Challenger 2E
| This page is about the British medium tank Challenger 2E. For other versions, see Challenger 2 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Challenger 2 (Export) is an export modification of the FV4034 Challenger 2 main battle tank. It has a new integrated weapon control and battlefield management system that includes a gyro-stabilised panoramic SAGEM MVS 580 day/thermal sight for the commander and a gyro-stabilised panoramic SAGEM SAVAN 15 day/thermal sight for the gunner, both with a laser rangefinder. With a common engagement mechanism, this gives the tank hunter-killing capability. Optionally, a servo-controlled overhead weapons platform can be slaved to the commander's sight and operated independently of turret rotation. The power pack has been replaced by a new 1,500-horsepower EuroPowerPack with a transversely mounted MTU MT883 diesel engine and Renk HSWL 295TM automatic transmission. Significant improvements in vehicle performance and durability have been made. The EuroPowerPack, which is smaller but more powerful, includes a cooling system and air intake filtration system for desert combat. In 2002, BAE Systems made an attempt principally aimed at exporting to the Hellenic Army, a competition won by the Leopard 2 main battle tanks. BAE later declared that the development and export marketing of Challenger 2E would be discontinued in 2005.
Introduced in Update "Sky Guardians", the Challenger 2E is very similar to the standard Challenger 2, with the exception of much-needed increase in mobility. This is owing to its improved EuroPowerPack, which includes a transversely mounted MTU MT883 diesel engine in place of the comparatively underpowered Perkins CV12-6A found in all previous Challenger 2 models. Players can play slightly more aggressively during battles by rushing to strategic locations early on during matches.
General info
Survivability and armour
Like all Challenger 2 tanks, the armour is exceptional. It is capable of defeating even the most powerful of APFSDS rounds when hull-down, and it can even withstand HEAT rounds to the sides. Nonetheless, it has a few weak spots, particularly the cannon breech and the lower glacis.
The armour profile of the Challenger 2E is practically identical to all other Challenger 2 tanks, so there should be no difficulty in adapting from its predecessors.
Furthermore, the Challenger 2E lacks any additional armour packages, and does not have access to an active protection system, leaving it marginally more vulnerable than all other Challenger 2 variants.
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
- Cast homogeneous armour
- Composite armour
- Structural steel
- Gun steel
- Rubber-fabric screens
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 38-50 mm (60-83°) Upper glacis 70 mm (28°) Lower glacis 60 mm (0-83°) Driver's port |
25 mm (71°) Top 25 mm Middle 38 mm (14°) Bottom |
50 mm (29-65°) | 10-20 mm (79-90°) |
| Turret | 100 mm (50°) Turret cheeks 30 mm (13-50°) Gun mantlet |
10-20 mm (8-10°) | 20 mm (18°) | 10-38 mm (0-15°) |
| Cupola | 60 mm | 60 mm | 60 mm | 44 mm |
Notes:
- There are two 50 mm RHA plates on the Turret Cheeks leading to a total of 100 mm.
- Negligible structural steel surrounds the hull.
- There is a 38 mm thick set of cast steel armour in the turrets crew compartment.
| Composite armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides |
|---|---|---|
| Hull | 130 mm RHA + 200 mm NERA | |
| Turret | 160 mm RHA + 400 mm NERA + 110 mm CHA | 80 mm RHA + 230 mm NERA |
Mobility
The Challenger 2E has improved mobility when compared to all other Challenger 2 variants. This is due to its superior MTU engine, which replaces the comparatively underpowered Perkins CV12-6A used on all other Challenger 2 tanks.
The MTU engine is about 20% more powerful than the Perkins CV12-6A. The improved mobility of the Challenger 2E makes it comparable to most other top-tier MBTs, such as the Leopard 2A6 or M1A2 SEP.
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 80 | 39 | 62.5 | 2,325 | 2,862 | 37.2 | 45.79 |
| Realistic | 72 | 35 | 1,327 | 1,500 | 21.23 | 24 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
The Challenger 2E mounts the same cannon as all other Challenger 2 tanks in War Thunder. It performs adequately, although some other nations have more capable cannons on their top-tier MBTs. Unlike most MBT cannons at this battle rating, it is rifled. This is to accommodate the HESH ammunition that is highly regarded in British tank doctrine.
The L30A1 is incredibly accurate, although this isn't a unique characteristic for highly rated tanks. The range of ammunition it fires is likewise, good, but nothing special. This is especially damning considering the comparatively limited ammunition selection versus other nations' tanks; the Challenger 2E doesn't have access to HEATFS, HE-VT, or ATGM ammunition.
Where the Challenger 2E really shines, however, is its immense rate of fire. It has a fast-firing cannon for a top-tier tank. With an untrained crew, it has a reload time of 6.5 seconds, however this drops down to an astonishing 5 seconds with an aced crew, lending it a fire rate of 12 rounds per minute.
| 120 mm L30A1 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 50 | -10°/+20° | ±180° | Two-plane | 29.5 | 40.8 | 49.6 | 54.8 | 58.4 | 6.50 | 5.75 | 5.30 | 5.00 |
| Realistic | 18.4 | 21.7 | 26.4 | 29.1 | 31.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
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 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| Shot L23A1 | APFSDS | 1,535 | 3.89 | - | - | - | 78° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Shell L31A7 | HESH | 670 | 17.34 | 0.1 | 4 | 6.53 | 73° | 77° | 80° | |||
| L26 | APFSDS | 1,650 | 4.3 | - | - | - | 78° | 80° | 81° | |||
| L27A1 | APFSDS | 1,650 | 4.3 | - | - | - | 78° | 80° | 81° | |||
| 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
| 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 (+21) 5 (+45) |
5 (+45) 1 (+49) |
4 (+46) |
1 (+49) |
No |
Machine guns
The Challenger 2E has access to one 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, and one 12.7 mm machine gun mounted on the roof. All other Challenger 2 tanks lack a high calibre machine gun, giving this tank increased lethality against enemy aircraft and light vehicles.
| 12.7 mm M2HB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Pintle | 1,000 (200) | 576 | -10°/+25° | -180°/+78° |
| 7.62 mm L94A1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 4,000 (2,000) | 600 | - | - |
Usage in battles
The Challenger 2E should be used in a near-identical fashion to the other Challenger 2 tanks. That is to say:
- Remain at long range
- Lock down enemy advances
- Stay hull-down
- Do not rush in, play patiently
- If advancing, stick with the team
Although, the Challenger 2E has substantially improved mobility, so it can be used more aggressively. Players are at liberty to decide how they control this tank far more than its other iterations. However, one must be aware of their positioning relative to the team. Stray too far ahead with that great engine power, and you risk over-extending and becoming isolated, only to be swarmed by enemy tanks.
The Challenger 2E has an advantage over most enemies at long range. While the tank can be used aggressively, this throws away the advantage. Even if it doesn't put you at substantially increased risk, you are not as capable as you could be.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Drives as fast as Vickers Mk.7 at 80 km/h on demand
- Very survivable armour profile
- Has a 12.7 mm machine gun
Cons:
- Does not carry over any super powerful upgrades of the Black Night or 2F, its just a basic, but fast Challenger 2
- Large and vulnerable weak spots are present that cannot be hidden
- Minimal anti-air capabilities despite new machine gun
- Retains same ammunition as old Challengers, armour is not powerful enough to compensate when fighting top tanks on high ground
- Reload rate slows down significantly once ready rack is emptied
History
The Challenger 2E was a private venture by Vickers plc, aimed at the export market. The 2E was designed after the failure of the Challenger 2 to gain international sales, with only 38 being sold.
The Challenger 2E was marketed as being a high-end and capable tank that would outperform all competition, unlike the budget series of the Vickers family. The primary target for the 2E was the gulf nations, as well as several Mediterranean nations. Adjustments were made to the basic Challenger 2 to accommodate these potential markets, such as native integration of air filtration and air conditioning.
Additionally, space was freed up in the crew compartment to accommodate an internal toilet, one of the only tanks in history to do so.
Unfortunately for Vickers, the Challenger 2E was a failure, and did not attract any orders. This was one of many contributing factors that led Vickers plc to go under, eventually being folded into BAE Systems.
One reason for the failure of the Challenger 2E was the reluctance of the British government to sell the Challenger 2E to foreign countries, due to the immensely classified nature of its Chobham armour profile. Were relations to sour between Britain and the prospective buyer, or were the Challenger 2E to be captured by an enemy state, the exact armour profile of the Challenger 2 could be calculated - and perhaps even reverse engineered.
Additionally, the Challenger 2E performed rather poorly in the 1998 Greek tank trials, irreparably damaging its reputation.
By 2005, the Challenger 2E project was entirely abandoned by BAE systems.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Related development
- Analogues in other nations
External links
| Britain medium tanks | |
|---|---|
| Valentine | Valentine I · Valentine IX · Valentine XI |
| Cromwell | Cromwell I · Cromwell V · Cromwell V (RP-3) |
| Cromwell derivatives | Challenger · Avenger · Comet I · Comet I "Iron Duke IV" · Charioteer Mk VII |
| Centurion | Centurion Mk 1 · Centurion Mk.2 · Centurion Mk 3 · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk 10 · Centurion Action X · FV4202 |
| Vickers MBT | Vickers Mk.1 · Vickers Mk.3 · Vickers Mk.7 |
| Chieftain | Chieftain Mk 3 · Chieftain Mk 5 · Chieftain Mk 10 |
| Challenger 1 | Challenger Mk.2 · Challenger Mk.3 · Challenger DS |
| Challenger 2 | Challenger 2 · Challenger 2 (2F) · Challenger 2 TES · Challenger 2 OES · Challenger 2E · Challenger 2 Black Night |
| Challenger 3 | Challenger 3 TD |
| Australia | A.C.I · A.C.IV · Centurion Mk.5/1 |
| South Africa | Olifant Mk.1A · Olifant Mk.2 · TTD |
| India | Vijayanta · Bhishma TWMP |
| Israel | ▄Sho't Kal Dalet |
| Jordan | Khalid |
| Sweden | ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) |
| USA | Grant I · Sherman II · Sherman Firefly · Sherman IC "Trzyniec" |
- Ground vehicles
- Britain ground vehicles
- Eighth rank ground vehicles
- Medium tanks
- Ground vehicles with composite armour
- Ground vehicles with smoke grenades
- Ground vehicles with engine smoke generating system
- Ground vehicles with night vision device
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