"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message
...

"Kevin Brooks" wrote in message
...


Not originally, from what I have read. IIRC the original composition was
reportedly steel with a ceramic layer (or layers), with the DU being
added
later by the US (I don't recall its being used by the Challenger II?).

Brooks


Challenger II is officially listed as being protected by
second generation Chobham armour, the exact
composition os of course secret but the understanding
I have is it uses either DU or tungsten in place of
the steel in first generation armor

Odd, since from what I have read the aggregate weight increase between
Challeneger I and Challeneger II is only about 500 kg; OTOH, the change from
the M1 to the M1A1 brought a change in weight of about six *tons* (and that
change from the 105mm to the 120mm gun did not account for a great deal of
that, I'd imagine). How could they have switched to a DU (or tungsten) armor
package and only increase the vehicle weight by some thousand pounds plus in
the case of Challenger?

Brooks


Keith