Powering the future to save lives
Global actuator specialists awarded contract for the British Army’s Challenger 3 Tank’s Magazine Door Mechanism
TELFORD, February 2023 – Olsen Actuators, the UK’s leading actuator and motion control specialists, has today announced a partnership with Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) to deliver actuators for the British Army’s Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank.
Following extensive auditing and investments in internal quality systems, cyber security and production capabilities, Olsen has been awarded its first contract to supply packaged and customised actuator assemblies for integration onto the new Challenger 3 Tank.
The contract has helped Olsen Actuators, an SME based in Warrington, to employ four new permanent staff in senior technical positions, re-open the graduate recruitment scheme, retain all existing roles and helped instigate a move to a larger main office with an integrated workshop.
Signing contracts at Olsen Actuators Head Office in Daresbury
The ninth major programme for Olsen, which already supplies other prime contractors in the Aerospace and Marine sectors, this contract ensures both staff retention and the capability to significantly grow its team of technical engineering staff.
As part of the electrical actuator subsystem for the Challenger 3 main armament magazine door, Olsen will also be providing the user interface and electrical controllers with software for the door.
The high-performance actuator subsystems are a vital enabler of the outstanding functionality and performance that Challenger 3 will provide, whilst maintaining the high levels of survivability and safety required of the British Army. They will help to protect our nation’s tank crews and ultimately save lives.
Olsen’s range of actuators, servo motors, servo drives and cables, with control panel assembly, were carefully selected for ruggedness and defence standard compliance. Also critical was Olsen's capability to design, manufacture and complete associated mechanical assemblies to carry out performance testing.
Months of careful research, feedback and on-site collaboration have resulted in a successful design, ‘Made in the UK’, that delivers and exceeds the key elements required by RBSL, including:
- Strength
- Durability
- Reliability
- Small Footprint
- Low Maintenance
Olsen Actuators continues to grow significantly in an industry with a reputation for high performance, quality and critical supply chain integrity and processes.
This latest contract award reflects Olsen’s sustained excellence and trustworthiness in the defence sector and is a testament to the diligent, collaborative work of Olsen’s and RBSL’s engineering teams.
Piers Olsen, Managing Director and Founder of Olsen Actuators, said: “This project is symbolic of the value that Olsen brings to the table in such critical projects. With extensive experience in helping prime defence, aerospace and space contractors, we deliver solutions that are both novel and effective with responsive delivery times.”
“Over the last 20 years, we have carefully negotiated exclusive supply agreements with an exceptional range of leading manufacturers from the global market, with products specifically designed for our key industries. These include Curtiss-Wright Exlar Roller Screw Actuators, Macron Dynamics Belt Actuators and XYZ linear robotics, ANCA Linear Motors and ESI Motion Mil-spec Aerospace ready Servo-drives. This enables us to deliver the right package solutions, whether bespoke, COTS or MCOTS, to our clients in an efficient timescale, whilst allowing longevity of supply for the next +20 years.”
Colin McClean, RBSL Managing Director, said: “RBSL is delighted with the close working relationship that we have quickly established with Olsen and the accelerated design development this has resulted in. It is also pleasing to see the positive impact this is having within the UK supply chain. We now look forward to collaborating with Olsen on a rigorous programme of testing to validate the subsystem design ahead of the manufacturing phase of the Challenger 3 project.”
Market leaders in actuator technology, the Cheshire firm was recommended to RBSL by existing clients. Following a competitive tender process, Olsen’s proposal was selected due to excellent compliance with technical, cost and schedule requirements. This project was led by Adam Bargh, Technical Engineering Manager at Olsen, and his team, in collaboration with the team at RBSL.
Olsen's actuator solution will receive NATO codification so that it may be used in other suitable applications.
In the defence sector, Olsen Actuators can meet the following standards:
- Company: UKAS ISO 9001, AS9120 ready, Cyber Essentials Plus
- Actuators: Material Traceability and many MIL and DEF Standards
- Servo-Drives: DO178, DO 254 and MIL standards
This announcement follows a series of successfully ongoing projects in closely associated high-technology markets for Olsen Actuators. While these are confidential, the successes are reflected in the growth of the company including four new permanent staff in senior technical positions, the re-opening of the graduate recruitment scheme, retention of all existing roles and a move to larger premises with an integrated workshop on the prestigious Sci-Tech Daresbury technology campus earlier in April 2022.
It will reinforce Olsen Actuators’ position as the UK’s premier authority on electric actuation projects. Its range of products increases the UK’s supply chain of world-class engineering components and Olsen’s unique ability to customise and develop new solutions gives the UK a significant advantage in a highly important global sector.
As it continues to grow, Olsen is advertising for several new roles including sales, technical and administration staff (If you wish to apply, please send a CV to Adam Bargh at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). During 2022, it increased its usage of its extensive network of sub-contracted staff and will continue to bring in the best-qualified people for the relevant applications.
Thomas James, Marketing Manager, Olsen, added: “While Olsen has significant experience in this sector, each new application offers an opportunity to learn. No two projects are the same, though experiences can be shared and transferred from one application to another.”
Ends.
Notes to editor
About Olsen Actuators
Olsen Actuators was founded in 2004 by Piers Olsen, an engineer with years of experience and success in delivering solutions for challenging applications in some of the most demanding situations. His expertise has helped the organisation gain a world-class reputation within actuators, motion control technology and a profound grasp of customer needs.
Through providing complete solutions in highly technical sectors, Olsen Actuators has built a reputation for delivering industry-leading power electronics with truly unique capabilities. This includes actuator solutions for deep subsea applications, and flight control actuators in the aerospace sector through to precise measurement and clean dispensing in the pharmaceutical sector.
Olsen is happy to directly supply modular actuators and drives to your specifications although we also offer the option of delivering complete solutions, this gives us deep knowledge of the actual performance and quality of the components we supply. We are truly a global leader in the customisation and integration of complete electromechanical systems. Every product or solution provided, whether it's a single actuator or a sophisticated control system, benefits from our applications and technical knowledge often adding value to the end client solution.
Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL)
Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) is a defence engineering company specialising in the design, manufacture and support of military vehicles used by the British Army and international customers.
RBSL has a proud heritage, having designed and delivered many of the British Army’s armoured vehicle fleets under different business names. Whilst continuing to provide in-service support for these vehicles, RBSL is also in the process of delivering two of the UK’s latest vehicle programmes for the British Army – Challenger 3 and Boxer.
RBSL has a skilled workforce of more than 650 employees, including 260 engineers and 40 apprentices, based across UK sites in Telford, Dorset, Bristol, and near Newcastle.
Challenger 3
The upgraded vehicle, to be called Challenger 3, will be a network-enabled, digital Main Battle Tank with state-of-the-art lethality, upgraded survivability, plus world-class surveillance and target acquisition capabilities.
The upgraded Challenger 3 will be equipped with the latest 120mm High-Pressure L55A1 main gun, firing the latest kinetic energy anti-tank rounds and programmable multipurpose ammunition. The gun is also complete with increased first-hit capability and the latest fire support technology.
The new turret structure and improved survivability systems provides the highest standard of protection for the crew. The long-range commander and gunner primary sights will also be improved with automatic target detection and acquisition.
This solution also provides significant growth potential in all Main Battle Tank key capability areas with the new physical, electronic and electrical architecture.
Next Steps
To find out more about how we can help you, whether in pre-planning, design or implementation then just get in touch with our application specialists on 01925 202127 or send us a message on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We would be happy to arrange a visit or a Teams meeting to get the ball rolling.
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