Army's tanks to keep rolling and guns to keep firing under new £1.6bn maintenance deal
Challenger 2 tanks, 105mm L118 Light Guns and Trojan armoured engineer vehicles will be kept combat-ready over the next five years thanks to a £1.6bn maintenance deal.
The Service Provision and Transformation Contract will cover preventative maintenance, emergency repairs and spare parts management.
It will also include digital transformation to improve fleet management efficiency, keeping more vehicles and equipment ready for soldiers to use.
"Tanks, armoured vehicles and kit are the backbone of the British Army," said Defence Secretary John Healey.
"We are taking action to ensure the outstanding servicemen and women of our Armed Forces are properly equipped and ready to respond to ever-changing global threats.
"This substantial investment with Babcock demonstrates how defence is an engine for growth, supporting businesses of all sizes and sustaining more than 1,600 good, well-paid jobs across Britain.
"National security is the bedrock of a successful economy and our Government's Plan for Change."
The Challenger 2
The Challenger 2 main battle tank has been used by the British Army on operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Iraq, and has never experienced a loss at the hands of the enemy in British service.
Built in the UK by Vickers Defence Systems, now BAE Systems and Land Armaments, it was designed as a replacement for the Challenger 1 tank in 1986 and has been in service with the British Army since July 1994.
Challenger 2 is used by four armoured regiments – The Queen's Royal Hussars, The King's Royal Hussars, The Royal Tank Regiment and The Royal Wessex Yeomanry, which is the reserve regiment.
Each regiment operates 56 Challenger 2 tanks and a similar number of supporting vehicles in tasks such as reconnaissance and ammunition supply.
The L118 Light Gun
The versatile 105mm Light Gun is used by the parachute and Commando field artillery regiments of the British Army.
The Light Gun can be towed by a medium-weight vehicle or carried around the battlefield underslung by a Chinook helicopter.
Royal Artillery L118 light guns are fitted with an automatic pointing system (APS), which enables the gun to be unlimbered and in action in 30 seconds.
APS is based on an inertial navigation system, operated via a touch screen, that replaces the traditional dial sight.
The Trojan
The Trojan armoured engineer vehicle is designed to open routes through complex battlefield obstacles and clear a path through minefields.
Improved visibility is achieved by incorporating direct and indirect vision devices with low-light, image-intensifying and thermal imaging capabilities.
The interior, and to some extent the exterior, of the vehicle has been designed around the crew station positions.
The Trojan has the flexibility to support a wide range of operations, including humanitarian missions.
The move to boost the readiness of British Army combat vehicles and artillery pieces comes as the UK continues to lead planning efforts for a Coalition of the Willing nations to help secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Following the planning meeting attended by approximately 30 nations last week, further operational planning meetings will be led by UK Commander Joint Operations, General Nick Perry.
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