This is the FV4030/3, designed as an upgrade of the Chieftain tank for Iran. However with no deliveries fulfilled, the FV4030/3 later evolved into the Challenger 1 tank we all know and love.
FV4030/3 Shir 2: An Event Vehicle MBT for Great Britain at Rank VI
At a glance:
- 120 mm gun with the L23 APFSDS shell.
- 1200 HP engine.
- Chobham composite armor.
- Lacking thermals.
Vehicle History
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In the 1970s, the Iranian Government put in an order to upgrade their existing Chieftain main battle tanks, specifically requesting better armor and a new engine. Development of new armor was carried out by the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment (MVEE) in Chobham, Surrey. This development produced the FV4030/3 (Shir 2), which featured brand-new, state-of-the-art Chobham armor. This new armor development gave this tank a flat front hull, a completely new turret compared to the Chieftain — featuring flat cheeks instead of a steel cast front — and a new 1200 HP engine. The first prototypes built at ROF Leeds were shown in 1978 with delivery of production tanks ready for Iran in 1980. However, Iran’s order for 1,200 of these tanks was canceled in 1979 due to the Iranian Revolution and the fall of the Shah of Iran. Having now developed a tank for a country that no longer wanted to purchase them, ROF Leeds found itself in urgent need of a new customer to sustain tank production. In parallel, the MBT-80 project, aimed at developing a new tank for the British Army to replace the Chieftain, was ongoing. Concerned that new Soviet tank designs were getting ahead, and with FV4030/3 production ready for completion but lacking further orders, the British Government decided to shift the FV4030/3 for the British Army, leading to the ultimate cancellation of the MBT-80 project. Further development of this tank was carried out to address the requirements of the British Army, and after a few years, the project resulted in the FV4030/4 Challenger 1 tank which entered service with the British Army in 1983.
Introducing the FV4030/3 Shir 2
Meet the FV4030/3, obtainable in the Enter the Serpent event. What is this tank exactly? Functionally it can be seen as a heavily upgraded Chieftain tank, but with a brand-new turret and hull, specifically designed for Iran. However, with the collapse of the Iran Government in 1979, no orders were taken, which led to the FV4030/3 being developed into the Challenger 1 for the British Army instead. Let’s take a closer look!
The FV4030/3 is a tank that comes between the Chieftain and Challenger 1 in terms of design and development, featuring a new engine (more on that below) and Chobham composite armor. This composite armor covers a range of the front of the tank, including the upper hull, turret cheeks and turret side. The most protected area is the flat turret cheeks, which can withstand the majority of APFSDS shells at its rank — however the upper and lower plate remain a large weakspot.
Did you know? “Shir” is Persian for “Lion”!
Retaining the great 120 mm L11A5 cannon from the Chieftain, the FV4030/3 can fire the L23 APFSDS round as well as HESH and APDS. The APFSDS shell should always be prioritized as the primary round for this tank, so be sure to focus your research efforts towards it! The excellent gun, which lacks a thermal imager, and main shell is complemented by a very handy laser rangefinder, perfect for long-range engagements — additionally, the FV4030/3 also features a coaxial and turret mounted 7.62 mm machine gun, along with smoke grenades.
As typical to most British Cold War tanks, the FV4030/3 doesn’t feature the most powerful engine in the world, with it being 1200 HP. Although, this is far better than the Chieftain’s and offers enough power to get this vehicle moving up to around 56 km/h, but in many cases won’t be as effective as similar contemporary tanks due to its weight. The playstyle of the FV4030/3 will be almost identical to the Challenger 1 Mk.2 — hunker down where possible, avoid showing the hull, and aim to engage at longer ranges. Or brawl if you’re brave!
That’s it for this one! You can obtain the FV4030/3 in the Enter the Serpent event which begins today. Check out the link below for more information!
Click here to find out more details about the Enter the Serpent event
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.