A Challenger 3 tank on display in a warehouse in April 2024. The British Army has sought to have the Challenger 3 in regular service by 2027, but mechanical issues are likely to delay this. (UK Ministry of Defence/Sgt. Ben Beale)

The UK’s Cutting-Edge ‘Challenger 3’ Tank Might Be Stuck in Neutral

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A problem with the new main battle tank’s gearbox could delay its entry into service by as much as two years—an increasingly common theme for the British defense industry.

The UK’s Royal Navy has been beset with multiple problems—including mechanical issues with its two conventionally-powered aircraft carriers, delays with its future guided-missile frigates and destroyers, and, most recently, the stranding of all of its Astute-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines in port for maintenance needs.

The British Army isn’t much better off. It currently faces a combination of historic manpower shortages, underfunded resources, and severe procurement delays. Decades of defense cuts have reduced troop numbers to their lowest level in 200 years, and its armored force has been significantly downsized.

The latest problem bedeviling the UK’s land force is a series of new delays to........

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