Vickers Mk.3

The Vickers Mk. 3 was introduced in 1975 as a development for the export market. Based on Design No. 51400 T, development of the variant commenced in 1974. It represented the final design in the Vickers main battle tank series to achieve export sales in numbers. The government of Kenya placed the initial production order for the vehicle in 1977.

The primary design modification from the earlier Mk. 1 involves the turret, which incorporates a cast front welded to a body of fabricated armor plate. The turret features a cast gun mantlet shaped to provide better resistance against armor-piercing projectiles than the flat mantlet of the previous version. The vehicle is armed with a 105 mm main gun. Technical changes from earlier models include an increased ammunition capacity of 50 rounds and an improved gun depression of -10 degrees below the horizontal.

The Mk. 3 is operated by several countries. Kenya received deliveries of the tank and armored recovery variants between 1979 and 1982. Nigeria acquired the tank along with armored recovery and bridge-laying variants between 1983 and 1995. Tanzania operates armored recovery versions of the platform. In operational service, Kenyan forces deployed the Mk. 3 during interventions in Somalia, including operations around Kismayo in 2012. Nigerian vehicles have seen combat in internal security operations, where some units were captured by Boko Haram before being destroyed or recaptured by the Nigerian Army.