Seen on the front page of the Daily Telegraph today (13/03/21), in an article about extra funding for UK defence spending:

"More than 100 ageing Challenger 2 tanks will receive new turrets, guns, sensors and engines......"

Which leaves what, exactly - a steel tub?

Please, Chobham tub, it's a lot more sophisticated than mere steel /tilts nose to sky

In the States, the line is, "It's cheaper than buying new, Senator".

Well, that does leave the transmission and running gear, the driver's station, and the all-important boiling vessel.

Steel tub, some modular armour, running gear, transmission, fuel and cooling systems, stowage fixtures and fittings (although that might need updating along with the engine) and I should imagine that the Bowman radio fit will remain, at least until the next radio system (Morpheus?).

The turret shown to date looks like it reuses a number of systems as well.

On top of that it’s a known environment.

Farmplinker said:

In the States, the line is, "It's cheaper than buying new, Senator".

I read that as "it's cheaper than buying a new senator" which is also the case in US politcics.

It works both ways TBH.

finally a rheinmetall 120/L55 smoothbore gun?

A few years before everybody else moves to 130mm. Clever.

Spending £1.2 billion (Source: NAO major Projects Report 2020) to upgrade 150 Challenger 2 MBTs that will remain in service for 15 years doesn't seem to be the best use of limited resources at a time when the Army's Equipment Plan budget has never been under greater seems crazy. 

They have delayed the upgrade so long now that the list of changes that need to be made are extensive. Mounting a new turret on a tank is the same as bringing a new one into service. As Leopard 2, Abrams, Warrior CSP and Ajax all show, it takes a decade to introduce a new tank. So, assuming the Challenger 2 LEP gets go ahead  this year, we should see the first ones arrive in around 2031. 

They now want to condense the acquisition process by combining demonstration and manufacturing phases. This is the same mistake we made with Ajax.  

(Tony, tried to send you an email but your mail box is full. I don't know whether you're getting notifications)