Vickers Mk.7

   Despite it's name, the Vickers Mk.7 main battle tank has nothing in common with Vickers Mk.1 and Mk.3. It is a further development of the earlier Mk.4 Valiant main battle tank.

   It was developed in the late 1980s to replace the Challenger 1 MBT. The Vickers Mk.7 was not accepted to service with the British Army and was actively offered for export customers, however no production orders were placed. Only one Vickers Mk.7 has been built.

   Turret of the Vickers Mk.7 is similar to that, used on the Vickers Mk.4 Valiant MBT. Front of the turret and hull is enhanced by Chobham composite armor. Later similar turret with considerable number of improvements was used on Brazilian Osorio MBT.

   Vehicle is armed with the L11 120-mm rifled gun. It fires the same munitions, developed for the Challenger 1 main battle tank. For export customers it was offered with a choice of three guns: the same British L11 120-mm rifled gun, German Rheinmetall 120-mm smoothbore gun and French GIAT 120-mm smoothbore gun. All of these guns are loaded manually.

   Secondary armament consists of two 7.62-mm machine guns. One of them is mounted coaxially with the main gun, another is placed on the turret roof.

   This main battle tank was fitted with a digital fire control system and gun control system. Both of these systems were revolutionary at that time.

   Vehicle has a crew of four, including commander, gunner, loader and driver.

   The Vickers Mk.7 utilizes hull of the German Leopard 2 main battle tank, as well as the engine, developing 1 500 horsepower.