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42-714: The FV4601 MBT-80 was a British experimental third-generation main battle tank , designed in the late 1970s to replace the Chieftain tank. It was eventually (and later controversially) cancelled in favour of the Challenger 1 , itself an evolution of the Chieftain design. By the early 1970s, there was a great disparity in the number of tanks being fielded by NATO and the Warsaw Pact in Europe. The US Army fielded

84-696: A degree that collaboration was not practicable at that time. The cancellation of the MBT-70 had led the US to begin the development of its own design, the XM1 . Prototypes arrived in 1976 with production slated for the late 1970s. Using the UK's new Chobham armour, it was emerging as a potent design. When carefully examined by the British Army, a number of issues became apparent. Notable was the 105 mm gun, which did not have

126-444: A full active NBC defences , something that was becoming more common on military vehicles being designed and/or introduced in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This included both advanced NBC sensors and radiation/ electromagnetic interference (including electromagnetic pulse ) shielding to help protect the crew and vehicle systems. An extensive electronic warfare system including a dedicated electronic counter-countermeasure ability

168-602: A joint project to develop a new tank to be used by both forces, the MBT-70 . This combined the manoeuvrability of the Leopard with improved armour that would offer better protection against HEAT rounds while adding a new missile-firing gun able to engage Soviet tanks at very long range. By the late 1960s, the MBT-70 project had repeatedly overrun its development budget and the US Congress eventually cancelled it. By this point,

210-824: A new design of its own. It was an advanced development of the Royal Ordnance L11A5 tank gun, designed by the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE), with a split-block breach mechanism. It was one of the first tank guns to use an Electro Slag Refined Steel (ESRS) barrel. This new barrel was intended to greatly increase the fatigue life of British 120mm tank guns. The technology had been cleared for use by new tank gun designs in 1976. The fire-control system (FCS) would access and process relevant target, environment, and gun status data from various internal and external sensors including laser rangefinders and thermal imagers, to help

252-541: A rate that new designs, such as the T-80 , reportedly about to enter service would obsolete extant front line British MBTs far sooner than predicted formerly. Ultimately, the entire programme was cancelled in favour of the Challenger , which had been developed from the Shir 2 as a private venture, and would be in theory available for service by 1983 to replace the Chieftain tanks instead. With its adoption as an official programme,

294-471: Is based on timeframe and technical factors, as a basis for further discussion. 1976 (Pz57) 12 The second generation had enhanced night-fighting capabilities and in most cases NBC protection . Most western tanks of this generation were armed with the 105 mm Royal Ordnance L7 tank gun or derivatives of it. The third generation of main battle tanks is characterized by composite armour and computer stabilized fire control systems, which allow firing on

336-516: The Gulf War . The MBT-80 was planned for development to be completed in 1987 and production by 1989. By 1989 the Challenger tank at the same point in time, despite having been in production for nearly seven years and officially in service for over four of those, was widely considered to be still not fully operational. Two test rigs were built to test the various systems that would be used in

378-710: The M60 which had been designed to deal with the 100 mm gun of the T-55 , but could not withstand the 115 mm gun being fielded on the T-62 , let alone the newer 125 mm model of the T-64 and T-72 . The same-era West German design, the Leopard 1 , was very lightly armoured based on the conclusion that heavy armour had little purpose in an era of high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) weapons of rapidly improving performance. The concept

420-811: The Military Experimental Engineering Establishment (MEXE) at Christchurch amalgamated in 1970 to form the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment (MVEE). In 1984-5 Chertsey became the Vehicles Department of the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE) as the MVEE and the Propellants, Explosives and Rocket Motor Establishment (PERME) based at Waltham Abbey and Westcott , merged with RARDE Fort Halstead . In

462-452: The 2020s and planned implementation from 2030s/2040s. Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment The Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment ( MVEE ) was a British defence research unit on Chobham Lane, Chertsey in Surrey. It was responsible for many innovations in armoured vehicle design, including ceramic Chobham armour . The Admiralty's Landships Committee

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504-658: The Challenger was also known for a time as the MBT-85 . However, various research elements of the MBT-80 programme were continued to develop and mature advanced technology for the next generation of British MBTs to enter service in the early 1990s, the design of which was to be provided by the new MBT-95 programme, launched in late 1982. In the event though, the MBT-95 was superseded by the Challenger 2 programme in 1987 in part due to financial and political considerations and partly due to

546-460: The Chieftain with a more mobile design remained, and there was some consideration given to importing XM1 hulls and turrets and then fitting them out with British-made components such as engine, transmission, and the 120 mm gun from the Chieftain on a domestic production line to produce a new tank. Reports on the XM1 were not favourable though. Ultimately the UK instead officially began development of

588-530: The Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) Chertsey from 2000 until 2005. The DLO and its predecessors were responsible for the support and testing of all British Army vehicles. During the 1980s, vehicle testing was carried out by a sub-contracted company who provided drivers to test a range of military vehicles ascertaining a range of requirements from their ability to move over rough terrain through to their tipping point. Qinetiq sold

630-560: The MBT-80 in September 1978. This new project would build on work already carried out by the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment (MVEE) as far back as 1968, when they had produced a tank prototype with an external (unmanned) turret . This was followed in 1978 by another tank prototype fitted with Chobham armour . This later prototype was based on the Chieftain design, and had the designation FV4211 . The MBT-80

672-786: The MEE merged with elements of the Design Department at Woolwich to form the Department of Tank Design . In 1942 the DTD at Farnborough spawned the Fighting Vehicles Proving Establishment ( FVPE ), which moved to a new purpose-built camp in Chertsey on the site of the former RAF Chobham that was convenient for testing tanks on Chobham Heath . The Wheeled Vehicles Experimental Establishment (WVEE)

714-593: The United States's prototype XM1 Abrams tank, producing 1,500 hp, and a modified, turbocharged version of the Rolls-Royce CV12 diesel engine, also producing 1,500 hp. The CV12 was eventually picked, mainly because the AGT1500 would need substantial modification of the tank to suit the transmission that came with the engine, which had been specially designed for the XM1. The higher fuel use of

756-961: The ability to weld aluminium and steel tank hulls together to reduce weight. It also had a different turret design from the ATR1 and possesses advanced sights that were state-of-the-art at the time of construction. ATR2 is currently displayed in the Vehicle Conservation Centre of the Bovington Tank Museum in Dorset . Background: History of the tank , Tank classification , Tanks in the Cold War List of main battle tanks by generation#Third In 1973, Rolf Hilmes saw three tank generations and three "intermediate generations", which consisted mainly of upgraded vehicles. The first generation of main battle tanks

798-624: The concept stage at the time of the programme's unexpected cancellation. In the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution , all orders for weapons from the United Kingdom were cancelled, including those for Shir 2 tanks. The British defence industry was heavily reliant on the Iranian market, forcing the government to cut the number of workers at ROF Leeds . At this same time, the government was looking into how they could still retain

840-458: The first operational British tank to have a crew compartment with a full environmental system; i.e. able to provide both heating, ventilation, and air conditioning for the crew. The main armament of the MBT-80 was to be a 120 mm rifled gun, the EXP-28M1, similar in some respects to the main guns found on the Chieftain and later the Challenger 1 and Challenger 2 main battle tanks, but

882-522: The gas turbine engine was also a factor in choosing the diesel engine. The CV12 was expected to be produced at Rolls-Royce's Shrewsbury plant. Known sensors included: Among the projected vehicles based on the MBT-80 chassis were a self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon (gun: SPAAG) using the turret of the Flakpanzer Gepard , an armoured vehicle-launched bridge (AVLB), and an armoured recovery vehicle (ARV). None of these had progressed beyond

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924-772: The intention that Qinetiq would be privatised, which happened in 2006. Technologies such as electric armour were retained within the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). The research staff at Chertsey were joined by the Vehicles Branch of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) in 1972, which became the Vehicles and Weapons Branch in 1982, the Army Technical Support Agency (ATSA) in 1995, and finally

966-755: The main gun hit targets accurately and consistently under more adverse conditions: "First shot, first kill". Major components of the FCS included the Fire Control Computer which was the 'brains' of the FCS, the Gun Control Equipment, and the STAMPLAR sight (see below), all of which were connected together by a fully digital databus . The FCS was also designed with built-in self-test diagnostics. The commander and gunner had duplicate turret/main gun controls, so either of them could aim and fire

1008-410: The main gun. Ammunition for the EXP-28M1 would have included armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS, APDS-T), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), high-explosive squash head (HESH), and smoke-white phosphorus rounds. Secondary armament would have included a 7.62 mm L37A1 General Purpose Machine Gun mounted on the commander's cupola , which could be aimed and fired from within

1050-412: The move as well as very high first hit probability on targets up to 2,000 meters away. These are third-generation tanks modernized with fourth-generation technology. A generation of tanks developed since the beginning of the 21st century and implemented since the 2010s. In August 2023, Hungary announced that it will join the development. A generation of tanks developed since the beginning around of

1092-542: The only western tank able to go head-to-head with the latest Soviet types was the British Army 's Chieftain , introduced to service in 1967. The Chieftain had heavy armour designed specifically to defeat the 115 mm, and mounted a 120 mm gun , among the most powerful in the world, able to defeat even the latest Soviet armour. When the 125 mm gun was introduced by the Soviets, the "Stillbrew armour" package

1134-419: The planned MBT-80. The first, Automotive Test Rig 1 (ATR1), had a hull assembled from Shir 2 prototypes derived from the Chieftain , removable blocks of armour that either contained Chobham or steel designed to imitate it, and a dummy tank gun. It could also move under its own propulsion. ATR1 fell into the hands of a private collector but is currently in bad condition. The second rig, ATR2, was designed to test

1176-420: The power to defeat the latest Soviet designs at long range, the preferred action for British tankers. Moreover, the armour package had been designed to defeat either the 115 mm firing armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) or 125 mm firing high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds, but could not stop the 125 mm firing APFSDS at reasonable range. Despite this, the desire to replace

1218-402: The skill and capacity at Leeds that would be needed to produce the next generation of main battle tanks. Despite attempts to put the tank into production as quickly as possible, it would not be until the mid-1980s that the MBT-80 would be ready for production even if development was drastically accelerated. In addition, there were increasing worries that Soviet tank technology was advancing at such

1260-479: The tank. L2A1 "ball" and L5A1 tracer rounds would have been among the ammunition available for this weapon. The MBT-80 was going to be protected mainly by the recently developed Chobham armour , first fielded on the American M1 Abrams. The armour would have provided greater resistance against high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds and kinetic energy penetrators. Thanks to the use of Chobham armour, it

1302-476: The unexpectedly poor performance of the original Challenger in early trials, exercises and the like which seemed to indicate an urgent need for a replacement tank in the near term, and not just to replace the remaining Chieftains as originally planned. However, the Challenger 2 was not officially chosen as the British Army 's new tank until late 1991, by which time the Challenger 1's problems had been resolved, with it having racked up an excellent operational record in

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1344-714: The wake of the ending of the Cold War, RARDE merged with other research establishments in April 1991 to form the Defence Research Agency (DRA), an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence . In turn, DRA became a division of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) in 1995. The Chertsey and Christchurch sites were among those allocated to Qinetiq when DERA was broken up in 2001 with

1386-437: Was added to keep the tank competitive. However, the Chieftain had a number of problems due to its rather poor engine and outdated suspension, both of which conspired to make cross-country performance rather limited. The Germans were still looking for a tank to replace their now outdated Leopards, as well as the many M48 Patton tanks they still had in service. The UK was looking for a more manoeuvrable design. A new joint program

1428-731: Was also formed out of the DTD in that year, and moved to Chertsey in 1943. In 1946 the DTD merged with WVEE to form the Fighting Vehicle Design Department (FVDD) at Chertsey alongside the FVPE. The FVDD was renamed the Fighting Vehicle Design Establishment (FVDE) in 1948. Four years later the FVPE and FVDE merged to create the Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (FVRDE). FVRDE and

1470-498: Was also to be included. This system would have incorporated various countermeasures against such threats as a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) or anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), 1st through 3rd generation. As a thermal signature management measure , the exhaust gases from the Rolls-Royce CV12 TCA Condor engine would have been mixed with cooling air before being discharged outside the tank. This feature

1512-681: Was also used on the Vickers Valiant MBT . Mounted on the sides of the turret would have been two L8A1 six-barrelled 66 mm smoke grenade dischargers, the same British system was used as the M250 grenade launchers found on early models of the M1 Abrams . The MBT-80 was to have a longer range, more mobility, and greater speed than prior tanks. Two options were considered; the Honeywell AGT1500 gas turbine engine used by

1554-407: Was anticipated that much greater use could be made of high grade aluminium alloy in the construction of the hull (the turret was steel) than in prior tank designs, helping to keep down the overall weight of the tank and therefore improve mobility and associated logistics, not to mention transportation of the tank to where it would be needed. The tank would also have had among other protection features

1596-922: Was based on or influenced by designs of World War II , most notably the Soviet T-34 . The second generation was equipped with NBC protection (only sometimes), night-vision devices, a stabilized main gun and at least a mechanical fire-control system. The third generation is in Western parlance determined by the usage of thermal imagers, digital fire-control systems and special (composite) armour (Soviet doctrine, however, de-emphasizes thermal vision and electronic fire control, preferring large-caliber gun and engines of high power). However, Hilmes acknowledged that tanks cannot be definitively grouped by generations, as each tank-producing country develops and introduces its tanks in tune with its own ideas and needs. He also states that breakdown of postwar tanks by generations

1638-722: Was created in 1915 to oversee the development of what would become known as tanks . In the same year, the Design Department was set up at the Royal Arsenal , Woolwich . The Tank and Tracked Transport Experiment Establishment (TTTEE) was formed at Farnborough in 1925, which in turn spawned the Mechanical Warfare Experimental Establishment (MWEE) in 1928. The MWEE was renamed the Mechanisation Experimental Establishment (MEE) in 1934 and in 1940

1680-528: Was designed to counter all current and future armoured threats from the Eastern Bloc , combining a rifled gun, advanced composite armour and increased mobility onto one platform. Other design features included the use of a David Brown Gear Industries TN-38 transmission , a Sperry/Vickers stabilised panoramic sight for use by the tank commander, and an advanced vetronics suite incorporating Ferranti F100-L microprocessors. The MBT-80 would have also been

1722-460: Was formed between the UK and West Germany to develop a Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT). This was expected to replace the Chieftain tanks starting in the 1980s, as well as the older West German tanks. In 1977, Frederick Mulley , then Secretary of State for Defence , announced that, while both countries had agreed on the specifications of the joint tank, the replacement timetables diverged to such

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1764-437: Was to give the tank high manoeuvrability to allow it to outmanoeuvre the slower-moving Soviet tanks and early generation missiles that were difficult to use against moving targets. This decision proved unwise as the number of Soviet tanks grew and the idea of outmanoeuvring their massed numbers seemed unworkable, while second-generation missiles made aiming at moving targets easy. In 1963 the United States and West Germany started

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