"Britain needs a more lethal tank. That’s why we’re investing hundreds of millions of pounds in the Challenger 3 to rapidly get the Army the upgraded tank they need to fight and win on any modern battlefield," Shapps said on X on Saturday.
On Thursday, the UK Defense Ministry announced that the latest of eight Challenger 3 prototypes had rolled off the production line. The new edition includes a more advanced turret with a more powerful smoothbore gun compatible with NATO ammunition, as well as upgraded armor and sensors. The UK army is expected to eventually receive 148 Challenger 3 tanks.
The UK has supplied Ukraine with several Challenger 2 tanks. In September 2023, a Challenger 2 tank was destroyed in combat between the Russian and Ukrainian forces, with the incident believed to be the first destruction by enemy fire in the model's nearly 30 years of being in service.