Challenger 2 is an advanced main battle tank built by the UK company, Vickers Defence Systems Ltd. The UK placed orders for 127 Challenger 2 tanks in 1991 and an additional 259 in 1994.Challenger 2 entered service with the British Army in June 1998 and the last of the 386 tanks was delivered in April 2002. Challenger 2 is equipped with an L30, 120 mm rifled tank gun from the Royal Ordnance division of BAE SYSTEMS. There is capacity for 50 120 mm projectiles, including armour piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS), high explosive squash head (HESH) or smoke rounds.
The commander has a panoramic VS 580-10 gyrostabilised sight from SAGEM (formerly SFIM Industries). A laser rangefinder is incorporated into an intermediate assembly. The commander's station is equipped with eight periscopes which provide 360 vision. The Thermal Observation and Gunnery Sight II (TOGS II), from Thales (formerly Pilkington) Optronics, provides night vision. The Challenger 2 has a twelve-cylinder 1200hp Perkins Caterpillar CV12 diesel engines. The conversion from Challenger1 to Challenger 2 Regiments is being assisted by a comprehensive suite of training aids, ranging from simple wall charts to highly sophisticated, computer-based gunnery simulators. The hull and automotive parts of the Challenger 2 are based upon its predecessor Challenger 1, but Challenger 2 incorporates over 150 improvements aimed at increasing reliability and maintainability
