Powerful Chieftain MBT
The FV4201 Chieftain was the main battle tank of the UK from its introduction in 1967. It was a radical evolutionary development of the successful Centurion line of tanks that had emerged at the end of WWII.
Chieftain was designed to be as well-protected as possible and to be equipped with a powerful 120mm rifled cannon. The heavy armour came at the price of reduced mobility, chiefly due to engine power limitations, which was perhaps the Chieftain's main drawback. The engine selected took the multi-fuel route and as introduced gave less than the planned output; improvements to the engine did not increase power to the desired value.
The Chieftain had a mantleless turret, in order to take full advantage of reclining the vehicle up to 10° in a hull-down position. To the left side of the turret was a large infra-red searchlight in an armoured housing. The suspension was of the Horstmann bogie type, with large side plates to protect the tracks and provide stand-off protection from hollow charge attack.
The main armament was the 120mm L11A5 rifled gun. This differed from most contemporary main tank armament as it used projectiles and charges which were loaded separately, as opposed to a single fixed round. The gun itself could fire a wide range of ammunition, but the most commonly loaded types were HESH or APDS.
Initially, Chieftain was equipped with a 12.7mm ranging machine-gun mounted above the main gun, firing ranging shots out to 2,400m. Later, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a laser rangefinder replaced it, allowing engagements at much longer ranges, and also linked to the fire-control system, allowing more rapid engagements and changes of target. The gun was fully stabilised with a fully computerised integrated control system. Secondary armament consisted of a coaxial L8A1 7.62mm machine-gun, and another 7.62mm machine-gun mounted on the commander's cupola.
Like its European competitors, the Chieftain found a large export market in the Middle East, but was not adopted by any other NATO or Commonwealth countries. The Chieftains were continuously upgraded until the early 1990s when they were replaced by the Challenger series.
Chieftains were supplied to at least six countries, including Iran, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan. An agreement for sale of Chieftains to Israel was cancelled by the British Government in 1969. The largest foreign sale was to Iran, which took delivery of around 1,000 before the 1979 revolution. Further planned deliveries of the more capable 4030 series were cancelled at that point.
The tank's main combat experience was in Iranian hands during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88.
Seen during a demonstration in the display arena at the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.
Powerful Chieftain MBT
The FV4201 Chieftain was the main battle tank of the UK from its introduction in 1967. It was a radical evolutionary development of the successful Centurion line of tanks that had emerged at the end of WWII.
Chieftain was designed to be as well-protected as possible and to be equipped with a powerful 120mm rifled cannon. The heavy armour came at the price of reduced mobility, chiefly due to engine power limitations, which was perhaps the Chieftain's main drawback. The engine selected took the multi-fuel route and as introduced gave less than the planned output; improvements to the engine did not increase power to the desired value.
The Chieftain had a mantleless turret, in order to take full advantage of reclining the vehicle up to 10° in a hull-down position. To the left side of the turret was a large infra-red searchlight in an armoured housing. The suspension was of the Horstmann bogie type, with large side plates to protect the tracks and provide stand-off protection from hollow charge attack.
The main armament was the 120mm L11A5 rifled gun. This differed from most contemporary main tank armament as it used projectiles and charges which were loaded separately, as opposed to a single fixed round. The gun itself could fire a wide range of ammunition, but the most commonly loaded types were HESH or APDS.
Initially, Chieftain was equipped with a 12.7mm ranging machine-gun mounted above the main gun, firing ranging shots out to 2,400m. Later, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a laser rangefinder replaced it, allowing engagements at much longer ranges, and also linked to the fire-control system, allowing more rapid engagements and changes of target. The gun was fully stabilised with a fully computerised integrated control system. Secondary armament consisted of a coaxial L8A1 7.62mm machine-gun, and another 7.62mm machine-gun mounted on the commander's cupola.
Like its European competitors, the Chieftain found a large export market in the Middle East, but was not adopted by any other NATO or Commonwealth countries. The Chieftains were continuously upgraded until the early 1990s when they were replaced by the Challenger series.
Chieftains were supplied to at least six countries, including Iran, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan. An agreement for sale of Chieftains to Israel was cancelled by the British Government in 1969. The largest foreign sale was to Iran, which took delivery of around 1,000 before the 1979 revolution. Further planned deliveries of the more capable 4030 series were cancelled at that point.
The tank's main combat experience was in Iranian hands during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88.
Seen during a demonstration in the display arena at the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.