British Main Battle Tank Chieftain Mk 5

British Main Battle Tank Chieftain Mk 5 Weapons & Ammunition Types 120-mm rifled gun

-APFSDS-T

-HESH

             Early Chieftains and some later modified tanks mount the 50. Cal M2HB machinegun over the main gun as a ranging gun. Iran and Kuwait retained the .50 Cal MG.

The HESH round is used for antitank chemical-energy (CE) antiarmor missions, and for HE effects against personnel and materiel. The Iranians claim to employ a snorkel system on Chieftain, for fording to 5 meters depth. A variety of fire control systems and thermal sights are available for Chieftain. At 324 Chieftains have been upgraded with the Barr and Stroud TOGS thermal sight system.

The 1R26 thermal camera can be used with the 1R18 thermal night sight. It has wide (13.6°) and narrow (4.75°) fields of view, and is compatible with TOGS format. GEC Sensors offers a long list of sights including: Multisensors Platform, Tank Thermal Sensor, and

SS100/110 thermal night sight. Marconi, Nanoquest, and Pilkington offer day and night sights for the Chieftain. Charm Armament upgrade program, with the 120-mm L30 gun incorporated in Challenger 1, is available for Chieftain Modification programs.

 Description:

Crew: 4

Combat Weight (mt): 55.00

Chassis Length Overall (m): 7.48

Height Overall (m): 2.90

Width Overall (m): 3.51

Ground Pressure (kg/cm2): 0.90

Automotive Performance:

Engine Type: 750-hp Diesel

Cruising Range (km): 400-500

Speed (km/h):

Max Road: 48

Max Off-Road: INA

Average Cross-Country: 30

Max Swim: N/A

Fording Depths (m): 1.1 Unprepared

Radio: C42/Larkspur VHF

Protection:

Armor, Turret Front (mm): 300 (RHA)

Applique Armor (mm): ROMOR applique on turret, side skirts

Explosive Reactive Armor (mm): N/A

Active Protective System: N/A

Mineclearing Equipment: Plow variant, and AVLB/engineer variant

Self-Entrenching Blade: No

NBC Protection System: Yes

Smoke Equipment: Smoke grenade launchers (6 each side of turret)

 ARMAMENT

Main Armaments:

Caliber, Type, Name: 120-mm rifled gun, L11A5

Rate of Fire (rd/min): 8-10 first minute/6 sustained

Loader Type: Separate-loading manual

Ready/Stowed Rounds: INA

Elevation (): -10 to +20

Fire on Move: Yes

 Auxiliary Weapon:

Caliber, Type, Name: 7.62-mm (7.62x 51) Machine gun L8A1

Mount Type: Turret Coax

Maximum Aimed Range (m): INA

Max Effective Range (m):

Day: 800

Night: INA

Fire on Move: Yes

Rate of Fire: INA

Caliber, Type, Name: 7.62-mm (7.62x 51) AA Machine gun L37A1

Mount Type: Cupola

Maximum Aimed Range (m): INA

Max Effective Range (m):

Day: 800

Night: INA

Fire on Move: Yes

Rate of Fire (rd/min): INA

MAIN ARMAMENT AMMUNITION

Caliber, Type, Name:

120-mm APFSDS-T, L23A1

Maximum Aimed Range (m): 5,000

Max Effective Range (m):

Day: 3,000

Night: INA

Armor Penetration (mm): INA