The Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle or CRARRV is a large British
armoured recovery vehicle
An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is typically a powerful tank or armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis modified for use during combat for military vehicle recovery (towing) or repair of battle-damaged, stuck, and/or inoperable armoured fi ...
based on the hull of the
Challenger 1 main battle tank
A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the role of armor-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more powerful engines, better suspension s ...
. The CRARRV is currently operated in conjunction with the
Challenger 2 tanks of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...
and
Royal Army of Oman. It is one of the few vehicles capable of repairing and recovering Challenger tanks in the field. Eighty vehicles were delivered to the British between 1988 and 1993; an additional four vehicles were delivered to
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...
.
Design
In 1985, the UK MoD ordered a derivative
armoured recovery vehicle
An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is typically a powerful tank or armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis modified for use during combat for military vehicle recovery (towing) or repair of battle-damaged, stuck, and/or inoperable armoured fi ...
from
Vickers Defence, based on the
Challenger 1, to replace those based on the FV4204
Chieftain
A tribal chief or chieftain is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom.
Tribe
The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Afroeurasia.
Tribal societies are sometimes categorized as ...
ARV/ARRV.
The size and performance of the CRARRV are similar to a Challenger 1 tank, but instead of armament it is fitted with:
* A main winch with 50
tonnes-force A ton-force is one of various units of force defined as the weight of one ton due to standard gravity.All calculations on this page assume the following definition of standard gravity, ''g''0.
:''g''0 = The precise definition depends on the defin ...
pull in a 1:1 configuration or 98 tonnes-force pull using an included pulley in a 2:1 configuration and anchor point on the vehicle, plus a small auxiliary winch to aid in deploying the main winch rope.
* Atlas crane capable of lifting at a distance of (this is sufficient to lift a Challenger 2 power pack).
* Dozer blade to use as an earth anchor/stabiliser, or in obstacle clearance and fire position preparation.
* Large set of recovery and heavy repair tools including a man-portable ultrathermic cutting system with an underwater cutting capability and a man-portable welder.
In order to improve flexibility and supplement the transportation of power packs around the battlefield, the British Army procured a quantity of dedicated CRARRV High Mobility Trailers (HMT). Each HMT enables a CRARRV to transport a single (Challenger, Titan or Trojan) power pack or two
Warrior
A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste.
History
Warriors seem to have ...
power packs, by altering the configuration of dedicated fixtures and attachment of fittings.
CRARRVs have subsequently been upgraded to use the updated Challenger 2 powertrain consisting of a CV12-5C/6C engine
with TN54E transmission.
Each CRARRV has five seats but usually carries a crew of three soldiers from the
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), of the recovery mechanic and vehicle mechanic/technician trades. There is room in the cabin for two further passengers (e.g. crew members of the casualty vehicle) on a temporary basis.
Operational history

British CRARRVs were first deployed in action in the lead up to the
First Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
,
Operation Granby
Operation Granby, commonly abbreviated Op Granby, was the code name given to the British military operations during the 1991 Gulf War. 53,462 members of the British Armed Forces were deployed during the conflict. The total cost of operations wa ...
in 1991.
CRARRVs supported Challenger 1 and later Challenger 2 tanks as part of peacekeeping efforts in
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
and
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Eur ...
.
They were subsequently deployed alongside Challenger 2 tanks during the
2003 invasion of Iraq,
Operation Telic
Operation Telic (Op TELIC) was the codename under which all of the United Kingdom's military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on ...
in 2003.

British CRARRVs were also deployed as part of
Operation Herrick
Operation Herrick was the codename under which all British operations in the War in Afghanistan were conducted from 2002 to the end of combat operations in 2014. It consisted of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security A ...
, the British contribution to the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) during the
War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC)
* Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709)
*Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see al ...
where they supported British Challenger 2-derived
Titan
Titan most often refers to:
* Titan (moon), the largest moon of Saturn
* Titans, a race of deities in Greek mythology
Titan or Titans may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Fictional entities
Fictional locations
* Titan in fiction, fictiona ...
bridgelayers and
Trojan combat engineering vehicles.
In 2020, a CRARRV was used to recover rail vehicles the aftermath of the
Stonehaven derailment.
Operators
*
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
- 80 in service, subsequently received Challenger 2 powertrain upgrades.
*
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...
- 4 in service.
Future operators
*
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...
- an unspecified number of CRARRVs are to be donated to Ukraine alongside a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks in 2023.
Vehicles on display
* The prototype CRARRV is on display at The
REME Museum at
MoD Lyneham
Ministry of Defence Lyneham or MOD Lyneham is a Ministry of Defence site in Wiltshire, England, about northeast of Chippenham and southwest of Swindon. The site houses the Defence School of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering. Also here is P ...
, Wiltshire.
See also
*
Challenger 1 - vehicle from which CRARRV was originally derived.
*
Challenger 2 - CRARRVs subsequently upgraded to share a power train with this vehicle.
*
Trojan Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers - Challenger 2 derived combat engineering vehicle.
*
M88 Recovery Vehicle
The M88 Recovery Vehicle is one of the largest armored recovery vehicles (ARV) in use by United States Armed Forces. There are three variants, the ''M88'', ''M88A1'' and ''M88A2'' HERCULES (Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lifting Extract ...
- US equivalent.
References
External links
CRARRVat
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and arms manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of ...
CRARRVat
Rheinmetall BAE Systems LandCRARRVon the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...
website.
{{ModernUKAFVsNav
Tracked armoured recovery vehicles
Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s
British Army equipment