NGFV-75 Challenger N

The **NGFV-75 Challenger N** is a post-WWIII main battle tank (MBT) utlised by the Pan Eurasian Union, developed in a joint project between BAE Systems Land & Armaments and Vanguard Technologies and manufactured by Superior Systems Incorporated. It first saw major usage in the middle-eastern border conflict between the Pan Eurasian Union and the United African States.

The Challenger N replaced the Valiant as the MBT of PEU. In 21 NE / 2168 CE the Pan Eurasian Governing Body approached both BAE Systems and Vanguard Technologies and requested they both develop a successor to the Valiant. The two companies agreed to work together and split the profit. The first Challenger N tanks rolled off of the production lines at BAE systems in 29 NE / 2176 CE, but later production moved on to SSI in late 30 NE / 2177 CE. It entered official service in the summer of 31 NE / 2178 CE, with the last delivered in November 32 NE / 2179 CE. The tank is expected to remain in active service until 59 NE / 2200 CE.

The Challenger N is essentially a redesigned Challenger 2, upscaled and fitted with 22nd Century weapons and armour technology. Though they appear aesthetically similar, the Challenger N is much larger. The tank's drive system provides a 620 km (750 km with external fuel tanks attached) range, with a maximum road speed of 120 km/h. It has a crew of three.

The Challenger N is equipped with a 170-millimetre Gauss G3GFC tank gun, the direct successor to the 150-millimetre G2GFC found on the Valiant, capable of firing GSABOT and KF. However, unlike the Valiant, the Challenger N may also be equipped with a G2GPC tank gun which is capable of firing HVKP Gauss slugs as well as the other two kinds of ammunition fired by the G3GFC.

The Challenger N had a much higher emphasis on speed, interception and redeployability than the previous Valiant MBT, and thus the original model of the Challenger N used the same fifth-generation Chobham Armour, but all Challenger N tanks constructed after the production move to SSI were equipped with Titan Plate as standard.

The Challenger N was specifically designed for excellent performance in extreme climate zones, specifically Tropical and Subtropical regions, but can be converted for other regions with little difficulty. With it's Dual HPO (High performance operating) fans, the V12 15 litre G-Diesel engine can run at near-constant temperatures at any climate.

## History

The Challenger N is the fourth vehicle of that name, the first of which being the A30 Challenger, a WWII tank destroyer mounted on the Cromwell tank chassis and equipped with the QF 17-pounder. The second to use the name Challenger was the Challenger 1, the British army's main battle tank from the early 1980s into the mid-1990s. The third vehicle using the Challenger name was the successor to the Challenger 1, the Challenger 2. This was the British army's main battle tank from 1998 to 2035, and was considered the most well protected tank of it's time.

BAE Systems and Vanguard Technologies began developing the successor to the Valiant by government request in 21 NE / 2168 CE. Working together, the two companies bounced ideas off of each other until a suitable design was created. BAE and Vanguard formally submitted their plans for the Challenger N to the Eurasian Ministry of Defence in early 22 NE / 2169 CE.

Production began in 28 NE / 2175 CE at two primary sites: Elswick in Tyne and Wear, and Barnbow in Leeds, though somewhere in the region of 170 subcontractors were involved at the time. Later production moved onto the largest SSI facilities in Germany in late 30 NE / 2177 CE. The Challenger N entered official service with the Pan Eurasian Defence Corps the summer of 31 NE / 2178 CE, with the last Challenger N being delivered in November 32 NE / 2179 CE. The tank is expected to remain in active service until at least 59 NE / 2200 CE.

The first real combat any Challenger N faced was in the Eurasian-African Border Conflict of 35 NE / 2182 CE. In this war, the Challenger N regiments were pitted against the African Zulu and the Shaka main battle tanks, and performed admirably. The Challenger N not only had superior armour to the Shaka but could also outmatch the Zulu in terms of speed. In the duration of the year-long conflict, only two Challenger N tanks were lost to enemy fire.