New Vanguard
OSPRI Y c
Chieftain Main Battle Tank 1965-2003
S,mon Dunstan· Illustrated by Pete'" Sarson
CONTENTS BI...
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New Vanguard
OSPRI Y c
Chieftain Main Battle Tank 1965-2003
S,mon Dunstan· Illustrated by Pete'" Sarson
CONTENTS BIBLIOGRAPHY DEVELOPMENT HISTORY DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT SIMON DUNSTAN;" .....II·
..1.b1loh.-l.uthor,filmm.ker
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHIEFTAIN MARK 5
15
CHIEFTAIN VEHICLES AND VARIANTS
19
.ndphot~I,,"'.II.1d oIml(~.ryhl.teer m• ...,.rmourodYehicl. pubIiClltlon.,.ndl.rog._
g.. phiccutllw.....
, ..atilluslnlto.. olmllilary ..hlc:.... Pat.rlivas ..... _In_I,UK.
37
• FV4204 Chi"fT"ill AIl"(Jur~d R"eo\'ery Vehick ° FV4205 Chi"ft:lill AIl"ound Vehiek Launehf"d Bridg" (AVLIl) "Chi"f1ain ArlllOlHed Vehicle Royal Engin""'" (CHAVRE)
COLOUR PLATE COMMENTARY
44
IND~
~
New Vanguard· 80
OSPREY PUBLISHING
Chieftain Main Battle Tank 1965-2003
Simon Dunstan· Illustrated by Peter Sarson
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._CIo«oI'OO'Od:oJ(,POll (' Ian" and. ";I.h tlw Ii..., tOI" r',f.\dolfHirJ..... ,h.. concept 01 lllilD..llt.'lIi TheCl>loftMnw.. lr1taln.. n.., tn.>e .... MBT.II ~lH>th"'_Io .......
c l _ . rrler.TI,i, re'l"iremt:nt "-"'0"'ea5 eustomcrs. As the O\erall concept of FY4201 had noT heen fmaliscd as yet, detailed design work""s Iimil",d 10 u,e ,nsl",,,,ioll ullilS, which were to he similar to u">sc of CelllUlioll but suitable for a tank wei!!I,i,,!! 45 lOnS, Other sllspcmion systems were considered, s"ch as hi'dfOi:as and torsion bars, bur were r..j .. ned ...' the formel' ,,-"" tOO c'Al'O de..... lIDinm tlLtt an fi!(tIl;IlK .dlicks ...ithin th.. :.oIlia..nce should bo: JXl"'",ro:d b> ~'ngincs C".lpil.bk· of running ()II .....itl" ,cariel\ of f\lds fTc"n 'iLUKbrd diesd or l.cro5cnc: to pctrnl 01" .ion ......., 10 ha\-..: f...f('3(hmg COfl'Orbhp pet Ion. o.'l.'"rall ""ighT "~l' (alCtd.ttl'd to h.. 100.000 f>OulltLj'Xted toa limited amoulllofmnninl(at Lcylalld/T.]ohm; prior to the rig's apJXalICllmtic asscmbli~'S. as it "'.IS only possible 10 Iilke ad hoc interim measures in order ro keep rhe proWtJ'P'-"" runuinK and thc dt'",lop"'t'Ill 12 Browning. The ranging gun system' "''as always seen as an interim measure pending rhe introduction ofa fully integrated la.",,. nmgetinder tI,eu under development. Firing ulI"c'Hound !lurs" of lracerammunition that ignited on striking a hard target, the rangin ggun haclrol"'preciselyalib"'ed ....i thulemainannamenttobeofl''''.Qnce eorrcetlysighled,it"'"dSasilllple,eost-cllieiemandrobustsyst"mtllalhad thead\<mtageofautomaricallyfactoringinsuchvariablcsasrnmnionrilt and crossv.ind,. hut in Illt' t'arly days \\-"dS only dfecti\"t' out to a r.mgt' 01 I,[,()() yards which ralhernegatedthelong-rangeC
comma"d.... No.15 Marlc 1 cUl'Ola wltlt It. .ingl._p;ec.ltatc".
AClWIIlllnM.tI
MajorGen...tt...... 'T.tik'TM .tond.with.Sritlol>ot'IIcer In"""'ot_ot~fou,
C_tnoM.or1il/tJlml'fO"'"d
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butllMtotpt ...... lil1ool4,DDO __ tIHIL50_p.-to
....-
1"'_ __
produd.... c _ o I .... _ t
ontIHI _ _ ,n..
__ -------Iong
. . . . . . . hood •• -.ydlstincthM WalI.~
_ _IIt\l. ... _lUIo'tIny ...,........._1n1$ll3 _ _.. I_tionof tIIt_c..nkoMlt,_
of 30mph (48km/h) "irha road range of 310 milc, (500k.lll). TI,e M;rr~ 5 "':ll' the definili\'e Chidlain model. II weigiled 54.8 tons which ,,-..., "Imo" ten rons grealerthan Iheoriginal Gct\l"ntl Staff requirement, an increa", of aimOSI 25 percent. TI,e problem., of engine reliahiliry be£ame so bad Ihat an imcsligation ".,,, undenaken hy the Expenditure Colllmiuec anu the Defence and Exrernal Affairs SuJ.>.Committee of Ihe Hutl.'iC of Commons and their lindings "ere published in 1978(Tk Chujtllin 'Iank /c'ngiM- HMSO London 23 .\Iay 1978). Its conc1usioIl.'; were damning - "The I"'rformance of Ihe Qlicflain', gun and rAngelindingeqllipmentisfrrslc1ass.[tisthcreforeal1themoreunsatisfaClory thaI the Lln~ should have bcellietdo"n by its engine in the past. [t is diflicull IOfee1 confident aooul Ihe future pcrfollnanee of the engine in the lighlofrhesubscquemlyullflllfil1ed"-,,sllrancMgi\"Cn by the Millistryuf Defence... \Ve "ish to a.,sure the Ilouse Ihal Ille present pr"K'"dJllme of cngine modification", asil has bcen explailled and demon"rrared to us, appears 10 be meeling "ith SUCCI's., so far... Nevertheless, despite the"" Wdcolllcimpr",..,ment,.wecannOla\'oidobseningineonch"ion that rh e .'laga of rhe Chieftain lank i.- not "ne which r...nects well on the Minist!), of Ilefenee, eWll a1lo"ing for "n elemenlofshccrlladluekin theprnblem' whid, ha'" dogged rhe engine. h i.- unly right to point our, moreo"er, that, """uming the prc:scnt progr.nnme of modif'c.'l;ons l"CpreSCnl'. Il,e final inslalmellt, it "ill he well o'."r halfway through Il,e Chieftain', anive life bcfor... ir hasan engine to makh it" other undOllhred as5ClS."
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHIEFTAIN MARK 5
~irM:_t""
.....-,oI_ .. g1.... 1ly tho_oI_l_uetlonoi
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....
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nrc design of any tan~ is cs.scntiall~' a compromise herwe..n three fundam .. nral bur m\ltuall~' cOllflietinl'( fanor, _ firepower, mobility and protection, TIre key function of a tan~ is 10 defeat eneIllY almonr '10 hea\)' lirepighling PCn5OOp; th .. l.arl..spur ...... latl'r su""n Ihe breuh. He Ihclllri!", a ... ret, s...itch and Ihe ....,"pon is rc-"d, tn fire or ",..ans of an d('Crri~lh initiat..d '"m tub.... Th., gunller b'" the ..·cal....." on U,,, target foll""ing dirutio'" from the .....hick cOllmo;uld..r l"he Filthling \'chid., Cun
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S\'$I"m (IFeS) 10 !(i,e the Chi"ftain lhe abili!\' 10 "ltploit fulh Ihe ~uperior firt1JO"'CToflheLlIA2A') Tan\. Gun ;u agaimt th" L7 IO"mm of mO!it of IlScolltC"mpoorann.
At lhc rear of th.. em\;, th~ o:ngine eomp:ullllCIIl hO\l!ing th" UiO "'''Ilinc, T': 12 S"arbox.linaldri\"C5 ami cunlillK a!SCmhllc!. Th" Chieftain .\Iar\;, " kallll'~-..l 11", UiO Mark 7,\ 01 720bhpand lal
_ _ lIII_h
.... ....--.-"Ion
...............
CHIEFTAIN VEHICLES AND VARIANTS FV4201 prototyp••
I'l-l'ij ddi""r"d belwecn January 19fiO and No",",mbcr lUfi2. \\'1-\\'6 rleli\"Cred belween Mardi 1961 and April 1962. Cl and (;2 deli\"l'r..d inJanllal)'andNO\'Clllll.crSi!{hl 'C' or :-;0. I Mark I. Mark t (\')/1 Mark 2 with TLS 1\0. I :\brk 2 nr No. -' Mar~ I and Stage: I Mual.: R"C"rCl; angled to minimi"" ,olar r~flcClion and L'l7AI 7.621111ll machine gun; impro..ed 12;1 ralio parking brake; easieracre~~ 10 rcarofmrrctforl,'lm harrel rCITl",-.il; four hcadlighl.'l ....iliJ l....oIRamlt\\owhilclighlS Mark 3 (Xl "Iark:'l ....ith X Prog:rammc 'Totl'lll Poil-' conH"l',ion only Mark 3 (Y) .\Iark:3 with Y Programme 'Totem Pole' ron"cr,ion only. Mark 3 (Y)/L "lark 3 with 'L' kit for n.s'C' or :\0. I i\lk I. Mark 3 (Y)/l Mark:3 ",ilh Tl.s No.1 Mark 2 and St"g:e 1 MRS. Mark 3 (Y)!2 Mark 3 011 compktion of TLS No. 1 ,\lark 2 and MltSinHallation Mark 3/G d"~,""rl", '.lark :1/1, llw "ehiete had lUr",t ail hreathi,,;; fOl aspiration. Olll~' U of thi, model were built at I{Of Leeds for Iran but wer~ tr.J.n,ferred to the Briti,l, Allny. Compkll-.:.l inOnounl%9. Mark.~ 3/G (X) to 3/G (Y)/2 As for Mark 3 (X) to .\Iark 3 (Y)/2. Mark 312 Modi/ied Mark 3/G to lest llllT~t air hreathing: and non"al en;;inea"pirati",,;ct>lJlllllindl'l",cut-<Jut,wiIChlormain engine and own liring swilch; prOlotype I",«er mounting a"d ,,;nng:. Only 17 of Ull"SC "chide, were built at ROF Leed, lor the 13"ili,h Army b j.,>r.nieule for lise with eXleuded nmgingl{llu ,ullIllllniLiou and production lype laser mounting ~nd wiring: St'p~rale .\Iew.rip'" compartment and improved Meladyncs; rede,il{lled .\"BC (Nllcle~r. Bactcriologic~l. Chemir~l) p~rk No. m vehide< buill at ROF Lced, lu braeli
butlsracli
in Arizona I>.-Iw....n .\I~y and s..plemh..r 1971 ,"l""'luentl} ,,,worked with H}·drop, ,uspension S)slcm F"'40WdewlopmenTprogr.imme
Mark !I and Mark !lIP DdiniLi,e Chidlai" model lfi()
~hrk
1i31.Thl,""'lclew•• O ':!K 5(oud fot Iw"'all "ith 165 oftlll~"el'l>ion built bo· ROF Ln.cl. ;and \'ickcn.. Fin-t \1:I.Tl:. 5 :!K ddi..",..:rl from ROf Leed_ in .\1:1., 19i6. .\lark 5/3P SLagt' I or tY40::lO Projecl ror Iran. ImpTO\-ed MMl !'> I' ..-ith incrr"a5ed mine I'rot«lion; CXU: automatic gcarooK. 19:'1 built lJ'l ROF l.eros"ilhli... tr!d;..crcdin.Jul) 19i1l Mark S/:S ltark il on cOlllpklion or Tl$, MRS aml hnprou:d Fir" Comro) Syslcm (IFeS) ;md Illodilicatiu", to r01l11l1andcr', CUl'01;>. Mark 5/4 Mark 5 with lllodifirations for .lOwa1;" of AI'FSDS ;unmtlnitiolland,.."i,,·ct,ightKr... ticult'. MUll II
\Ial'l 2 un c.omplctiOIl uf ·X·. 'Y and '1.' prt,!!r.. mm" of 'Iotcm rOle'COIl,e.,;;on. Mark6(L llarl6 "itl, filling of"L' k..it forTdnll.:ucrS,ght"C' or :'\0. I M"I'l.1 .\lark 6/1 ~Iark 6 "ithll1:> No.1 MaTI 2 or No.3 Mdrk I and Suge I\IR$. .\fark 6/2 Mad 6 on completion of TI_'i No. I Marl. 2 or No_ :5 ll.lrk 1 and liltS illst'lllation and rem"''al of r:mging gun .Iud asJOCi.ltedequipmcnt.
Mark 6/' Marl 6 OIl
M.rk 7 ~Iarl. 3. MMk 3 G. \larl
3'2and \lark3 SUllum.. pleUUIl of 'oX', ,,~ and ·t pnlJl:r.lmnl1_ _, • r. . . . ol
10 und_k.
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D: FV4201 CHIEFTAIN MARK 5
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AfX Winrh d"·,,.,Jopnl funh"r 10 brcome L1,,, 1"\'4203 A\'RF_ prolo--
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laiC 1970anucarlyl'J71. The Chi"fl"in A\'IU: was snnib.r III shape to the Chirltain,un but had " dOLeT blade of much enhancecl COIpabilir.·. TI,e "chide had a :'l().Wlln... winch ami -'1-tOlllle a,,~i1iarr "'illeh similar to the AR\' Ihal could be 11> and the D-.tr\ Mom prograJwn,· "..., inlroduced to unpffi\'r u.., ",iineleT liner hp sc-.ol. At u.., sunc time
"'ff"
IUlers~ngth"~tobt:illlPTU''t:d.
L nda the High Noon prognmme. un.. liller ".tUUpportnl on rubber rings :md "'lIS m;l.IlufAClurt:d from Casl Iron (Q) 16 imprrgnau:d ,,~th .lilicon r;arbide. Illere "en" aOO pi..on. ring, :md fan drive clung...... indudillK th.. inuuduction of rohR"e b incl,u1inJor I..... -Ioss air d,'-.u,er fur thl'; UiO. 12:1 moo parhng br.iU. commanck',·.linllll ~"ilt:h odbrtdgooe.p.obl.ol ........ingIlOP·lrom12mto Z4..lomormo.. byeomblnallon ~.Th..
St.bili.. tiorIFo~
($FO~Ch~.;nM.rkSAVLB
",,,rylng
lnBoonIo I. lwo No. 12 Took e ....._ . which e.n be
1ouno"-
BrkIgoTr."'_......d""I'" AIvloUnl_B.8 ol\o.....
CHIEFTAIN SPECIAL PURPOSE VARIANTS --------FV4204 Chieftain Armoured Recover,. VehIcle
rhe inlroduCliOIl illlo ;":rl1~e of~ new I\IBT invariahly h"rrtld' I.h" d"velopmenl ofa m"Jllxrofspe~ialpurl'''"'' v:l.lianl' ha,,,d on the hull olthe tan. 10 allow n'lIlp,.,-able perform"nc" on rhe battlefield and \0 aehine eOIIlIllolJality of fuel and 'pare, 'upport. When the Chieftain MBT l'lllered sen;ce from 1967 onwards. a famil}'of;.peeial pUJPOse'"driants based on the Cenrurion iniliallv suppon~'d ii, Although the}' prmro ade'luat" for rhe las\:. rhe GctJl
..........'protoctlng
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canportmont,comprising CholIhomormou'po.....
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BELOWANOOl'l'OSlll: ... C_ _ S"'llUloitIoo
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Th.f1I'$'Ch~.;~AVRE
.tml'l- con•• roIo~. oI.-.d"~d.nt uu"ton,,"undertok.nbyt"'21 Enutn_B... Wo.t..~oI-OO Army
Engtn_Suppon Group
otWit(jchtnWntO."""n~
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kno..n •• 'WittichAVREo'.
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hutl_"""'nt..t ..... ' t. two_on.tIuIt ..uongtn.tty """.d 'n>O".ck'.nd .ub u.nttytll.·hom"".
""'dellnl'I•• _elolC~_ln AVREorCHAVREw•• d•• igned .odd... lopedbyVl~k_ _ " . $ y........ lnconjunetlon wilh.h.Roy.IE"9in..... Th. CHAVRElllpro.ldedwlthtwe
~ 2 , Z 8 I _
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on,
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'hodHllnotlonAI H...Hln.T Jortionlon._ocqulNd IOChlen..... it'omlroqlollo..lngthol,on-l,.qWO,.
=:t~SG~h~:: ~."';h:=\e:~~y: r.ew1yinstalled Improved Fi",ControlSystom,aachcosti"ll £90.000, and 9",at hopes wero hold lor CATaJ as this regimMl has tradiliooally had a high reputation for tank 9unnery within the RoyaiArmoored Corps. The tank carries ltieregistration number OOF[)66 10 Irodel and fhiscoloor plate shows fhe complexity of a modem MBT. The """icle is tinished in fhe standard Bnti$/! Afmy cam-
~A~rschemeofgreenandblacksfnpes Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, loadIIr, 00_) Weigl1t: 55,OOOIa Trackwidlh;O.610m Lengll1 otlrack on ground: 4,8m W~hitsAllne..,.
duringfield •••- .
_ _ _ ........
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d ..... yoIIcw.-.~-vaclYiclad~1rom _laftlClCp"!tolA~~toK;tiOnlO1IleeteWoompIOItIrMlIII "'_~~lhe_inlhelormolWamor Chobtwn-..paneIs...t _ _ h"""""caIsign oIFOI6Three~andlhe~no;:I