Tank origin

The appearance of larger, more powerful Soviet tanks after World War II spurred Britain’s development of a replacement for its Centurion main battle tank. The tank dubbed the Chieftain entered service in 1963. Its excellent armor protection and firepower made it one of the world’s most formidable tanks at the time. However, it saw numerous improvements and variants throughout its life. The Chieftain Mk. 5 variant included an improved engine and ranging machine gun.