Richard Thomas reports

理查德·托马斯报道

 

The Challenger 3 MBT is the most comprehensive heavy armour modernisation programme undertaken by the UK for a generation. 

挑战者3主战坦克是英国一代人以来实施的最全面的重型装甲现代化计划。

 

The UK is upgrading 148 of its Challenger 2 tanks to the Challenger 3 standard. Credit: UK MoD/Crown copyright

英国正在将148辆挑战者2型坦克升级到挑战者3型标准。来源：英国国防部/皇冠版权

 

A​​​​​​​s the British Army sought to address a number of obsolescence issues and modernise its vehicle fleets, attention turned to the venerable, but ageing, Challenger 2 main battle tank (MBT), in service since 1998 and in need of either an upgrade or outright replacement.

英国军队试图解决一些报废问题并使其装甲队伍现代化，注意力转向了古老但老化的挑战者2主战坦克（MBT），自1998年开始服役，需要升级或彻底更换。

 

Most problematic of all was the uniqueness of the Challenger 2s main gun, a rifled L30A1 that no other force in Nato operated. The solution was the find a way to bring into service the Rheinmetall’s L55A1 120mm smoothbore gun that has become ubiquitous throughout the Alliance.

最成问题的是挑战者2型主炮的独特性，这是一种北约其他部队没有操作过的线膛L30A1。解决方案是找到一种方法，将莱茵金属公司的L55A1 120毫米滑膛炮投入使用，该炮在整个联盟中无处不在。

 

A ‘new’ tank is born

一辆“新”坦克诞生了

 

In May 2021, Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), was awarded an £800m ($995.9m) contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to upgrade 148 Challenger 3 (CR3) MBTs for the British Army. The contract is also attracted a £40m inward investment in RBSL’s Telford facility, utilising a UK supply chain that includes companies in the West Midlands, Glasgow, Newcastle upon Tyne, and the Isle of Wight.

2021年5月，英国国防部授予莱茵金属BAE系统公司（RBSL）一份价值8亿英镑（9.959亿美元）的合同，为英国陆军升级148辆挑战者3型主战坦克。该合同还吸引了莱茵金属BAE系统陆地公司(RBSL)特尔福德工厂4000万英镑的外来投资，利用了包括西米德兰兹郡、格拉斯哥、泰恩河畔纽卡斯尔和怀特岛公司在内的英国供应链。

 

The latest development, announced on 18 April by the UK MoD, has seen the latest of eight prototypes roll of the RBSL factory production line in Telford. With the first prototype already undergoing trials, the UK MoD states that all will be tested under operational conditions to “validate their performance and make refinements”, before another 140 of built and delivered to the British Army.  

英国国防部于4月18日宣布的最新进展是，RBSL特尔福德工厂生产线的八辆原型中的最新一辆已经投入使用。随着第一辆原型已经在进行试验，英国国防部表示，所有原型都将在作战条件下进行测试，以“验证其性能并进行改进”，然后再建造140辆原型并交付给英国陆军。

 

A graphic of the Challenger 3. Credit: UK MoD

一张挑战者3的图片。来源：英国国防部

 

The Challenger 3 is intended to remain in service “until at least 2040”, with the upgrade, in addition to the main gun and its subsequent compatibility with Nato ammunition, including improved armour and sensors. Initial operating capability is expected in 2027, while full operating capability is scheduled to be reached in 2030.

挑战者3号计划在升级后继续服役“至少到2040年”，此外还有主炮及其随后与北约弹药的兼容性，包括改进的装甲和传感器。预计2027年将具备初始作战能力，2030年将达到全面作战能力。

 

Remarking on the latest step of the CR3 programme, UK Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “In a more dangerous world, the need for vehicles such as the Challenger 3 is imperative, as the threats facing the UK evolve. This tank will be at the heart of the British Army’s warfighting capabilities and will be integral to the UK’s deterrence.” 

英国国防大臣格兰特·沙普斯在谈到CR3计划的最新进展时表示：“在一个更加危险的世界里，随着英国面临的威胁的演变，对挑战者3等车辆的需求势在必行。这种坦克将成为英国陆军作战能力的核心，并将成为英国威慑不可或缺的一部分。”

 

Will no DU reduce lethality?

没有贫铀会降低杀伤力吗？

 

While the temptation would perhaps have been opting for new MBTs on the open market, such as the US M1A2 or European Leopard 2, a combination of cost, timelines, and capability requirements meant that an upgrade of the Challenger 2 was always the most likely decision. However, with just 148 contracted to be upgraded, from a theoretical 227 vehicles in the existing fleet, it represents a medium-term drop in tank numbers.

虽然可能的诱惑是在公开市场上选择新的主战坦克，如美国M1A2或欧洲豹2，但成本、时间表和能力要求的结合意味着升级挑战者2始终是最有可能的决定。然而，由于现有装甲队伍中理论上只有227辆，而合同中只有148辆需要升级，这代表了坦克数量的中期下降。

 

In terms of lethality, the Rheinmetall L55A1 120mm smoothbore gun will provide commonality within Nato, enabling a sharing of ammunition and supply requirements and bringing it up to Alliance standards. However, a significant reduction in lethality will be seen with the loss of a depleted uranium (DU) ammunition capability, as is currently available for the rifled L30A1 main gun.

在杀伤力方面，莱茵金属L55A1 120毫米滑膛炮将在北约内部提供通用性，实现弹药和供应需求的共享，并使其达到联盟标准。然而，随着贫铀（DU）弹药能力的丧失，杀伤力将大幅降低，目前可用于膛线L30A1主炮。

 

According to a UK Parliament note from 2001 on the use of DU in tank ammunition, the rounds have a 10-20% greater penetration than Tungsten and considered to be easier to manufacture than Tungsten alloy.

根据英国议会2001年关于在坦克弹药中使用贫铀的一份说明，这种弹药的穿透力比钨高10-20%，被认为比钨合金更容易制造。

 

However, established potential health risks associated with the use of depleted uranium rounds have also likely been a factor, particularly for operators of tanks struck by DU rounds, which was established could lead to levels of DU in the kidney (4ppm) that exceed toxicity thresholds and result in a maximum whole body radiation dose (40-48mSv) outside the UK annual occupational radiation limit (20 mSv/year). 

然而，与使用贫铀弹相关的既定潜在健康风险也可能是一个因素，特别是对于被贫铀弹击中的坦克操作员来说，这可能会导致肾脏中的贫铀水平（4ppm）超过毒性阈值，并导致全身最大辐射剂量（40-48mSv）超出英国年度职业辐射限值（20mSv/年）。

 

The UK will cease using DU ammunition with the introduction of the Challenger 3. Credit: US Army

随着挑战者3号的推出，英国将停止使用贫铀弹药。来源：美国陆军

 

Overall, this can be seen as taking one step forward with the introduction of a smoothbore weapon system and subsequent commonality with European Nato countries, and a step back with the loss of a depleted uranium round. Such ammunition has an extremely high density and kill probability when used against heavy armour.

总体而言，这可以被视为随着滑膛武器系统的引入和随后与欧洲北约国家的共通性而向前迈出了一步，随着贫铀弹的损失而后退了一步。这种弹药在对付重型装甲时具有极高的密度和杀伤概率。

 

However, in April 2023 the UK signed an agreement with Germany to begin work on the next phase in the development of more lethal ammunition for the Challenger 3, with the UK MoD’s Defence Equipment and Support work on new armour-piercing tank ammunition centering on the Enhanced Kinetic Energy (EKE) round, intended to provide a “step change” to British Army lethality.

然而，2023年4月，英国与德国签署了一项协议，开始为挑战者3号开发更致命的弹药的下一阶段工作，英国国防部的国防设备和支持部门将围绕增强动能（EKE）弹开展新的穿甲坦克弹药的工作，旨在为英国陆军的杀伤力提供“阶梯式改变”。

 

In order to reach the armour penetration levels reached by DU, Tungsten-derived rounds have to travel at higher speeds than existing tank ammunition, indicating a potential research path that the UK and Germany could be pursuing with the EKE capability.

为了达到贫铀的装甲穿透水平，钨衍生弹药必须以比现有坦克弹药更高的速度行进，这表明英国和德国可以利用EKE能力进行潜在的研究。

 

The other main upgrade to the Challenger 2 to create the Challenger 3 variant is the new turret to house the Rheinmetall main gun, which introduces new and improved sensors across the spectrum to aid in battlefield awareness and capability. The current Challenger 2 turret featured to composite second generation Chobham armour, a type now removed in favour of the new EPSOM and Farnham armour.

挑战者2的另一个主要升级是创造挑战者3改型，这是容纳莱茵金属主炮的新炮塔，它引入了新的和改进的传感器，以帮助提高战场意识和能力。目前的挑战者2炮塔采用了复合第二代乔巴姆装甲，这种装甲现在被新的‘埃普索姆’(Epsom)和‘法纳姆’(Farnham)装甲所取代。

 

A new ‘next generation’?

新的“下一代”？

 

In terms of capabilities the upgrades to the Challenger 2, introducing a new turret, sensor suite, passive and active armour, and power pack, represent the most significant tank modernisation programme undertaken by the UK MoD for decades.

就能力而言，挑战者2号的升级，引入了新的炮塔、传感器套件、被动和主动装甲以及动力组，是英国国防部几十年来进行的最重要的坦克现代化计划。

 

What Challenger 3 does is bring the UK’s MBT game back to a level playing field with allies and expected competitors, cherry picking some of the main features of modern MBTs such as active protection systems, smoothbore main guns, and enhanced battlefield awareness resulting from extensive sensor suites.

挑战者3所做的是将英国的主战坦克游戏带回与盟友和预期竞争对手的公平竞争环境，精心挑选了现代主战坦克的一些主要特征，如主动防护系统、滑膛主炮和广泛的传感器套件增强的战场意识。

 

By no means ‘next-generation’ platform, the Challenger 3 keeps the British Army’s MBT capability relevant for the next 15-20 years, at which point one could expect to see UK-built, foreign designs, introduced into service, possibly the platforms similar to the ongoing Abrams X US concept or European Main Ground Combat Systems programme.   

挑战者3绝不是“下一代”平台，它使英国陆军的主战坦克能力在未来15-20年内保持相关性，届时人们可能会看到英国制造的外国设计投入使用，这些平台可能类似于正在进行的艾布拉姆斯X美国概念或欧洲主要地面作战系统计划。