Is the UK looking to sell off its new Challenger 3 tanks?
The UK said it is exploring export opportunities of Challenger 3, despite the British Army being the only customer
Ukraine and Oman also operate the legacy Challenger 2, potentially offering an upgrade solution
The British Army will receive just 148 Challenger 3 tanks, down from a peak Challenger 2 fleet of nearly 400 units
The UK Government has said that it is looking at export opportunities of the British Army’s future Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) despite the base vehicle no longer being in production, with questions arising regarding the potential sale of planned UK units.
Outlined in a 28 January parliamentary written response, UK Minister for State for Defence Readiness Luke Pollard said the Challenger 3 MBT was a “centrepiece” of the British Army’s modernisation plan.
“The [MoD] continues to explore export opportunities for Challenger 3 and its capabilities under the Land Industrial Strategy,” Pollard added.
The admission that the UK is looking at exports of Challenger 3 is confusing, as the platform is being delivered as an upgrade to the in-service 1990s-era Challenger 2 MBT.
Pictured: Challenger 2 main battle tank deployed on Exercise Hedgehog in Estonia, 13 May 2025. Credit: Crown Copyright/UK Ministry of Defence.
The Challenger 2 is no longer manufactured and the remaining fleet constantly reduced due to cannibalisation, a process that sees serviceable platforms receiving spare parts from other more degraded units.
At the time of publishing, the UK Ministry of Defence had not responded to a request from Army Technology regarding possible exports of Challenger 3.
Exports could only come in two forms: either the upgrade of existing Challenger 2 tanks such as the integration of the new Rheinmetall turret and main gun; or else the sale of complete UK units to overseas customers.
Should it be the latter, then it would mean the UK is considering selling some of the 148 Challenger 3 MBTs it is due to receive, all converted from remaining Challenger 2 tanks. At peak, the British Army had just under 400 Challenger 2 tanks in its inventory.
Conversion of existing Challenger 2 tanks could be an option, with Ukraine operating a small number – reduced through war attrition – and the Sultanate of Oman also maintaining a fleet of 38 units delivered in 2001.
In late-2025, the UK Government claimed it had 288 Challenger 2 tanks despite 2024 figures provided under the previous administration indicating 213 Challenger 2 MBTs in the British Army fleet. In 2023, British Army officials said the service had 157 “operational” Challenger 2 tanks.
It is inconceivable the British Army found dozens of tanks hidden in storage, or else somehow reconditioned cannibalised platforms to a degree that they could be counted as viable assets.
The UK Government has offered no indication as to where or how these ‘extra’ tanks have been sourced.
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