Chieftain tank - Definition

The Chieftain was the Main battle tank of the United Kindom during the 1960s and 1970s. It was one of the most advanced tanks of its time, having the most powerful main gun and armour of any tank in the world until the late 1970s.

Overview

The Chieftain was a development of the successful Centurion line of tanks that had emerged after the second world war. The British had learnt during the war that their tanks often lacked sufficient protection and firepower compared to those fielded by the enemy, and that this had lead to high casuality levels when faced with the superior German tanks of the time. Therefore, while Continental European nations such as West Germany and France were pursuing lighter, more mobile tanks, Britain stuck with a heavier, more survivable design: the 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 which was perhaps the Chieftain's main drawback. However, like its European competitors, the Chieftain found a large export market, most notably in the Middle East.

The Chieftain proved itself capable in combat and able to be upgraded with enhancements both for overall improvement and to meet local requirements. The Chieftain tanks were continuously upgraded until the 1980s when they were replaced by the Challenger series of tanks whose design was largely based on that of the Chieftain.

The first Chieftain model was introduced in 1967, and has since been delivered to at least six countries, including Iran (where it is named the "khalid"), Jordan ("Shir-1") and Iraq.

Specifications

• Crew: 4
• Weight: 55 tons
• Length: 7.48m
• Height: 2.90m
• Powerplant: Diesel of 750hp
• Range: 500km
• Max Road Speed: 48km/h
• Cross-Country Speed: 30km/h
• Armor Thickness: 300mm RHA

Armament

• 120mm L11A5 main tank gun
  • 8 rounds per minute rate of fire
  • -10 to +20 degree elevation
  • Laser rangefinder
• Coaxial L8A1 7.62mm machine gun
• Cupola-mounted L8A1 7.62mm machine gun

Equipment

• C42/Larkspur VHF radio
• 12 Individual smoke grenade launchers on turret

Variants

• Chieftain Mk.5: Final production variant, with upgrades to the powerplant and NBC protection system.
• Chieftain Mk.6-11: Incremental upgrades to pre-Mk.5 models.
• Chieftain Mk.12: Addition of ROMOR spaced armor.
• Chieftain AVLB: Bridge-laying development.
• Chieftain Dozer: Bulldozer.
• Chieftain Mineclearer: Mine-clearing development.
• Khalid/Shir 1: Jordanian variant with running gear of the Callenger 1.
• Weapon Carriers: The Chieftain chassis was modified to mount air defense weapons and a 155mm howitzer in various modifications.