The driver's position at the front-center of the hull allowed for a unique perspective on the action. His position was such that he was reclined during combat travel with the hatch buttoned. There was some comfort found during "relaxed" travel when he could drive with his head out of the hatch. The hatch folded forwards onto the glacis plate and represented his primary entry/exit. However, in the event of an emergency, the driver could also make his way to the attached fighting compartment and exit the vehicle through one of the turret roof hatches as needed. Tanker drivers were well-trained professionals that, when given the freedom, could operate their 68 ton vehicles as if streamlined Cadillacs.
The gunner's station held the Tank Laser Sight which allowed for magnification or targets and, thusly, improved accuracy at range. The main gun was also stabilized along two axis and a digital fire control system allowed for firing on the move. The included laser rangefinder could "reach" targets out to 11,000 yards. Ultimately, Challengers made use of the Thermal Observation and Gunnery Sight (TOGS) which allowed for separate target output for both the commander and gunner.
The Challenger was equipped with the proven and excellent L11A5 120mm rifled main gun which was afforded 64 rounds of various ammunition types including various armor-defeating, smoke and practice rounds (separate charge and ammunition). The barrel was fitted with a thermal sleeve as well as an integrated fume extractor. A muzzle reference system was fitted at the extreme end of the barrel. A typical combat ammunition load consisted of 20 finned sabot rounds and 44 High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) projectiles. As standard on all combat tanks, a coaxial machine gun of 7.62mm L8A2 caliber was fitted alongside the main gun in the turret and operated by the gunner. An optional 7.62mm L37A2 machine gun could be affixed to the commander's cupola for engagement of enemy infantry or low-flying aircraft. Ten electrically-operated smoke grenade dischargers were set in two banks of five launchers to either side of the turret-front. 4,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were carried for the machine guns.
The Challenger was powered by a single Perkins Engines Condor CV12 V-12 diesel engine developing 1,200 horsepower. This supplied the vehicle with a top road speed of 35 miles per hour with an operational range equal to 250 miles. Cross-country traversal was deemed excellent thanks to the Hydrogas (hydropneumatic) suspension system. The powerpack alone weighed in at 5.5 tonnes but it was designed in such a way as to be removed relatively quickly for service or replacement in the field. However, the weight of the installation proved too heavy for then-modern engineering vehicles of the British Army so a new vehicle - this based on the Chieftain chassis - was developed and ultimately produced to service Challengers in the field. The same 1,200 Perkins engine was utilized in the Khalid MBT sent to Jordan.
Initial Challenger Mk 1 production vehicles were received in March of 1983 and these were delivered to British Army groups in West Germany as a deterrent from Soviet invasion through East Germany. Some five regiments were equipped with the very capable tank in the theater.
The Challenger saw deployment to the Middle East in the 1990 build up to Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein rolled his army into neighboring Kuwait attempting to seize a good portion of the region's oil reserves. The West, relying on the reserves, moved in to action through a coalition of forces from multiple countries in Europe and the Middle East. British Challenger systems then went to war in the ground conflict that followed a relentless air bombing campaign. Challengers acquitted themselves quite well in the action and were credited with destroying some 300 enemy vehicles without loss to a single Challenger unit. 180 total Challengers were fielded in the conflict. The 120mm main gun and stout Chobham armor design proved its worth and solidified the Challenger as one of the finest tanks in service. The war also became a proving ground for another MBT of note - the American M1 Abrams which was one of the few other tanks known to be protected in Chobham armor. If the Challenger held any limitations it was in her fire control system (FCS) which made for slow, yet steady, rates-of-fire from the 120mm main gun. This point was driven home in the Canadian Army Trophy gunnery competition where the Challenger - thought very accurate - arrived in last place in terms of rate-of-fire. This poor quality was eventually rectified in the upcoming Challenger 2 MBT series.
British Challengers were also fielded in the United Nations effort in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Initial Challenger production marks were the Mk 1 and these were fielded without the TOGS device. The Mk 2 model included TOGS while the interior was refined to produce the Mk 3 line. The Mk 4 variant became the definitive Challenger mark. The Challenger tank chassis also served to create the modified line of command tanks in the Challenger 1 Control (brigade) and Challenger 1 Command (squadron). There was also an Armored Repair and Recovery Vehicle (ARRV) developed.
While the Challenger was entrenching itself in the British inventory, the type still shown room for improvement and a new British Army requirement was enacted to complement the type in service. Proposals ultimately included the American M1 Abrams, German Leopard 2 and French Leclerc tanks as well as a new design from Vickers (Royal Ordnance Factory, Leeds was eventually acquired by Vickers Defense Systems in 1986). To keep the British Army MBT an indigenous product, the Vickers design won out and this was eventually adopted as the "Challenger 2" which, in turn, made the original Challenger design the "Challenger 1". Instead of complementing the Challenger 1, it was later decided to outright replace the line with ex-British refurbished Challenger 1s sent to Jordan. The Challenger 2 remains the standard British Army main battle tank today and has proven equally excellent in its own right.
In all, 420 Challenger 1 tanks were produced through 1990. Jordan eventually received a total of 392 Challenger 1 tanks and knew these as the Al-Hussein and these are currently being upgraded to include updates from the Challenger 2 series. The Challenger 1 hull served as the basis of the "Challenger Marksman" system, a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun platform fitted with the Marksman turret mounting 2 x autocannons. As with the Chieftain tanks before them, the Challenger 1 tanks could also fit a dozer blade or mine clearing equipment to existing hulls for broadened battlefield roles. A trainer version with a fixed turret was also developed for driving training.
Due to the arrival of the Challenger 2, the Challenger 1 started removal from frontline service with the British Army in 1996, finishing up in 2000. Jordan remains the only foreign operator of the Challenger 1.
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