UK considers new MBT

Jane’s is reporting that the UK is looking for upgrade or replacement options for their current fleet of Challenger 2 MBTs.  According to the article:

British Army officers have become increasingly worried about the Challenger 2’s effectiveness, particularly the lethality of its L30A1 120mm rifled main gun and its suite of ammunition. One officer told IHS Jane’s that “the appearance of the T-14 Armata has had a significant impact and assessments of the new Russian tank’s armour and self-defence systems [have] suggested that the Challenger 2’s 120mm main armament no longer cuts it”.

The article says that the scope of the program has yet to be determined, options ranging from a limited life extension program to upgrade the most outdated components or a wider set of improvements.  The UK currently only operates 227 Challenger 2 vehicles.  The article stated that the option to replace the Challenger 2 with a different vehicle had not been ruled out.

Full article here.