Overview
- RBSL and Rheinmetall confirmed the main-gun firing on January 20 at a UK Ministry of Defence range, the first for a newly developed British tank on UK soil in more than 30 years.
- The upgrade mounts a Rheinmetall 120 mm L55A1 smoothbore that fires modern kinetic-energy penetrators and programmable multi-purpose rounds.
- The milestone came after a phased assurance program that started with remote firings before advancing to crewed tests.
- The £800 million effort plans 148 upgraded vehicles designed and produced at RBSL’s Telford facility, with eight prototypes due before any serial build.
- Initial operating capability is targeted for 2027, while serial production timing depends on validated performance and supply-chain risk reduction.