Thread: British MBTs
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Old 01-19-2012, 08:45 AM
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I got this from Janes, I hope this helps:

Development/DescriptionThe Centurion Mk 5 Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers (or AVRE) wasdeveloped by the Fighting Vehicles Research and DevelopmentEstablishment (now the Military Vehicles and EngineeringEstablishment) to replace the Churchill AVRE which entered serviceshortly after the end of the Second World War. The first prototype ofthe Centurion AVRE was completed in 1957 with production beingundertaken in the early 1960s.During 1984 the first of a new variant of AVRE was delivered. Thiswas a conversion of the Centurion MBT once used by Royal Artilleryforward observation posts and these tanks retain their main 105 mm L7guns. They are thus known as AVRE 105s and the existing AVREs fittedwith the 165 mm demolition guns are known as AVRE 165s. The AVRE 105sare fitted with the mineplough only, although they are capable ofaccommodating the dozer blade and towing various trailers. The 105 mmgun is used to fire HESH ammunition only.The Centurion AVREs are used by only one unit, 32 Armoured EngineerRegiment, Royal Engineers, based in BAOR. Within this regiment theAVREs are used to equip three squadrons, each with three troops.Within each squadron the AVREs are divided into AVRE 165 troops orAVRE 105 troops with three AVREs to a troop.The Centurion AVRE is being supplemented in service by theChieftain AVRE (see previous entry) and when sufficient ChieftainAVREs are available the Centurion AVREs will be phased out of service.
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