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United Kingdom Perkins Engines Company
Perkins CV12
V12 turbocharged diesel, marketed as the Condor, that has powered the British Challenger 1 and Challenger 2 main battle tanks since the 1990s and continues in the Challenger 3 upgrade. Also fitted to Pakistan's Al Khalid-family retrievers and the re-engined Chieftain.
In service since 1994
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-08-10
1,200
hp
1,888
kg
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
UK export-licensed
Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.
Channel: Government-to-government or direct
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 1994. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
The Challenger 2's CV12 is rated at 1,200 hp (895 kW) at 2,300 rpm. Higher-rated Condor export variants of the same CV12 family have been quoted up to 1,500 hp (1,120 kW); this record reflects the Challenger 2/3 in-service rating rather than the higher export figure. Displacement is 26.11 liters.
Powers these platforms
Systems in the WeaponSpecs database that list the Perkins CV12 as their engine.
Full specifications
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 1.45 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 1.27 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 1.18 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 1,888 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 1,200 hp |
|---|---|
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | V12 turbocharged diesel |
Specifications compiled from public Perkins Engines Company and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-08-10.
Compare with rivals
Eurojet Turbo GmbH Eurojet EJ200 
Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney F135 
