm ''Front'' 17 mm ''Crew hatch'' 17 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Turret || 152-313 mm (0-68°) ''Turret front'' 89-200 mm (0-78°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 89-233 mm (1-48°) || 50 mm (1-34°) || 51 mm 31 mm ''Square area near gun'' 17 mm ''Crew hatches''
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 203 mm (0-17°) || 70 mm (12-14°) || 51 mm 17 mm ''Crew hatch''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Front of turret vary in armour thickness, from 152 mm to 313 mm, but it is all very sloped due to turret design.
* The front of the turret roof has an additional armour plate of 31 mm in thickness.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,046|rbMinHp=716|AoAweight=1.1}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has reasonable mobility, despite its weight, thanks to a powerful engine and favourable gearbox ratios. It does suffer from a somewhat limited top speed of 34 km/h, however it reaches this speed fairly easily on-road and on smooth off-road surfaces. The vehicle has surprisingly responsive hull traverse due to the engine power and neutral steering capability. The {{PAGENAME}} has a reasonable reverse speed for a British vehicle, however it shouldn't be relied on too heavily.

When the add-on armour package is researched and equipped, the vehicle's weight will increase by 1.1 tonnes, resulting in a minor decrease in mobility.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Ordnance QF Tk. L1A2 (120 mm)}}

The 120 mm L1A2 is a powerful gun, derived from the M58 mounted on the M103 heavy tank. Unlike the M103's selection of HEAT or AP, the Conqueror instead utilises HESH and APDS ammunition, and again unlike the M103, mounts a two-plane stabiliser. The L1A2 exhibits excellent accuracy and long-range performance, although due to the sub-par post-penetration effects of APDS in some cases multiple rounds are required to secure a knock-out, particularly at range where critical components or ammunition is less reliably hit.

Despite this, the Conqueror performs admirably as a sniper, covering capture points or thoroughfares, and should primarily rely on APDS with careful thought as to placement. HESH may prove useful against lighter vehicles or in cases where a target's side armour is exposed, but otherwise should not be relied on for anything besides pure luck. It's important to remember that the Conqueror has a reasonably long reload of 19.4 seconds at base; and as such careful consideration should be made as to what to prioritise disabling first.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ordnance QF Tk. L1A2 (120 mm)|120 mm Ordnance QF Tk. L1A2]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 35 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 13.2 || 18.3 || 22.2 || 24.5 || 26.1 || rowspan="2" | 19.37 || rowspan="2" | 17.14 || rowspan="2" | 15.80 || rowspan="2" | 14.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 9.7 || 11.4 || 13.9 || 15.3 || 16.3
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L1G || APDS || 362 || 361 || 359 || 354 || 339 || 321
|-
| Shell L1TK || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L1G || APDS || 1,493 || 7.6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| Shell L1TK || HESH || 792 || 15.87 || 0.1 || 4 || 3,970 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
!Ammo
type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
!7th
rack empty
!8th
rack empty
!9th
rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''35'''
|''Projectiles''
|34 ''(+1)''
|31 ''(+4)''
|29 ''(+6)''
|27 ''(+8)''
|23 ''(+12)''
|22 ''(+13)''
|17 ''(+18)''
|9 ''(+26)''
|1 ''(+34)''
|No
|-
|''Propellants''|| 35 ''(+0)'' || 34 ''(+1)'' || 33 ''(+2)'' || 32 ''(+3)'' || 23 ''(+12)'' || 9 ''(+26)''
|1 (''+34)''
|N/A
|N/A|| No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* The first propellant rack (1) contains only a single charge of propellant, so even when bringing a full load of 35 rounds this rack will always be empty as the first round loaded into the gun upon spawn.
* It is advised to take 22 rounds into combat if you wish to maximise available shots but remove the propellant charges racked just beside the driver if considering the weak spot that is the lower front plate of the Conqueror.
* The propellant portion of the ready rack is comprised of one single charge rack and one seven charge rack. As these spaces make up the 8 round ready rack ammo count they are considered as a single rack for the purposes of deciding how much ammo to take. However if a player were to take only 7 rounds the single rack to the left of the loader would be empty of a charge.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|L3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The Conqueror sports two machine guns, one of which is pintle-mounted and may prove itself a deterrent to some close air support. The machine guns may on occasion prove useful for destroying incoming ATGMs, given a bit of luck.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,750 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 3,750 (250) || 500 || -10°/+30° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Conqueror can be effectively played as a sniper, or a steady breakthrough tank, providing the vehicle's slow reload and weak lower front plate are considered. This heavy tank should not be played in a brawling role. It will easily be flanked and disposed by the side armour plates. Commanders are advised to remain on some of these roles:

'''Sniper Role'''

When used in a sniper role, the Conqueror should utilise extreme ranges with some form of cover available, in case the situation goes awry. Ensure awareness is maintained for light flanking vehicles or enemy sniping vehicles on off-angles that may be able to disable the Conqueror through side armour. Play conservatively, avoiding wasting shots, having to wait for the long reload time, and avoid exposing the hull where possible.

Remember the rangefinder and if possible find locations that cover the hull of the Conqueror.

'''Breakthrough Role'''

The Conqueror may be utilised in a breakthrough role, although it should be played conservatively with allies and with a level of map awareness at all times. The stabilised gun allows the conqueror to comfortably fire on the move - a rare piece of equipment at the rank - this gives it a distinct advantage over most targets it will face at close range, with the ability to reliably hit targets without waiting for the suspension sway to subside. However, the vehicle's slow reload means that calculated shots are a requirement, and wasting any round may have dire results.

As usual, keep in mind that the vehicle's sides and lower front plate are particularly vulnerable and exposing either to enemy fire will often result in the Conqueror's destruction. If the advance seems to be failing, or the Conqueror is on risk to be flanked. Remember the good reverse speed, this along smoke cover will grant second chances.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* APDS round is extremely powerful and accurate, with a maximum of 362 mm of penetration at 10 m/0°
* HESH ammo may have surprising results, and can prove particularly effective against light or side armour
* The L1A2 cannon is fully two-plane stabilised, allowing it to be fired accurately on the move
* Coaxial machine gun has ballistic performance similar to the HESH round and may be used for ranging
* Turret and upper front plate are very sloped and armoured, with very few weak points
* Add-on armour offers more protection in the form of spaced armour to the turret cheeks and upper plate
* Well-spaced crew make the vehicle unlikely to be affected by crew knock-out in a single hit
* Reasonably good mobility despite weight and huge gun
* Rangefinder allows for accurate distance measuring up to 1,300 m

'''Cons:'''

* HESH is not reliable against any vehicle with semi-decent armour; requires high skills and knowledge of the enemy
* Long reload time (19.4 second base) for British standards, although relatively standard for calibre
* Only 7.62 mm machine guns
* Particularly weak side armour and lower front plate; will be commonly targeted areas
* Only 17 mm of protection on the wide engine deck will be targeted by planes
* Top speed is limited at only 34 km/h; it faces really mobile enemies such as the [[Leopard (Family)|Leopards]]
* Penetrations in the turret ring area often results in ammunition detonation; ammo racks are strewn all-around

== History ==


===Development===
In 1944, General Staff started a project called ''A45 Infantry Support Tank'', which started around the same time as the development of the [[Centurion Mk 1|A41 Centurion]] cruiser tank. This project, after the war, was redesignated from a typical "Infantry Tank" and instead focused on a new role of a "Universal Tank" design in the form of the FV 200 series. The "Universal Tank" concept was to design a vehicle that would have a mobility comparable to that of cruiser tanks, but with the armour and firepower of heavy tanks. The FV 200 series designation was adopted and was to serve as a line of vehicles that used the same hull and chassis in different roles like armour recovery vehicles and self-propelled guns. The first tank of this series was to be the FV 201, which would be 55 tons and use the 20-pounder gun.

In 1949, a new requirement for the project called for the use of a 120 mm gun, possibly in response to the reveal of the Soviet [[IS-3]] heavy tank in the Berlin Victory Parade in 1945. This new requirement would delay the initial deadlines for the tank as no gun of that calibre had been developed yet. As a interim development before such a gun could be made, the FV 201 hull was mounted with a turret from the Centurion tank and this created the FV 221 [[Caernarvon]], with Mark I for a 17-pounder armament and a Mark II for a 20-pounder armament. However, the success of the lighter Centurion tank made the Caernarvon unsuitable in a "Main Battle Tank" role. Further development on the Caernarvon, with emphasis on the armour and armament, would develop the '''FV 214 Conqueror''' tanks, some were straight up conversions of Caernarvon Mark IIs. About 185 Conquerors were produced in Mk.1 and Mk.2 variants from 1955 to 1959.

===Design===
The FV 214 Conqueror, also known as the "Tank, Heavy No. 1, 120 mm Gun, Conqueror", was intended to provide a mobile, long-range anti-tank support for the lighter and more numerous Centurion tanks stationed in Germany. As a response to the heavy [[IS-3]] tank in Soviet service, the tank's armament and armour is taken up and beyond extreme to typical NATO armour development. The armour, with a frontal plate of about seven inches (178 mm), made the tank one of the most protected tanks stationed in West Germany. The abundance of armour made the tank heavy, weighing 64 tons, and this impeded the tank's top speed and made it mechanically unreliable. However, the tank was very mobile in cross-country terrain, seen as equal as the lighter and faster Centurion tank.

The gun was the very large 120 mm cannon, the largest calibre tank gun available when it was introduced. The gun was American-developed, the same 120 mm cannon that would arm the [[M103|M103]] heavy tank. The gun uses a two-piece ammunition and the tank allowed for a ammo stowage of 35 rounds. Another notable feature of the Conqueror aside from its large cannon and thick armour was the unique and rotatable commander's cupola. In the cupola was the Conqueror's fire control system and had many features that made it ahead of its time. Being able to be rotated independent from the turret, plus with a coincidence rangefinder, the commander could align the cupola to a target, measure its range, and direct the gunner to the designated target. While the gunner located and engage the target, the commander could go and find a different target to designate and range.

===Usage===
The Conqueror were all stationed in West German in the armoured regiments stationed there. Each regiment received 9 Conquerors and were organized in groups of three as tank troops to support the Centurions in any conflict that arise from the tense situation of the Cold War. As history played out, the Cold War never became "hot" and no hostile conflicts arise in the borders of Germany, thus the Conquerors never saw any use aside from training as they were all exclusively stationed on the German borders. The Conqueror's intention to provide a long-range anti-tank capability for the Centurions, became less significant when the Centurions began to arm themselves with the more powerful 105 mm L7 gun, such as the [[Centurion Mk 10]]. The lower tactical value of the Conqueror and further development on heavy tanks in Britain had the Conquerors replaced in 1966 with the much more powerful and armoured, yet lighter, [[Chieftain Mk 3|FV 4201 Chieftain tank]].

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_conqueror_mk_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|gR3JPNt0iPw|'''Heavyweight brits''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 6:21 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|94S5XQwnX2I|'''The Shooting Range #108''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|JmaDhygkvDg|'''Tank Chats #145 <nowiki>| Conqueror |</nowiki> The Tank Museum''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Related Development

* [[Caernarvon]]
* [[Conway]]

;Shared operational history

* [[Centurion Mk 10]]
* [[Caernarvon]]

;Analogues of other nations

* [[IS-7]]
* [[IS-4M]]
* [[T-10M]] / [[T-10A]]
* [[M103]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/850/|[Devblog] Сenturion Mk III and Conqueror Mk II]]
* [[wt:en/devblog/current/870|[Devblog] Conqueror Armor Investigation]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="dtic">[https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a474293.pdf Trials against Conqueror tanks with additional ballistic protection - Part 2 The use of large hollow charge warheads.pdf]</ref>
</references>

{{Britain heavy tanks}}

File:Ammoracks Conqueror.png

2022-10-12T23:29:33Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Conqueror.png

[[Category:Ammo racks]]

File:Ammoracks Vickers Mk.7.png

2022-10-12T18:04:22Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Vickers Mk.7.png

Last checked: 2.19.0.76
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

File:Ammoracks Vickers Mk.7.png

2022-10-12T18:04:19Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Vickers Mk.7.png

Last checked: 2.19.0.76
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

Vickers Mk.7

2022-10-12T14:24:16Z

U120664986: Removal of defunct second ammo rack image

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Vickers MBT (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_vickers_mk7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]].

The Vickers Mk.7 is a prototype tank design by Vickers during the 1980s. The tank featured a capable fire control system, an effective and tested L11 120 mm gun, similar to those on the [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]] and as a novelty for the British tech tree, the turret is mounted on the chassis of a [[Leopard 2A4|Leopard 2]].

This very raw input in mobility from the Leopard's engine, matched with the sturdy Chobham armour inside the Vickers turret, grants the veteran tankers of the British tree a fairly unique and dynamic balance of mobility, firepower and armour for a variety of playstyle options.

The tank is not only well balanced in the 3 main categories, but is also armed with improved TOGS, laser rangefinders and various smoke discharging equipment; turning this MBT into a dangerous opponent to meet on the battlefield.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' 30 mm (82°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 10 mm + 10 mm (5°) ''Top - Front'' 20 mm + 10 mm (5°) ''Top - Rear'' 35 mm ''Bottom - Front'' 20 mm ''Bottom - Centre & rear'' 5 mm ''Side Skirts'' 20 mm (39°) ''Bottom - Belly'' || 20 mm (12°) ''Upper plate'' 20 mm (17°) ''Centre plate'' 20 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30-35 mm (8°) ''Front'' 20 mm (0-8°) ''Centre and rear'' 5 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 20 mm (3-53°) ''Turret front'' 30-35 mm (54-75°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 20mm (6°) ''Turret side'' || 20 mm (0°) ''Turret rear'' || 40 mm (0-12°) 20 mm ''Loader hatch''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (cylindrical) || 20+20 mm ''Outer ring'' 20 mm ''Dome''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* A 20 mm plate reinforces the hull sides' top area.
* A 8 mm plate separates the crew compartment from the engine compartment.
* Additionally to the outer armour, composite armour is present:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull
| '''Front glacis''' 90 - 350 mm ''Kinetic'' 243 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
| N/A
|-
| Turret
| '''Turret cheeks''' 350 - 500 mm ''Kinetic'' 350 - 650 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet (Centre)''' 250 - 300 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
| '''Side armour''' 150 mm ''Kinetic'' 315 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}

The Mk.7 uses the same 120 mm L11A5 rifled gun as the [[Challenger Mk.3]]. Shell loadout is identical and works well for mid-Cold War era tanks such as the [[Type 90]], [[Leopard 2A4]], [[T-64B]]/[[T-72A]]/[[T-80B]], etc., but may struggle when fighting more modern vehicles such as the [[Leopard 2A5]], [[T-80U]], [[Leclerc]], etc.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 34.3 || 47.4 || 57.6 || 63.7 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || 25.2 || 30.6 || 33.8 || 36.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 471 || 469 || 464 || 458 || 450 || 444
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,550 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x300px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 18 ''(+32)'' 18 ''(+32)'' || 12 ''(+38)'' 15 ''(+35)'' || ''12 (+40)'' 10 ''(+40)'' || 3 ''(+47)'' 3 ''(+47)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' 1 ''(+49)'' || N/A N/A || No
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* First stage ammo racks (ready racks) are denoted with *.
* In the case of projectiles racks 4 and 5*. The rack is shared but the outer half of the ammunition is used as the ready rack and the inner half is stored ammo and thus considered as rack 4 for the purposes of determining load order.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Vickers Mk.7 is a main battle tank, and thus a tank that should be on the frontlines being the first line of attack. It is considered one of the best armoured MBTs at its battle rating. This is due to its composition; a Leopard 2A4 hull which offers protection against all CE threats except [[9M133]] Kornet and is able to stop APFSDS rounds with <400 mm penetration, and a custom British turret similar to the [[Challenger 2]] which offers protection against all CE threats except 9M133 Kornet and APFSDS rounds with <405 mm penetration. Thanks to this, the Vickers Mk.7 can be used in a variety of engagements at both short and long ranges with high chances of survivability.

'''In urban combat:'''

Close quarters combat is one of the most risky engagements in the game, but thanks to the superb armour of the Vickers Mk.7, it is able to have multiple engagement modes when in CQC.

''Battering Ram:''

Vickers Mk.7 can be used as the tank who will push through the enemy line due to its armour. Be aware of how the chassis is poked between corners as the hull is only armoured in the frontal plate. Any shot fired at the track's sprocket can be fatal as there is no armour to stop the incoming shell. When fighting in an uptier, avoid being the battering ram as all 10.3-10.7 vehicles can punch through any part of the frontal armour (including turret) and destroy the tank in a couple of shots. Be aware of facing enemy tanks like the [[Leopard 2A6]] and [[Leclerc S2]] which have extremely powerful APFSDS rounds that will go through the Vickers Mk.7's armour like hot knife through butter. When in a downtier, you are able to be the battering ram as only a couple vehicles at the battle rating will be able to pierce through your armour (tanks like the [[Type 16]], [[T-62M-1]] and [[Type 74 (Family)|Type 74]] will be able to punch through your armour between 8.7 and 9.7, be aware as they penetrate between 405 mm and 450 mm of armour with APFSDS). Try to stick with people behind you so friendlies can assist you if needed, sometimes who can pull you with a winch could save both's life.

''Bastion defence:''

Due to the high survivability, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to hold defensive positions (cap points, strategic locations, etc) quite well, as well as repelling and counter-attacking any aggressor with ease. Due to its powerful engine and transmission, it is able to move forward, fire, and move backwards in quick succession.

''*Note: the Vickers Mk.7 most prominent weak spot in the turret is the mantlet, always be on the lookout to hide it as much as possible or by wobbling your turret a little so enemies have a smaller chance to hit the mantlet.''

'''In rural combat:'''

Due to the longer ranges compared to the urban combat, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to use multiple techniques and combat roles to fulfil the player's preference.

''Sniper:''

Thanks to the high velocity stock ammunition, the Vickers Mk.7 is able play as a sniper in long range maps. This, with the addition of the laser rangefinder and thermal imaging sights, makes the Vickers Mk.7 a fearful sniper as only certain tanks will be able to pierce your turret past 500 m. Be aware as, despite having a strong hull, always try to get in hulldown position in order to hide the frontal weakspots of your tank (lower frontal plate, turret ring). At longer ranges, enemies will take more time in order to hit and damage the Vickers Mk.7 if hulldown.

''Flanking:''

As much as crazy it sounds, the Vickers Mk.7 has an impressive speed of 75 km/h even with all the armour. Thanks to this, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to move around and push behind enemy lines and retreat or move to wherever is needed. Thanks to the stabilizer, it is able to fire on the move if needed for a quick "Hit 'n' Run" tactic. It has a slow reload rate (7.8 seconds stock) which can cause issues when engaging targets in a fast manner. Use smoke if needed to retreat and relocate.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Accurate main gun with HESH and smoke as support rounds
* Excellent mobility in all directions, also effective off-road mobility
* Respectable turret armour compared to some tanks at the battle rating; fearful when in downtier
* Decent stock APFSDS shell (394 mm at 100 m at 0°)
* Powerful gun optics (4.0x - 12.0x FOV: 18-6), gun depression, TOGS and laser range finder: excellent tank hunting capabilities
* Two-piece ammunition is stored separately; reduced risk of detonation

'''Cons:'''

* Large and tall profile; difficult to conceal from tanks, aircraft or helicopters
* Difficulties when fighting sloped armour at long distances, chiefly Soviet [[T-72 (Family)]] or [[Leopard 2A6]]
* Ammo rack behind the turret with no blowout panels
* Armour protection nearly useless against high velocity FIN-shells (e.g., [[Leopard 2A4|DM13]], [[T-64B|3BM42]], [[PTZ89|DYW1]])
* Weak spots in hull and turret: gun mantlet, driver position and armourless sides and weak LFP inherent from [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]

== History ==

After quite a few private tank ventures, and the unsatisfactory development of the Vickers Mark 4, also known as Valiant. The Vickers company brought another design aimed to develop a capable MBT. Either as a replacement for the Challenger Mk.1 then currently in service, or as a valuable modern tank for the exportation. With the support of the Krauss-Maffei company, Vickers matched the up-rated turret of the previous Mark 4 Valiant MBT, with an identical [[Leopard 2A4]] chassis. Thus creating in June 1985, what it became known as Vickers MBT Mark 7.

The Leopards' MTU 838 engine capabilities were well known, and the match with the improved Valiant's Mk 4 turret protected by the powerful Chobham Armour, resulted in an acceptable weight of over 54 tons, providing a top speed of 72 km/h. A speed which was unlikely from most British MBTs of the time - Specially from previous MBTs as the already out phased [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]].

Vickers' prototype got fitted with the L11 120 mm gun, the same gun as the contemporary Challenger 1. After these modifications, the Mark 7 went under trials in Egypt, September of the same year. In 1986, using some technologies of the defunct MBT-80 project, the Mark 7 received even greater upgrades: 2nd generation thermal sights with increased resolution, improved stabilization systems for the main gun, reduced thermal and electromagnetic signatures and a new telescopic laser sight. Effectively reworking on the IFCS (Improved Fire Control System) for the 120 mm L11A5 cannon. Equally formidable, the Leopard 2 chassis matched perfectly this gunnery refits; turning the Mark 7 in a very steady tank while firing on the move.

Bittersweet experiences on the CAT 87 (Canadian Army Trophy) with the Army's Challengers 1 pitted against [[Leopard (Family)|Leopards 2/1]] and [[M1 Abrams]], made some interest on the Vickers Mk.7 project. Therefore, in October 1987, a comparison test on the Lulworth Gunnery Ranges was performed between a Challenger 1 and a Vickers Mark 7. CHIP (Challenger/Chieftain Improvement Programme) was looking for projects and new technologies to integrate into the serving Challengers 1. At the firing range, Challenger 1 hit seven out of the 8 targets in an engagement time of approximately 21.7 seconds. While the Vickers Mark 7 achieved successful hits to all 8 targets in only 12.5 seconds. This is likely due to old Chieftain's cannon and gunnery systems being fitted into the newer Challenger 1, with only slightly major gunnery improvements aside from TOGS - unlike the modernized Vickers Universal turret.

This universal turret also made possible not only the installation of an IFCS but the modification for different gun mounts such as the Royal Ordnance's L7 105mm gun. The turret was made in this universal configuration since it was hoped this would suit any potential exportation customers needs, or at least, grow in interest for the British Army. While the army did recount experience in the Vickers Mk 7 and the technologies improvement on gunnery and target requisitioning, in the end, they not procured any contract for it. All the technology research and tests made between the Challenger 1 and the Mk.7 instead lead Vickers and the MOD to develop what was to be known as; the [[Challenger 2]].

Without the interest of the British Army, high productions costs, international political situations and the dependency on a German-made hull, the Vickers Mk.7 did not succeed on the exportation market. Any further research was then halted and the project cancelled, with a single prototype built.

While the fate might seem short-lived, the Vickers Mk.7 proved to be an invaluable leap forward in the modernized MBT development. Not only regarding the CR2 but also because in 1986 the Universal Vickers turret was reproduced to be used by Engesa, on the Brazilian EE-T1 Osório Main Battle Tank

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_vickers_mk7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|NHRUSJ79Re4|'''The Shooting Range #175''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:38 discusses the Vickers Mk.7.}}

== See also ==


'''Related development'''

* [[Leopard 2A4]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6438-development-vickers-mk-7-the-steel-centaur-en|[Devblog] Vickers Mk.7: The Steel Centaur]]

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

Vickers Mk.7

2022-10-12T14:15:48Z

U120664986: correcting spelling and mistyping

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Vickers MBT (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_vickers_mk7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]].

The Vickers Mk.7 is a prototype tank design by Vickers during the 1980s. The tank featured a capable fire control system, an effective and tested L11 120 mm gun, similar to those on the [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]] and as a novelty for the British tech tree, the turret is mounted on the chassis of a [[Leopard 2A4|Leopard 2]].

This very raw input in mobility from the Leopard's engine, matched with the sturdy Chobham armour inside the Vickers turret, grants the veteran tankers of the British tree a fairly unique and dynamic balance of mobility, firepower and armour for a variety of playstyle options.

The tank is not only well balanced in the 3 main categories, but is also armed with improved TOGS, laser rangefinders and various smoke discharging equipment; turning this MBT into a dangerous opponent to meet on the battlefield.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' 30 mm (82°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 10 mm + 10 mm (5°) ''Top - Front'' 20 mm + 10 mm (5°) ''Top - Rear'' 35 mm ''Bottom - Front'' 20 mm ''Bottom - Centre & rear'' 5 mm ''Side Skirts'' 20 mm (39°) ''Bottom - Belly'' || 20 mm (12°) ''Upper plate'' 20 mm (17°) ''Centre plate'' 20 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30-35 mm (8°) ''Front'' 20 mm (0-8°) ''Centre and rear'' 5 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 20 mm (3-53°) ''Turret front'' 30-35 mm (54-75°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 20mm (6°) ''Turret side'' || 20 mm (0°) ''Turret rear'' || 40 mm (0-12°) 20 mm ''Loader hatch''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (cylindrical) || 20+20 mm ''Outer ring'' 20 mm ''Dome''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* A 20 mm plate reinforces the hull sides' top area.
* A 8 mm plate separates the crew compartment from the engine compartment.
* Additionally to the outer armour, composite armour is present:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull
| '''Front glacis''' 90 - 350 mm ''Kinetic'' 243 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
| N/A
|-
| Turret
| '''Turret cheeks''' 350 - 500 mm ''Kinetic'' 350 - 650 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet (Centre)''' 250 - 300 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
| '''Side armour''' 150 mm ''Kinetic'' 315 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}

The Mk.7 uses the same 120 mm L11A5 rifled gun as the [[Challenger Mk.3]]. Shell loadout is identical and works well for mid-Cold War era tanks such as the [[Type 90]], [[Leopard 2A4]], [[T-64B]]/[[T-72A]]/[[T-80B]], etc., but may struggle when fighting more modern vehicles such as the [[Leopard 2A5]], [[T-80U]], [[Leclerc]], etc.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 34.3 || 47.4 || 57.6 || 63.7 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || 25.2 || 30.6 || 33.8 || 36.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 471 || 469 || 464 || 458 || 450 || 444
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,550 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x300px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}_(2).png|thumb|[[Ammo racks]] of the Vickers Mk.7. Additional charges not visible in first image]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 18 ''(+32)'' 18 ''(+32)'' || 12 ''(+38)'' 15 ''(+35)'' || ''12 (+40)'' 10 ''(+40)'' || 3 ''(+47)'' 3 ''(+47)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' 1 ''(+49)'' || N/A N/A || No
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* First stage ammo racks (ready racks) are denoted with *.
* In the case of projectiles racks 4 and 5*. The rack is shared but the outer half of the ammunition is used as the ready rack and the inner half is stored ammo and thus considered as rack 4 for the purposes of determining load order.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Vickers Mk.7 is a main battle tank, and thus a tank that should be on the frontlines being the first line of attack. It is considered one of the best armoured MBTs at its battle rating. This is due to its composition; a Leopard 2A4 hull which offers protection against all CE threats except [[9M133]] Kornet and is able to stop APFSDS rounds with <400 mm penetration, and a custom British turret similar to the [[Challenger 2]] which offers protection against all CE threats except 9M133 Kornet and APFSDS rounds with <405 mm penetration. Thanks to this, the Vickers Mk.7 can be used in a variety of engagements at both short and long ranges with high chances of survivability.

'''In urban combat:'''

Close quarters combat is one of the most risky engagements in the game, but thanks to the superb armour of the Vickers Mk.7, it is able to have multiple engagement modes when in CQC.

''Battering Ram:''

Vickers Mk.7 can be used as the tank who will push through the enemy line due to its armour. Be aware of how the chassis is poked between corners as the hull is only armoured in the frontal plate. Any shot fired at the track's sprocket can be fatal as there is no armour to stop the incoming shell. When fighting in an uptier, avoid being the battering ram as all 10.3-10.7 vehicles can punch through any part of the frontal armour (including turret) and destroy the tank in a couple of shots. Be aware of facing enemy tanks like the [[Leopard 2A6]] and [[Leclerc S2]] which have extremely powerful APFSDS rounds that will go through the Vickers Mk.7's armour like hot knife through butter. When in a downtier, you are able to be the battering ram as only a couple vehicles at the battle rating will be able to pierce through your armour (tanks like the [[Type 16]], [[T-62M-1]] and [[Type 74 (Family)|Type 74]] will be able to punch through your armour between 8.7 and 9.7, be aware as they penetrate between 405 mm and 450 mm of armour with APFSDS). Try to stick with people behind you so friendlies can assist you if needed, sometimes who can pull you with a winch could save both's life.

''Bastion defence:''

Due to the high survivability, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to hold defensive positions (cap points, strategic locations, etc) quite well, as well as repelling and counter-attacking any aggressor with ease. Due to its powerful engine and transmission, it is able to move forward, fire, and move backwards in quick succession.

''*Note: the Vickers Mk.7 most prominent weak spot in the turret is the mantlet, always be on the lookout to hide it as much as possible or by wobbling your turret a little so enemies have a smaller chance to hit the mantlet.''

'''In rural combat:'''

Due to the longer ranges compared to the urban combat, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to use multiple techniques and combat roles to fulfil the player's preference.

''Sniper:''

Thanks to the high velocity stock ammunition, the Vickers Mk.7 is able play as a sniper in long range maps. This, with the addition of the laser rangefinder and thermal imaging sights, makes the Vickers Mk.7 a fearful sniper as only certain tanks will be able to pierce your turret past 500 m. Be aware as, despite having a strong hull, always try to get in hulldown position in order to hide the frontal weakspots of your tank (lower frontal plate, turret ring). At longer ranges, enemies will take more time in order to hit and damage the Vickers Mk.7 if hulldown.

''Flanking:''

As much as crazy it sounds, the Vickers Mk.7 has an impressive speed of 75 km/h even with all the armour. Thanks to this, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to move around and push behind enemy lines and retreat or move to wherever is needed. Thanks to the stabilizer, it is able to fire on the move if needed for a quick "Hit 'n' Run" tactic. It has a slow reload rate (7.8 seconds stock) which can cause issues when engaging targets in a fast manner. Use smoke if needed to retreat and relocate.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Accurate main gun with HESH and smoke as support rounds
* Excellent mobility in all directions, also effective off-road mobility
* Respectable turret armour compared to some tanks at the battle rating; fearful when in downtier
* Decent stock APFSDS shell (394 mm at 100 m at 0°)
* Powerful gun optics (4.0x - 12.0x FOV: 18-6), gun depression, TOGS and laser range finder: excellent tank hunting capabilities
* Two-piece ammunition is stored separately; reduced risk of detonation

'''Cons:'''

* Large and tall profile; difficult to conceal from tanks, aircraft or helicopters
* Difficulties when fighting sloped armour at long distances, chiefly Soviet [[T-72 (Family)]] or [[Leopard 2A6]]
* Ammo rack behind the turret with no blowout panels
* Armour protection nearly useless against high velocity FIN-shells (e.g., [[Leopard 2A4|DM13]], [[T-64B|3BM42]], [[PTZ89|DYW1]])
* Weak spots in hull and turret: gun mantlet, driver position and armourless sides and weak LFP inherent from [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]

== History ==

After quite a few private tank ventures, and the unsatisfactory development of the Vickers Mark 4, also known as Valiant. The Vickers company brought another design aimed to develop a capable MBT. Either as a replacement for the Challenger Mk.1 then currently in service, or as a valuable modern tank for the exportation. With the support of the Krauss-Maffei company, Vickers matched the up-rated turret of the previous Mark 4 Valiant MBT, with an identical [[Leopard 2A4]] chassis. Thus creating in June 1985, what it became known as Vickers MBT Mark 7.

The Leopards' MTU 838 engine capabilities were well known, and the match with the improved Valiant's Mk 4 turret protected by the powerful Chobham Armour, resulted in an acceptable weight of over 54 tons, providing a top speed of 72 km/h. A speed which was unlikely from most British MBTs of the time - Specially from previous MBTs as the already out phased [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]].

Vickers' prototype got fitted with the L11 120 mm gun, the same gun as the contemporary Challenger 1. After these modifications, the Mark 7 went under trials in Egypt, September of the same year. In 1986, using some technologies of the defunct MBT-80 project, the Mark 7 received even greater upgrades: 2nd generation thermal sights with increased resolution, improved stabilization systems for the main gun, reduced thermal and electromagnetic signatures and a new telescopic laser sight. Effectively reworking on the IFCS (Improved Fire Control System) for the 120 mm L11A5 cannon. Equally formidable, the Leopard 2 chassis matched perfectly this gunnery refits; turning the Mark 7 in a very steady tank while firing on the move.

Bittersweet experiences on the CAT 87 (Canadian Army Trophy) with the Army's Challengers 1 pitted against [[Leopard (Family)|Leopards 2/1]] and [[M1 Abrams]], made some interest on the Vickers Mk.7 project. Therefore, in October 1987, a comparison test on the Lulworth Gunnery Ranges was performed between a Challenger 1 and a Vickers Mark 7. CHIP (Challenger/Chieftain Improvement Programme) was looking for projects and new technologies to integrate into the serving Challengers 1. At the firing range, Challenger 1 hit seven out of the 8 targets in an engagement time of approximately 21.7 seconds. While the Vickers Mark 7 achieved successful hits to all 8 targets in only 12.5 seconds. This is likely due to old Chieftain's cannon and gunnery systems being fitted into the newer Challenger 1, with only slightly major gunnery improvements aside from TOGS - unlike the modernized Vickers Universal turret.

This universal turret also made possible not only the installation of an IFCS but the modification for different gun mounts such as the Royal Ordnance's L7 105mm gun. The turret was made in this universal configuration since it was hoped this would suit any potential exportation customers needs, or at least, grow in interest for the British Army. While the army did recount experience in the Vickers Mk 7 and the technologies improvement on gunnery and target requisitioning, in the end, they not procured any contract for it. All the technology research and tests made between the Challenger 1 and the Mk.7 instead lead Vickers and the MOD to develop what was to be known as; the [[Challenger 2]].

Without the interest of the British Army, high productions costs, international political situations and the dependency on a German-made hull, the Vickers Mk.7 did not succeed on the exportation market. Any further research was then halted and the project cancelled, with a single prototype built.

While the fate might seem short-lived, the Vickers Mk.7 proved to be an invaluable leap forward in the modernized MBT development. Not only regarding the CR2 but also because in 1986 the Universal Vickers turret was reproduced to be used by Engesa, on the Brazilian EE-T1 Osório Main Battle Tank

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_vickers_mk7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|NHRUSJ79Re4|'''The Shooting Range #175''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:38 discusses the Vickers Mk.7.}}

== See also ==


'''Related development'''

* [[Leopard 2A4]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6438-development-vickers-mk-7-the-steel-centaur-en|[Devblog] Vickers Mk.7: The Steel Centaur]]

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

Vickers Mk.7

2022-10-11T23:58:45Z

U120664986: Updated ammo rack information and image

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Vickers MBT (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_vickers_mk7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]].

The Vickers Mk.7 is a prototype tank design by Vickers during the 1980s. The tank featured a capable fire control system, an effective and tested L11 120 mm gun, similar to those on the [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]] and as a novelty for the British tech tree, the turret is mounted on the chassis of a [[Leopard 2A4|Leopard 2]].

This very raw input in mobility from the Leopard's engine, matched with the sturdy Chobham armour inside the Vickers turret, grants the veteran tankers of the British tree a fairly unique and dynamic balance of mobility, firepower and armour for a variety of playstyle options.

The tank is not only well balanced in the 3 main categories, but is also armed with improved TOGS, laser rangefinders and various smoke discharging equipment; turning this MBT into a dangerous opponent to meet on the battlefield.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' 30 mm (82°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 10 mm + 10 mm (5°) ''Top - Front'' 20 mm + 10 mm (5°) ''Top - Rear'' 35 mm ''Bottom - Front'' 20 mm ''Bottom - Centre & rear'' 5 mm ''Side Skirts'' 20 mm (39°) ''Bottom - Belly'' || 20 mm (12°) ''Upper plate'' 20 mm (17°) ''Centre plate'' 20 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30-35 mm (8°) ''Front'' 20 mm (0-8°) ''Centre and rear'' 5 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 20 mm (3-53°) ''Turret front'' 30-35 mm (54-75°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 20mm (6°) ''Turret side'' || 20 mm (0°) ''Turret rear'' || 40 mm (0-12°) 20 mm ''Loader hatch''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (cylindrical) || 20+20 mm ''Outer ring'' 20 mm ''Dome''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* A 20 mm plate reinforces the hull sides' top area.
* A 8 mm plate separates the crew compartment from the engine compartment.
* Additionally to the outer armour, composite armour is present:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull
| '''Front glacis''' 90 - 350 mm ''Kinetic'' 243 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
| N/A
|-
| Turret
| '''Turret cheeks''' 350 - 500 mm ''Kinetic'' 350 - 650 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet (Centre)''' 250 - 300 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
| '''Side armour''' 150 mm ''Kinetic'' 315 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}

The Mk.7 uses the same 120 mm L11A5 rifled gun as the [[Challenger Mk.3]]. Shell loadout is identical and works well for mid-Cold War era tanks such as the [[Type 90]], [[Leopard 2A4]], [[T-64B]]/[[T-72A]]/[[T-80B]], etc., but may struggle when fighting more modern vehicles such as the [[Leopard 2A5]], [[T-80U]], [[Leclerc]], etc.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 34.3 || 47.4 || 57.6 || 63.7 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || 25.2 || 30.6 || 33.8 || 36.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 471 || 469 || 464 || 458 || 450 || 444
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,550 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x300px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}_(2).png|thumb|[[Ammo racks]] of the Vickers Mk.7. Additional charges not visible in first image]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 18 ''(+32)'' 18 ''(+32)'' || 12 ''(+38)'' 15 ''(+35)'' || ''12 (+40)'' 10 ''(+40)'' || 3 ''(+47)'' 3 ''(+47)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' 1 ''(+49)'' || N/A N/A || No
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* First stage ammo racks (ready racks) are denoted with *.
* In the case of projectiles racks 4 and 5*. The rack is share but the outer half of the ammunition is used as a the ready rack and the inner half is stored ammo and thus considered as rack 4 for the purposes of determining load.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Vickers Mk.7 is a main battle tank, and thus a tank that should be on the frontlines being the first line of attack. It is considered one of the best armoured MBTs at its battle rating. This is due to its composition; a Leopard 2A4 hull which offers protection against all CE threats except [[9M133]] Kornet and is able to stop APFSDS rounds with <400 mm penetration, and a custom British turret similar to the [[Challenger 2]] which offers protection against all CE threats except 9M133 Kornet and APFSDS rounds with <405 mm penetration. Thanks to this, the Vickers Mk.7 can be used in a variety of engagements at both short and long ranges with high chances of survivability.

'''In urban combat:'''

Close quarters combat is one of the most risky engagements in the game, but thanks to the superb armour of the Vickers Mk.7, it is able to have multiple engagement modes when in CQC.

''Battering Ram:''

Vickers Mk.7 can be used as the tank who will push through the enemy line due to its armour. Be aware of how the chassis is poked between corners as the hull is only armoured in the frontal plate. Any shot fired at the track's sprocket can be fatal as there is no armour to stop the incoming shell. When fighting in an uptier, avoid being the battering ram as all 10.3-10.7 vehicles can punch through any part of the frontal armour (including turret) and destroy the tank in a couple of shots. Be aware of facing enemy tanks like the [[Leopard 2A6]] and [[Leclerc S2]] which have extremely powerful APFSDS rounds that will go through the Vickers Mk.7's armour like hot knife through butter. When in a downtier, you are able to be the battering ram as only a couple vehicles at the battle rating will be able to pierce through your armour (tanks like the [[Type 16]], [[T-62M-1]] and [[Type 74 (Family)|Type 74]] will be able to punch through your armour between 8.7 and 9.7, be aware as they penetrate between 405 mm and 450 mm of armour with APFSDS). Try to stick with people behind you so friendlies can assist you if needed, sometimes who can pull you with a winch could save both's life.

''Bastion defence:''

Due to the high survivability, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to hold defensive positions (cap points, strategic locations, etc) quite well, as well as repelling and counter-attacking any aggressor with ease. Due to its powerful engine and transmission, it is able to move forward, fire, and move backwards in quick succession.

''*Note: the Vickers Mk.7 most prominent weak spot in the turret is the mantlet, always be on the lookout to hide it as much as possible or by wobbling your turret a little so enemies have a smaller chance to hit the mantlet.''

'''In rural combat:'''

Due to the longer ranges compared to the urban combat, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to use multiple techniques and combat roles to fulfil the player's preference.

''Sniper:''

Thanks to the high velocity stock ammunition, the Vickers Mk.7 is able play as a sniper in long range maps. This, with the addition of the laser rangefinder and thermal imaging sights, makes the Vickers Mk.7 a fearful sniper as only certain tanks will be able to pierce your turret past 500 m. Be aware as, despite having a strong hull, always try to get in hulldown position in order to hide the frontal weakspots of your tank (lower frontal plate, turret ring). At longer ranges, enemies will take more time in order to hit and damage the Vickers Mk.7 if hulldown.

''Flanking:''

As much as crazy it sounds, the Vickers Mk.7 has an impressive speed of 75 km/h even with all the armour. Thanks to this, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to move around and push behind enemy lines and retreat or move to wherever is needed. Thanks to the stabilizer, it is able to fire on the move if needed for a quick "Hit 'n' Run" tactic. It has a slow reload rate (7.8 seconds stock) which can cause issues when engaging targets in a fast manner. Use smoke if needed to retreat and relocate.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Accurate main gun with HESH and smoke as support rounds
* Excellent mobility in all directions, also effective off-road mobility
* Respectable turret armour compared to some tanks at the battle rating; fearful when in downtier
* Decent stock APFSDS shell (394 mm at 100 m at 0°)
* Powerful gun optics (4.0x - 12.0x FOV: 18-6), gun depression, TOGS and laser range finder: excellent tank hunting capabilities
* Two-piece ammunition is stored separately; reduced risk of detonation

'''Cons:'''

* Large and tall profile; difficult to conceal from tanks, aircraft or helicopters
* Difficulties when fighting sloped armour at long distances, chiefly Soviet [[T-72 (Family)]] or [[Leopard 2A6]]
* Ammo rack behind the turret with no blowout panels
* Armour protection nearly useless against high velocity FIN-shells (e.g., [[Leopard 2A4|DM13]], [[T-64B|3BM42]], [[PTZ89|DYW1]])
* Weak spots in hull and turret: gun mantlet, driver position and armourless sides and weak LFP inherent from [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]

== History ==

After quite a few private tank ventures, and the unsatisfactory development of the Vickers Mark 4, also known as Valiant. The Vickers company brought another design aimed to develop a capable MBT. Either as a replacement for the Challenger Mk.1 then currently in service, or as a valuable modern tank for the exportation. With the support of the Krauss-Maffei company, Vickers matched the up-rated turret of the previous Mark 4 Valiant MBT, with an identical [[Leopard 2A4]] chassis. Thus creating in June 1985, what it became known as Vickers MBT Mark 7.

The Leopards' MTU 838 engine capabilities were well known, and the match with the improved Valiant's Mk 4 turret protected by the powerful Chobham Armour, resulted in an acceptable weight of over 54 tons, providing a top speed of 72 km/h. A speed which was unlikely from most British MBTs of the time - Specially from previous MBTs as the already out phased [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]].

Vickers' prototype got fitted with the L11 120 mm gun, the same gun as the contemporary Challenger 1. After these modifications, the Mark 7 went under trials in Egypt, September of the same year. In 1986, using some technologies of the defunct MBT-80 project, the Mark 7 received even greater upgrades: 2nd generation thermal sights with increased resolution, improved stabilization systems for the main gun, reduced thermal and electromagnetic signatures and a new telescopic laser sight. Effectively reworking on the IFCS (Improved Fire Control System) for the 120 mm L11A5 cannon. Equally formidable, the Leopard 2 chassis matched perfectly this gunnery refits; turning the Mark 7 in a very steady tank while firing on the move.

Bittersweet experiences on the CAT 87 (Canadian Army Trophy) with the Army's Challengers 1 pitted against [[Leopard (Family)|Leopards 2/1]] and [[M1 Abrams]], made some interest on the Vickers Mk.7 project. Therefore, in October 1987, a comparison test on the Lulworth Gunnery Ranges was performed between a Challenger 1 and a Vickers Mark 7. CHIP (Challenger/Chieftain Improvement Programme) was looking for projects and new technologies to integrate into the serving Challengers 1. At the firing range, Challenger 1 hit seven out of the 8 targets in an engagement time of approximately 21.7 seconds. While the Vickers Mark 7 achieved successful hits to all 8 targets in only 12.5 seconds. This is likely due to old Chieftain's cannon and gunnery systems being fitted into the newer Challenger 1, with only slightly major gunnery improvements aside from TOGS - unlike the modernized Vickers Universal turret.

This universal turret also made possible not only the installation of an IFCS but the modification for different gun mounts such as the Royal Ordnance's L7 105mm gun. The turret was made in this universal configuration since it was hoped this would suit any potential exportation customers needs, or at least, grow in interest for the British Army. While the army did recount experience in the Vickers Mk 7 and the technologies improvement on gunnery and target requisitioning, in the end, they not procured any contract for it. All the technology research and tests made between the Challenger 1 and the Mk.7 instead lead Vickers and the MOD to develop what was to be known as; the [[Challenger 2]].

Without the interest of the British Army, high productions costs, international political situations and the dependency on a German-made hull, the Vickers Mk.7 did not succeed on the exportation market. Any further research was then halted and the project cancelled, with a single prototype built.

While the fate might seem short-lived, the Vickers Mk.7 proved to be an invaluable leap forward in the modernized MBT development. Not only regarding the CR2 but also because in 1986 the Universal Vickers turret was reproduced to be used by Engesa, on the Brazilian EE-T1 Osório Main Battle Tank

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_vickers_mk7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|NHRUSJ79Re4|'''The Shooting Range #175''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:38 discusses the Vickers Mk.7.}}

== See also ==


'''Related development'''

* [[Leopard 2A4]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6438-development-vickers-mk-7-the-steel-centaur-en|[Devblog] Vickers Mk.7: The Steel Centaur]]

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

Vickers Mk.7

2022-10-11T23:27:33Z

U120664986: Removal of outdated image

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Vickers MBT (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_vickers_mk7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]].

The Vickers Mk.7 is a prototype tank design by Vickers during the 1980s. The tank featured a capable fire control system, an effective and tested L11 120 mm gun, similar to those on the [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]] and as a novelty for the British tech tree, the turret is mounted on the chassis of a [[Leopard 2A4|Leopard 2]].

This very raw input in mobility from the Leopard's engine, matched with the sturdy Chobham armour inside the Vickers turret, grants the veteran tankers of the British tree a fairly unique and dynamic balance of mobility, firepower and armour for a variety of playstyle options.

The tank is not only well balanced in the 3 main categories, but is also armed with improved TOGS, laser rangefinders and various smoke discharging equipment; turning this MBT into a dangerous opponent to meet on the battlefield.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' 30 mm (82°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 10 mm + 10 mm (5°) ''Top - Front'' 20 mm + 10 mm (5°) ''Top - Rear'' 35 mm ''Bottom - Front'' 20 mm ''Bottom - Centre & rear'' 5 mm ''Side Skirts'' 20 mm (39°) ''Bottom - Belly'' || 20 mm (12°) ''Upper plate'' 20 mm (17°) ''Centre plate'' 20 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30-35 mm (8°) ''Front'' 20 mm (0-8°) ''Centre and rear'' 5 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 20 mm (3-53°) ''Turret front'' 30-35 mm (54-75°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 20mm (6°) ''Turret side'' || 20 mm (0°) ''Turret rear'' || 40 mm (0-12°) 20 mm ''Loader hatch''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (cylindrical) || 20+20 mm ''Outer ring'' 20 mm ''Dome''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* A 20 mm plate reinforces the hull sides' top area.
* A 8 mm plate separates the crew compartment from the engine compartment.
* Additionally to the outer armour, composite armour is present:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull
| '''Front glacis''' 90 - 350 mm ''Kinetic'' 243 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
| N/A
|-
| Turret
| '''Turret cheeks''' 350 - 500 mm ''Kinetic'' 350 - 650 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet (Centre)''' 250 - 300 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
| '''Side armour''' 150 mm ''Kinetic'' 315 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}

The Mk.7 uses the same 120 mm L11A5 rifled gun as the [[Challenger Mk.3]]. Shell loadout is identical and works well for mid-Cold War era tanks such as the [[Type 90]], [[Leopard 2A4]], [[T-64B]]/[[T-72A]]/[[T-80B]], etc., but may struggle when fighting more modern vehicles such as the [[Leopard 2A5]], [[T-80U]], [[Leclerc]], etc.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L11A5 (120 mm)|120 mm L11A5]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 34.3 || 47.4 || 57.6 || 63.7 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || 25.2 || 30.6 || 33.8 || 36.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 471 || 469 || 464 || 458 || 450 || 444
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.34 || 0.1 || 4 || 6,530 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| L26 || APFSDS || 1,550 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x300px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 47 ''(+3)'' 47 ''(+3)'' || 15 ''(+35)'' 18 ''(+32)'' || ''10 (+40)'' 15 ''(+35)'' || 7 ''(+43)'' 9 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' 4 ''(+46)'' || N/A 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Due to British two-stage ammunition, projectiles are marked with numbers (1, 2, etc.), and propellants are marked with numbers preceded by C (C1, C2, etc.).
* In the case of projectiles racks 1 and 4 and propellants racks C3 and C6, the first half are taken out first, and the second half at a later time, and are therefore referred to as two racks.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|L8A2 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L8A2 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L8A2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Vickers Mk.7 is a main battle tank, and thus a tank that should be on the frontlines being the first line of attack. It is considered one of the best armoured MBTs at its battle rating. This is due to its composition; a Leopard 2A4 hull which offers protection against all CE threats except [[9M133]] Kornet and is able to stop APFSDS rounds with <400 mm penetration, and a custom British turret similar to the [[Challenger 2]] which offers protection against all CE threats except 9M133 Kornet and APFSDS rounds with <405 mm penetration. Thanks to this, the Vickers Mk.7 can be used in a variety of engagements at both short and long ranges with high chances of survivability.

'''In urban combat:'''

Close quarters combat is one of the most risky engagements in the game, but thanks to the superb armour of the Vickers Mk.7, it is able to have multiple engagement modes when in CQC.

''Battering Ram:''

Vickers Mk.7 can be used as the tank who will push through the enemy line due to its armour. Be aware of how the chassis is poked between corners as the hull is only armoured in the frontal plate. Any shot fired at the track's sprocket can be fatal as there is no armour to stop the incoming shell. When fighting in an uptier, avoid being the battering ram as all 10.3-10.7 vehicles can punch through any part of the frontal armour (including turret) and destroy the tank in a couple of shots. Be aware of facing enemy tanks like the [[Leopard 2A6]] and [[Leclerc S2]] which have extremely powerful APFSDS rounds that will go through the Vickers Mk.7's armour like hot knife through butter. When in a downtier, you are able to be the battering ram as only a couple vehicles at the battle rating will be able to pierce through your armour (tanks like the [[Type 16]], [[T-62M-1]] and [[Type 74 (Family)|Type 74]] will be able to punch through your armour between 8.7 and 9.7, be aware as they penetrate between 405 mm and 450 mm of armour with APFSDS). Try to stick with people behind you so friendlies can assist you if needed, sometimes who can pull you with a winch could save both's life.

''Bastion defence:''

Due to the high survivability, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to hold defensive positions (cap points, strategic locations, etc) quite well, as well as repelling and counter-attacking any aggressor with ease. Due to its powerful engine and transmission, it is able to move forward, fire, and move backwards in quick succession.

''*Note: the Vickers Mk.7 most prominent weak spot in the turret is the mantlet, always be on the lookout to hide it as much as possible or by wobbling your turret a little so enemies have a smaller chance to hit the mantlet.''

'''In rural combat:'''

Due to the longer ranges compared to the urban combat, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to use multiple techniques and combat roles to fulfil the player's preference.

''Sniper:''

Thanks to the high velocity stock ammunition, the Vickers Mk.7 is able play as a sniper in long range maps. This, with the addition of the laser rangefinder and thermal imaging sights, makes the Vickers Mk.7 a fearful sniper as only certain tanks will be able to pierce your turret past 500 m. Be aware as, despite having a strong hull, always try to get in hulldown position in order to hide the frontal weakspots of your tank (lower frontal plate, turret ring). At longer ranges, enemies will take more time in order to hit and damage the Vickers Mk.7 if hulldown.

''Flanking:''

As much as crazy it sounds, the Vickers Mk.7 has an impressive speed of 75 km/h even with all the armour. Thanks to this, the Vickers Mk.7 is able to move around and push behind enemy lines and retreat or move to wherever is needed. Thanks to the stabilizer, it is able to fire on the move if needed for a quick "Hit 'n' Run" tactic. It has a slow reload rate (7.8 seconds stock) which can cause issues when engaging targets in a fast manner. Use smoke if needed to retreat and relocate.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Accurate main gun with HESH and smoke as support rounds
* Excellent mobility in all directions, also effective off-road mobility
* Respectable turret armour compared to some tanks at the battle rating; fearful when in downtier
* Decent stock APFSDS shell (394 mm at 100 m at 0°)
* Powerful gun optics (4.0x - 12.0x FOV: 18-6), gun depression, TOGS and laser range finder: excellent tank hunting capabilities
* Two-piece ammunition is stored separately; reduced risk of detonation

'''Cons:'''

* Large and tall profile; difficult to conceal from tanks, aircraft or helicopters
* Difficulties when fighting sloped armour at long distances, chiefly Soviet [[T-72 (Family)]] or [[Leopard 2A6]]
* Ammo rack behind the turret with no blowout panels
* Armour protection nearly useless against high velocity FIN-shells (e.g., [[Leopard 2A4|DM13]], [[T-64B|3BM42]], [[PTZ89|DYW1]])
* Weak spots in hull and turret: gun mantlet, driver position and armourless sides and weak LFP inherent from [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]

== History ==

After quite a few private tank ventures, and the unsatisfactory development of the Vickers Mark 4, also known as Valiant. The Vickers company brought another design aimed to develop a capable MBT. Either as a replacement for the Challenger Mk.1 then currently in service, or as a valuable modern tank for the exportation. With the support of the Krauss-Maffei company, Vickers matched the up-rated turret of the previous Mark 4 Valiant MBT, with an identical [[Leopard 2A4]] chassis. Thus creating in June 1985, what it became known as Vickers MBT Mark 7.

The Leopards' MTU 838 engine capabilities were well known, and the match with the improved Valiant's Mk 4 turret protected by the powerful Chobham Armour, resulted in an acceptable weight of over 54 tons, providing a top speed of 72 km/h. A speed which was unlikely from most British MBTs of the time - Specially from previous MBTs as the already out phased [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftains]].

Vickers' prototype got fitted with the L11 120 mm gun, the same gun as the contemporary Challenger 1. After these modifications, the Mark 7 went under trials in Egypt, September of the same year. In 1986, using some technologies of the defunct MBT-80 project, the Mark 7 received even greater upgrades: 2nd generation thermal sights with increased resolution, improved stabilization systems for the main gun, reduced thermal and electromagnetic signatures and a new telescopic laser sight. Effectively reworking on the IFCS (Improved Fire Control System) for the 120 mm L11A5 cannon. Equally formidable, the Leopard 2 chassis matched perfectly this gunnery refits; turning the Mark 7 in a very steady tank while firing on the move.

Bittersweet experiences on the CAT 87 (Canadian Army Trophy) with the Army's Challengers 1 pitted against [[Leopard (Family)|Leopards 2/1]] and [[M1 Abrams]], made some interest on the Vickers Mk.7 project. Therefore, in October 1987, a comparison test on the Lulworth Gunnery Ranges was performed between a Challenger 1 and a Vickers Mark 7. CHIP (Challenger/Chieftain Improvement Programme) was looking for projects and new technologies to integrate into the serving Challengers 1. At the firing range, Challenger 1 hit seven out of the 8 targets in an engagement time of approximately 21.7 seconds. While the Vickers Mark 7 achieved successful hits to all 8 targets in only 12.5 seconds. This is likely due to old Chieftain's cannon and gunnery systems being fitted into the newer Challenger 1, with only slightly major gunnery improvements aside from TOGS - unlike the modernized Vickers Universal turret.

This universal turret also made possible not only the installation of an IFCS but the modification for different gun mounts such as the Royal Ordnance's L7 105mm gun. The turret was made in this universal configuration since it was hoped this would suit any potential exportation customers needs, or at least, grow in interest for the British Army. While the army did recount experience in the Vickers Mk 7 and the technologies improvement on gunnery and target requisitioning, in the end, they not procured any contract for it. All the technology research and tests made between the Challenger 1 and the Mk.7 instead lead Vickers and the MOD to develop what was to be known as; the [[Challenger 2]].

Without the interest of the British Army, high productions costs, international political situations and the dependency on a German-made hull, the Vickers Mk.7 did not succeed on the exportation market. Any further research was then halted and the project cancelled, with a single prototype built.

While the fate might seem short-lived, the Vickers Mk.7 proved to be an invaluable leap forward in the modernized MBT development. Not only regarding the CR2 but also because in 1986 the Universal Vickers turret was reproduced to be used by Engesa, on the Brazilian EE-T1 Osório Main Battle Tank

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_vickers_mk7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|NHRUSJ79Re4|'''The Shooting Range #175''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:38 discusses the Vickers Mk.7.}}

== See also ==


'''Related development'''
* [[Leopard 2A4]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6438-development-vickers-mk-7-the-steel-centaur-en|[Devblog] Vickers Mk.7: The Steel Centaur]]

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

File:Ammoracks Vickers Mk.7.png

2022-10-11T23:25:11Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Vickers Mk.7.png

Ammo racks of the Vickers Mk.7.
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

File:Ammoracks Vickers Mk.7.png

2022-10-11T23:23:14Z

U120664986: U120664986 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Vickers Mk.7.png

Ammo racks of the Vickers Mk.7.
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

Wasp HAS.Mk.1

2022-10-11T20:28:15Z

U120664986: /* Description */ Completed tasks laid out in WSP.

{{Specs-Card
|code=wasp_has_mk1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British utility helicopter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]]. The Wasp is the next step along the British helicopter tech tree from the Scout boasting largely the same playstyle with some added challenges for any prospective helicopter jockey.

The Wasp furthers the steep learning curve that is early British helicopters, with no armour or countermeasures to speak of, less mobility than it's predecessor and the lack of any fixed armament such as machine guns. However for any pilot willing to put in the time this featherweight will certainly sting like it's namesake. With a small profile and retaining a good standard of agility; you can ensure timely delivery of the same punishing payload pilots will remember from the scout.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
Even with a stock Wasp the helicopter handles very well, 70-75% on the collective (The 'throttle' for those unfamiliar with the term) will allow you to skim close to the ground at a steady pace while retaining comfortable mobility to perform approaches through the valleys and necessary defilade the Wasp requires to close in and deliver its payload. You will not see much altitude gain unless you push past this however and the helicopter will begin to descend around the sub-70% mark but very smoothly. Use this to finely adjust when performing 'masking' tactics to engage enemy ground units.

The tail rotor boasts excellent performance when the collective is lowered below the 50% mark, however it can lock up at speed or if the collective is pushed higher towards the 100% mark. You can perform some very snappy manoeuvres in such conditions but attempting the same at higher speeds will result in a sluggish turn and in some instances a stall. If you need to turn and engage an opportune target or change direction and shift into cover, bleed speed carefully and lower the collective. The Wasp will reward you with a sharp about turn and swift relocation.

The Wasp holds a very steady, smooth forward flight. This can be a great boon in tandem with the stabilised gunner sight for daring ATGM strafe manoeuvres for the bold. But with the agility (If handled correctly) to allow a hasty retreat should things go south rapidly.

{{Specs-Heli-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 180 || 168 || rowspan="2" | 5400
|-
! Upgraded
| 219 || 198
|-
|}
{{Specs|5400}}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Heli-Armour}}
The Wasp carries absolutely no armour on it's frame. Much like it's namesake, while it can sting it should remember at all times it is still a bug and can be swatted from the sky like one with incredible ease. All vital components of the aircraft are exposed owing to it's function as a scout helicopter and it's necessity for speed.

The aircraft may survive stray rounds and glancing encounters with infantry calibres provided the pilot is not hit. But at it's BR it will very commonly encounter light tanks such as the Bradley, Marder and BMP. Their rapid firing cannons often with high explosive rounds mixed into their belts will most of the time annihilate the Wasp with a single shot. As agile as this helicopter is, it cannot outrun a determined 20mm.

Because of these factors, approaching the battlefield at all is not recommended and best left to the crazy or the overly bold rogues.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The Wasp comes stock with it's only payload and owing to its fragility should not be overly concerned with mobility immediately. The flak jacket should be prioritised to help protect your crew from stray rounds that get lucky, then the NVD upgrade to allow you a better view hunting at night. After these the rest of the upgrades will provide a slight improvement to the airframe but the speed benefits to position swiftly are the key.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}

{{main|AS.11}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* 4 x AS.11 missiles

The missiles carried by the Wasp are identical to the missiles carried by it's predecessor the Scout so the pilot should already be comfortable in their operation. For the un-initiated however the AS.11 missiles are SACLOS (Semi Active Command to Line Of Sight) guided munitions and must be guided for their entire flight. These missiles boast a relatively short range of only 3.5km which for most pilots can be a distance to the battlefield one begins sweating at. With 600mm of armour penetration on a flat surface ranging down to 300mm at extreme angles. The AS. 11 carried enough punch to defeat most if not all targets, however with only 1.5kg equivalent explosive of TNT as a payload positioning the missile is critical. Aim at the top of turrets or the flanks of your target to try and knockout crew clustered in the turret or force an ammo detonation.

Only a single missile can be guided at a time, firing an additional while one is already in flight will 'cut the wire' and force the first missile to go 'wild' most of the time veering off of course at a lazy angle. The latest fired missile will be the only one being actively guided by the gunner sights and this weapon cannot be operated if your gunner is knocked out.

== Usage in battles ==
'''Mixed battles (RB)'''

The Wasp HAS Mk.1 will feel almost identical to it's predecessor in the British tech tree: The scout. The helicopter is fragile and small but this time lacking the last-resort of fixed machine guns. Any assault from other helicopters or aircraft will almost always result in an unfavourable end for the Wasp, however enterprising and skilled pilots may still bite back with some masterful aiming of the AS. 11 missiles and timing which will make short work of an enemy aircraft should it end up actually hitting.

It's small size will favour hit and run tactics or 'masking' tactics usually. That being, flying low close to the ground and out of sight. Getting close to the battlefield and striking with one of it's missiles before fading away or rising and ducking down below the horizon from a 'sniping' perch. Cover and confusion are a pilots best friends in the Wasp.

A patient pilot will be greatly rewarded by the Wasp, with immediate access to guided anti tank munitions the Wasp does not need to make the same gambles a helicopter with only access to rocket pods or bombs may. But with the low-payload nature of it's missiles, their slow speed and range factors, a steady and calm pilot must quickly figure out how to insert themselves where the enemies soft spots are exposed. In the right hands the Wasp can comfortably stall an entire enemy push in support of it's teammates, however every shot has to count with the Wasp's loadout of only four missiles.

'''Helicopter PvE (AB)'''

With it's tiny payload and lack of machine guns the Wasp is a very poor pick for Helicopter PvE battles. It's engagement range is within all SPAA ranges and it's slow missiles must have designation by the gunner sights for their entire flight. You cannot strafe light vehicles with your lack of machine gun armament and even if every missile hits you will only gain four kills and be stuck awaiting a reload as your teammates move in to engage the targets also. The AS. 11's are the only loadout for the Wasp so taking rockets to strike gun emplacements is unfortunately not an option either.

If you must take the Wasp into PvE the best bet will be to play support as best you can, capture landing points and drop your missiles on targets of opportunity when they arise but most of your gameplay will be spent in flight time.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Carries air-to-surface missiles that are effective against tanks
* Tiny profile
* Has wheels instead of skids, allowing some movement across terrain

'''Cons:'''

* No guns
* No choice in armament options
* Fragile

== History ==

The Westland Wasp was a British marine helicopter manufactured by Westland aircraft. Initially designed as a torpedo-carrying light patrol and scout helicopter, the Wasp was later modified to be able to carry the SS.11 (AGM-22) wire-guided missile. It gained the distinction of sinking a ship in combat, the ARA ''Santa Fe'', which was sunk using AGM-22s and torpedoes during the Falklands War. The Wasp has been used by the militaries of several nations, but has now been retired and replaced with more modern helicopters.<ref name=":0">Navy Wings. (2019)</ref>

=== Design and Development ===
The Westland Wasp originated from a requirement for a new shipborne helicopter that was both small but could also carry two homing torpedoes - this was known as the MATCH (Manned Torpedo-Carrying Helicopter) program.<ref name=":0" /> The Wasp was designed to operate in conjunction with its mothership, dropping its load of torpedoes on enemy submarines as directed by the mothership's sonar.<ref name=":0" />

The Westland design firm decided to design a new helicopter based on their successful Westland Scout design.<ref name=":0" /> The original skid-type landing gear was replaced with a quad-set of wheels, while the rotors and fuselage were designed to be fully foldable to make the helicopter as compact as possible.<ref name=":0" /> As well, the Wasp wasn't fitted with mounted machine guns, as they were deemed unnecessary for the anti-submarine warfare role. The first pre-production Westland Wasp flew on October 28th 1962.<ref name=":0" />

=== Operational History ===
[[File:Brazilian Westland Wasp over USS Mahan (DDG-42) 1977.jpg|thumb|A Brazilian Wasp hovers off USS Mahan, 1977.]]
Following the end of testing, the Royal Navy ordered a total of 133 Westland Wasps. These aircraft served on a variety of RN ships, where they distinguished themselves as reliable search, rescue and anti submarine warfare helicopters.<ref name=":0" /> Later on, the Wasp was given the ability to carry four AGM-22 missiles, which were license-produced variants of the SS.11 anti-tank missile developed by Nord Aviation.

The Westland Wasp had its largest success in 1982, when it engaged the Argentinian submarine ARA ''Santa Fe''.<ref name=":0" /> After a Westland Wessex helicopter managed to spot the submarine, three Royal Navy Wasps managed to fire several AS.12 (an anti-ship variant of the SS.11) missiles at the submarine, scoring hits. The damage suffered was enough to prompt the Argentinian crew to abandon the submarine, which was claimed by British forces and scuttled. The Wasp enjoyed a long service life, being retired in 1988 after the last Type 12 Rothesay-class frigates were decommissioned.<ref name=":0" /> It was also exported to several other nations, and was used by the Royal Malaysian Navy until 2000. A total of 133 Wasps were built.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=wasp_has_mk1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[Scout AH.Mk.1]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6318-development-westland-scout-wasp-sting-like-a-bee-en|[Development] Westland Scout & Wasp: Sting Like A Bee]]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Navy Wings. (2019, October 14). Westland Wasp (G-KAXT). Retrieved November 20, 2020, from <nowiki>https://navywings.org.uk/portfolio/westland-wasp-2/</nowiki>

{{AirManufacturer Westland}}
{{Britain helicopters}}

User:U120664986

2022-10-11T13:13:14Z

U120664986: Created page with "Hi, you can just call me WC. I've been playing warthunder since 2021, but have fallen deeply into the game and community surrounding it. I'm a fervent Britain main working o..."

Hi, you can just call me WC.

I've been playing warthunder since 2021, but have fallen deeply into the game and community surrounding it. I'm a fervent Britain main working on polishing up all my Rank VII vehicles.

I'm a big fan of both ground and air, more specifically my expertise in real life surrounds rotorcraft, specifically millitary ones.