Military
The Oldest Tanks Built on a Large Scale in the Modern Era
M1 Abram Tank Live Fire by U.S. Army Europe / PDM 1.0 (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
Published: April 26, 2024 1:50 pm
Last Updated: May 1, 2024 11:45 am
The modern tank has dominated the battlefield since it first emerged in World War I. Militaries around the world have employed tanks for decades in conflicts ranging from land wars in Africa to the current Russia-Ukraine War. (This is a comparison of Russia and NATO’s military strength. )
Here 24/7 Wall St. is taking a look at some of the oldest tanks in the world. To identify the newest tanks of the modern era, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of tanks from Military Factory. We ordered tanks according to when they first were introduced, and only included tanks introduced after World War II and prior to 1990. Supplemental information about the type of tank, country of origin, manufacturer, top speed, and number manufactured also came from Military Factory. We excluded tanks that did not make it out of the prototype or proposal stage and only included tanks that had at least 10 units manufactured.
The M1 Abrams is by far one of the most prolific and impactful tanks of the modern era. Designed by General Dynamics and introduced in 1980, over 10,000 of these tanks have been produced. The M1 Abrams uses a 120mm Rheinmetall M256A1 as its primary armament, as well as 12.7mm and 7.62mm secondary machine guns. With all these features combined, the M1 Abrams isn’t just important, it’s essential for any military looking to dominate the ground.
These modern tanks have fairly standardized ammunition. Practically all tanks mentioned here have at least a 7.62mm machine gun as a secondary armament, although roles may vary for this gun whether it is anti-infantry or anti-aircraft. Some tanks have even bigger guns with 12.7mm guns that fill similar roles. For the main gun, or the turret, most modern tanks are chambered for anywhere between 100mm to 125mm rounds, and some even have missile-firing capabilities. (These are the NATO countries with the largest tank armies. )
Here is a look at the newest tanks of the modern era:
Why Are We Covering This?
Thinkstock / Stockbyte via Getty Images
Knowing about tanks of the modern era is crucial because they play a significant role in shaping military strategies and global security. Understanding their capabilities helps nations assess their own defenses and those of potential adversaries. By studying modern tanks, we can gain insight into the evolution of military technology and the direction of future conflicts.
Mike1979 Russia / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1990
Type: Amphibious light tank
Armament: 30mm cannon, 7.62 machine gun, AT-4 ATGW launcher, 5.45mm machine gun, 40mm grenade launcher, smoke dischargers
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 123
Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
Top speed: 44 mph
Year introduced: 1990
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 105mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Taiwan
Total units manufactured: 550
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 30 mph
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1988
Type: Light tank
Armament: 105mm L7A3 rifled main gun, 12.7mm Browning anti-aircraft heavy maching gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: United States
Total units manufactured: 106
Manufacturer(s): Cadillac Gage / Textron Systems
Top speed: 43 mph
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1987
Type: Light tank
Armament: 100mm 2A70 rifled main gun, 30mm 2A72 coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 1,840
Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
Top speed: 43 mph
7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1986
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 100mm A308 main gun, 12.7mm DShK anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Romania
Total units manufactured: 303
Manufacturer(s): Mechanical Factory Bucharest
Top speed: 37 mph
대한민국 국군 Republic of Korea Armed Forces / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1986
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 120mm KM256 main gun, 7.62 M60E2-1 coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm K6 anti-aircraft machine gun, M60D general purpose machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: South Korea
Total units manufactured: 1,500
Manufacturer(s): Hyundai ROTEM
Top speed: 40 mph
Нацгвардія України / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1985
Type: Amphibious light tank
Armament: 30mm 2A42 cannon, ATGM missile launcher, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 2,150
Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
Top speed: 50 mph
File:Yu MBT M-84 01.jpg by / BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
Year introduced: 1985
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 125mm 2A46 smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62 coaxial anti-infantry machine gun, smoke grenade discharger
Country of origin: Yugoslavia
Total units manufactured: 652
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 42 mph
Year introduced: 1985
Type: Amphibious light tank
Armament: 85mm main gun, 14.5mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm general purpose machine gun
Country of origin: North Korea
Total units manufactured: 500
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 37 mph
Year introduced: 1985
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 125mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: China
Total units manufactured: 2,000
Manufacturer(s): China North Industries Corporation
Top speed: 36 mph
Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1985
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 105mm rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, smoke dischargers
Country of origin: China
Total units manufactured: 3,000
Manufacturer(s): China North Industries Corporation
Top speed: 40 mph
Argentina.gob.ar / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1983
Type: Medium tank
Armament: 105mm rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Argentina
Total units manufactured: 200
Manufacturer(s): Thyssen-Henschel / TAMSE
Top speed: 47 mph
Vitaly V. Kuzmin / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1982
Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
Armament: 30mm 2A42 main gun, 7.62 PKTM coaxial machine gun, 9M113 Konkurs mssile launcher, smoke dischargers
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 35,000
Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
Top speed: 40 mph
Cepasial / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1981
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 120mm L11A5 rifled main gun, 7.62mm L8A2 coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm L37A2 anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Total units manufactured: 274
Manufacturer(s): Royal Ordinance Factories / Vickers Defense Systems
Top speed: 30 mph
Gutsul / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1981
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 125mm 2A46 main gun, 14.5mm KPV anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial general purpose machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: North Korea
Total units manufactured: 1,255
Manufacturer(s): Second Machine Industry Bureau
Top speed: 31 mph
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1981
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 105mm L7 main gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Italy
Total units manufactured: 39
Manufacturer(s): OTO-Melara
Top speed: 37 mph
Year introduced: 1980
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 120mm Rheinmetall M256A1 smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm Browning M1HB anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm M240 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: United States
Total units manufactured: 10,000
Manufacturer(s): General Dynamics
Top speed: 42 mph
Year introduced: 1979
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 120mm Rheinmetall L55 smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm MG3A1 coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm MG3A1 anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Germany
Total units manufactured: 3,500
Manufacturer(s): Krauss-Maffei Wegmann
Top speed: 45 mph
Wirestock / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1979
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 120mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, 60mm mortar launcher, smoke grenade launchers
Country of origin: Israel
Total units manufactured: 2,100
Manufacturer(s): Israeli Ordnance Corps Facility
Top speed: 29 mph
Bob Adams / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1978
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 105mm L7 rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 7.62 anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade launchers
Country of origin: South Africa
Total units manufactured: 172
Manufacturer(s): OMC Engineering / Vickers Reumach / LIW Denel
Top speed: 36 mph
Mircea87 / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1977
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 100mm A308 rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun
Country of origin: Romania
Total units manufactured: 632
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 31 mph
Year introduced: 1976
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 125mm main gun, 12.7mm air defense machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 5,500
Manufacturer(s): Omsk Transmash / Malyshev / LKZ
Top speed: 43 mph
Miya.m / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1975
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 105mm rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun
Country of origin: Japan
Total units manufactured: 893
Manufacturer(s): Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Top speed: 37 mph
deyanarobova / iStock via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1972
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 25,000
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 42 mph
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1971
Type: Light tank
Armament: 105mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Austria
Total units manufactured: 716
Manufacturer(s): Saurer-Werk / Steyr-Daimler-Puch
Top speed: 43 mph
Year introduced: 1971
Type: Armed reconnaissance vehicle
Armament: 30mm L21 RARDEN cannon, 7.62mm L37A1 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Total units manufactured: 641
Manufacturer(s): Alvis
Top speed: 50 mph
Vitaly V. Kuzmin / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1966
Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
Armament: 73mm 2A28 smoothbore cannon, 9M14M anti-tank guided missiles
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 2,000
Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
Top speed: 50 mph
Year introduced: 1966
Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
Armament: 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 26,000
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 40 mph
Year introduced: 1966
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 125mm D-81 smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 13,000
Manufacturer(s): Malyshev Factory
Top speed: 43 mph
Year introduced: 1965
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 105mm Royal Ordnance L7A3 L/52 rifled main gun, 7.62mm MG 3 coaxial machine gun, 7.62 machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: Germany
Total units manufactured: 5,816
Manufacturer(s): Krauss-Maffei Wegmann
Top speed: 40 mph
Year introduced: 1965
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 120mm L11 main gun, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Total units manufactured: 2,083
Manufacturer(s): Leyland Motors / Vickers / BAe Systems
Top speed: 30 mph
Year introduced: 1965
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 105mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Total units manufactured: 2,331
Manufacturer(s): BAe Systems / Avadi Company
Top speed: 31 mph
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1963
Type: Light tank
Armament: 85mm type 62-85TC rifled main gun, 7.62mm type 59T coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm type 59T bow-mounted machine gun, 12.7mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun
Country of origin: China
Total units manufactured: 2,454
Manufacturer(s): China North Industries Corporation
Top speed: 37 mph
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1963
Type: Amphibious light tank
Armament: smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: China
Total units manufactured: 2,000
Manufacturer(s): China North Industries Corporation
Top speed: 40 mph
Year introduced: 1961
Type: Medium tank
Armament: 115mm smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm DShKM anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 22,750
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 28 mph
Year introduced: 1960
Type: Main battle tank
Armament: 105mm M68 main gun, 7.62mm M73 coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm M85 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
Country of origin: United States
Total units manufactured: 15,000
Manufacturer(s): General Dynamics
Top speed: 30 mph
Year introduced: 1958
Type: Medium tank
Armament: 100mm D-10 rifled main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 50,000
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 31 mph
Year introduced: 1951
Type: Light tank
Armament: 76mm M32 main gun, 12.7mm M2 Browning anti-aircraft machine gun, 7.62mm Browning M1914A4 coaxial machine gun
Country of origin: United States
Total units manufactured: 3,728
Manufacturer(s): Cadillac Gage
Top speed: 45 mph
Year introduced: 1949
Type: Medium tank
Armament: 100mm D-10TG main gun, 7.62mm SG MT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm bow-mounted machine gun
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 50,000
Manufacturer(s): State Factories
Top speed: 30 mph
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