The project had three components: the gun (prototype known as EXP32M1), developed by the Royal Ordnance Factory, Nottingham, a new depleted uranium (DU) APFSDS round, and a propellant charge for it.

In January 2023, the UK government announced that it was donating L30-armed Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, with the first deliveries made at the end of March 2023.

When HESH ammunition is fired from a rifled barrel, the spin imparted to the projectile helps ensure a predictable distribution of the plasticised explosive filler, and thus maximises its efficiency in the anti-tank role.

[20] The L14A1 is codenamed Jericho 1, it was designed for hot weather operations[21] The L30 saw its first offensive use during the Iraq War where Challenger 2s provided fire support for British forces, and destroyed numerous Iraqi tanks.

Two High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) rounds were fired, with the second hitting the open commander's hatch lid of the QRL tank sending hot fragments into the turret, killing two crew members.

On 14 June 2017, a Challenger 2 from The Royal Tank Regiment suffered an ammunition explosion during live firing exercises at the Castlemartin Range in Pembrokeshire.

[26] It was determined that a bolt vent axial (BVA) seal assembly had been removed during an earlier exercise and had not been replaced at the time of the incident, allowing explosive gases to enter the turret space, detonating two bag charges that had not been stowed in the internal ammunition bins as required by correct procedure.

The coroner at the inquest said that the main cause of the incident was that inadequate consideration had been given during the production of the L30 gun as to whether it could be fired without the seal assembly.