page_title: Challenger 2
section_title: Drive system
hierarchical_section_title: Challenger 2 / Design / Drive system
caption_attribution_description: English: A British Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Challenger II, main battle tank climbs an obstacle during a training exercise Nov. 17, 2008, in Basra, Iraq.
context_page_description: The FV4034 Challenger 2 is a third generation British main battle tank in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was designed and built by the British company Vickers Defence Systems.
  Vickers Defence Systems began to develop a successor to Challenger 1 as a private venture in 1986. A £90 million deal for a demonstrator vehicle was finalised in January 1989. In June 1991, the Ministry of Defence placed a £520 million order for 140 vehicles, with a further 268 ordered in 1994. Production began in 1993 and the unit's tanks were delivered in July 1994, replacing the Challenger 1. The tank entered service with the British Army in 1998, with the last delivered in 2002. It is expected to remain in service until 2035. The Royal Army of Oman ordered 18 Challenger 2s in 1993 and a further 20 tanks in November 1997.
  The Challenger 2 is an extensive redesign of the Challenger 1. Although the hull and automotive components seem similar, they are of a newer design and build than those of the Challenger 1 and only around 3% of components are interchangeable.
context_section_description: The tank's drive system comprises:
  Engine: Perkins 26.1 litre, 60° Vee, twin turbo-charged, CV12-6A four-stroke, four valve per cylinder (pushrod), direct injection diesel engine delivering 1200 bhp (895 kW) at 2300rpm. Torque 4126 Nm at 1700rpm. The engine and gearbox are controlled by a Petards Vehicle Integrated Control System (VICS).
  Gearbox: David Brown Santasalo TN54E epicyclical transmission (6 fwd, 2 rev.) rated at 1200 bhp and upgradable to 1500 bhp.
  Suspension: Horstman Defence Systems second (current) or third-generation (future) hydrogas suspension units (HSU).
  Track: William Cook Defence hydraulically adjustable TR60 414FS double-pin.
  Maximum speed: 37 mph (60 km/h) on road; 25 mph (40 km/h) cross country
  Range: 342 mi or 550 km on road with external fuel; 156 mi (250 km) cross country on internal fuel.
  The tank is also fitted with an Extel Systems Wedel APU (Auxiliary Power Unit - also referred to as a GUE [Generating Unit Engine]) based around a 38 kW Perkins P404C-22 Diesel engine, with a 600 A electrical output which can be used to power the vehicle's electrical systems when it is stationary and the main engine is switched off, this replaces the Perkins P4.108 engine fitted when the tank was first introduced. The use of an APU allows for reduced fuel consumption and lowers the audio and thermal signature of the vehicle.
  As of 2013, the British Army has, at various events featuring the Challenger 2, begun to state the on road range of 550 km as opposed to an earlier stated value of 450 km. They have also publicly stated a maximum road speed of 59 km/h while equipped with 15 tons of additional modules.
caption: A Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Challenger 2 climbing an obstacle during a training exercise 17 Nov 2008, in Basra, Iraq
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