Following the interesting results of the WCSP poll, the next question - how do you all foresee the Challenger 2 LEP playing out post ISDR? A rapid refresher in the thread below if needed.

#tanktwitter #miltwitter #CR2LEP

LEP started as a simple life extension exercise, seeking to replace obsolescent systems that have no spares provision, and to lightly tweak some capabilities to ensure the tank would last until 2040 when the FGMC was planned to come online

Assessment phase contracts were awarded to BAE and Rheinmetall for c. £27 million each in late 2016 to develop digital models (no physical demosntrators required) of their prospective bids, though each were given a CR2 to play with

We saw the BAE designed Black Night solution in 2018 (not a typo, refrencing the night fighting enhancements, and humble brag my AFV expert @Sam_Cranny had the worldwide exclusive on it at the time) which answered this requirement very clearly, with offer of tagging on iron Fist

Rheinmetall took a punt and showed a notional example of a much more expanded upgrade, not a simple obsolescence management but a far reaching whole platform upgrade with an entirely new turret and flipping to their 120 mm smoothbore gun

They said it was answering the original requirement and the gun swap etc were just additional options, I'm sure it was, but clearly it was really about offering something much bigger and more exciting to the user for a compelling price point

It was specualitve - the requirement absolutely was not asking for a lot of this and was a much more modest and cheaper set of needs. But the Army were rather taken by the undeniably tempting capability and thus was born LEP+, the expanded GBP1.2bn programme we now have

For at least the past 2 years the Rheinmetall offering, now pitched under the RBSL organisation, has been the sole offering being considered. No other bids have emerged to offer against the requirement.

KMW have repeatedly pushed Leopard 2A7 alternative which is quite a compelling case, but no appetite to take it for a few reasons, mainly up front costs and the significant cost of adding an all-new vehicle type that would have to run alongside remaining AEV/AVLB etc CR2 variants

Other options suggesgted have included surplus US M1A1/M1A2, Korean K2 under licence or surplus Leclerc under Lancaster House treaties. None seem to have had any serious consideration having been rapidly ruled out for a range of reasons, generally cost

Completely removing tank capability would be problematic long term, as it would certainly be reacquired downstream in 2040+ and then would be much more expensive and challenging to regenerate skills and expertise from a posiiton of decades of not owning tanks

Keen on votes and thoughts, some really interesting discussions off the back of the WCSP poll