Challenger 2 OES

2024-01-14T07:58:09Z

U29505208: Modified pros and cons to compare more accurately against TES, removed inaccurate or debatable information

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_challenger_2_megatron
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The Challenger 2 OES is a modification for the tank made to improve its survivability in high intensity battles. With the introduction of ERA blocks covering the sides and front of the vehicle, this protection is meant to deal specially against RPGs and ATGMs in urban combat. The vehicle also received updated protection against IEDs. The upgrade started development based on the Challenger 2 TES, which is almost identical, this upgrade was created as a response to the asymmetric warfare scenario of Iraq 2002, in which IEDs and urban combat doomed many NATO tanks due to their poor protection on the sides. The US developed a similar upgrade with the TUSK ERA package for their M1 Abram tanks.

It was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]]. The Challenger 2 OES is very similar to other Challenger 2 tanks. However the increased weight due to the ERA and added composite screens does not include an upgraded engine. Which means that the mobility of the Challenger 2 OES is mediocre when compared to earlier Challenger 2s. However, this comes with increased protection against both APFSDS projectiles and ATGMs, the ERA and composite screens are enough to increase the protection against other tanks in critical areas, while they also increase the chances of enemy ATGMs not penetrating the vehicle on the sides of the tank and the turret. However the weak spot in the lower front plate is still present so take that into consideration and hide your hull whenever possible.

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

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility}}

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

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

{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| 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 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:L30A1 (120 mm)/Ammunition|Shot L23A1, L34, Shell L31A7, L26, L27A1}}

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


{| 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|M2HB (12.7 mm)|L94A1 (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}
{| 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
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}

== 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 ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a 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:'''

* Retains pros from previous challenger 2:
** Impressive chemical protection on the front and sides
** Maintains the kinetic protection from previous variants, with improvements in places
** Access to unique and powerful hesh round
** Very accurate L30A1 120 mm gun, can even fire hesh accurately at multiple km range
** Fast reload
* Roof mounted machine gun has access to thermal and can be used as a makeshift CITV for scouting (but not firing, unfortunately)
* Access to 12mm machine gun, a rare luxury on British tanks
* Since it is a premium tank, its RP and SL gains are doubled and it can research any British tanks currently in the game

'''Cons:'''

* The jammer is useless in-game and begs other tanks to scout it out or use HE on it
* Heaviest MBT in the game with a very poor hp/ton ratio; very poor acceleration
* Worse turret traverse compared to most challenger 2 tanks, and one of the worst of any 11.3+ vehicle
* Very poor steering, turning is slow and costs a great deal of speed, which takes a long time to regain
* In most situations, can only reach around 40kph (25mph)
* Also retains weaknesses of previous challenger 2 models:
** Same ammunition options as the previous Challengers
** Maintains the same weak spots from previous variants
** L27A1 has low penetration compared to other top rank NATO ammunition, however reload speed does compensate for this
** 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 ==

''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 vehicles;''
* ''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.''

{{Britain medium tanks}}
{{Britain premium ground vehicles}}

War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Challenger 2 OES