Since the advent of the tank in the early 20th century, Russia’s brand of tank has stood out from the rest. From the theaters of World War II to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, these tanks have made a name for themselves as a result of their intense combat performance and firepower. (These are the warplanes of the Russian Air Force.)
Here 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look into Russia’s tank arsenal over the years. To identify the most heavily armed Russian tanks ever built, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of tanks from Military Factory. We ranked each tank according to the caliber of the main gain and then secondary guns. We included supplemental information from Military Factory regarding the type of tank, year, manufacturer, top speed, and number manufactured. We excluded prototypes, projects and tanks with limited production runs.
During the Cold War, the T-72 was a staple of the Russian military arsenal. The T-72 was actively deployed in the Chechen wars and frequently made appearances in Middle Eastern conflicts. Separately, the T-54 and T-55 tanks, introduced during this era, became some of the most extensively produced tanks in history.
One of the first major Russian tanks was the T-34, which emerged during World War II. Renowned for its armor, mobility, and formidable firepower, the T-34 played a crucial role in pivotal battles such as Kursk, which is often recognized as the largest tank battle in history.
In the modern era, the T-14 Armata is the latest iteration of the Russian tank. Building on a rich history of technological progression and firepower, the T-14 represents the next generation of Russian military might. (These are all warship and submarine classes in the Russian Navy.)
Here is a look at the most heavily armed Russian tanks:
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Source: Kichigin / iStock via Getty Images
Russia’s historical and current tank developments reflect its status as a major military power. Russian tanks have not only been pivotal in wars but also a tool of diplomatic influence, shaping Russia’s standing on the world stage through both their physical might and strategic deployment.
30. T-38
Source: Stas Kozlovskiy / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1937
- Armament: 7.62mm machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 1,300
- Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 37
- Top speed: 25 mph
29. T-27
Source: ChrisO / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1931
- Armament: 7.62mm machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 3,000
- Manufacturer(s): Bolshevik Works / GAZ
- Top speed: 26 mph
28. BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1966
- Armament: 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 26,000
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 40 mph
27. T-60
Source: ajw1970 / Flickr
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1941
- Armament: 20mm TNSh L/82.4 main gun, 7.62mm machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 6,292
- Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 37 / Factory No. 38 / GAZ
- Top speed: 27 mph
26. BMD-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
Source: Нацгвардія України / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Amphibious light tank
- Year introduced: 1985
- Armament: 30mm 2A42 cannon, ATGM missile launcher, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 2,150
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 50 mph
25. BMD-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
Source: Mike1979 Russia / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Amphibious light tank
- Year introduced: 1990
- Armament: 30mm cannon, 7.62 machine gun, AT-4 ATGW launcher, 5.45mm machine gun, 40mm grenade launcher, smoke dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 123
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 44 mph
24. BMP-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1982
- Armament: 30mm 2A42 main gun, 7.62 PKTM coaxial machine gun, 9M113 Konkurs mssile launcher, smoke dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 35,000
- Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
- Top speed: 40 mph
23. T-70
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1942
- Armament: 45mm 20K main gun, 7.62mm machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 8,226
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 28 mph
22. BT-7 (Bystrochodnij Tankov)
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1934
- Armament: 45mm main gun, 7.62mm machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 4,613
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 32 mph
21. T-26
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1931
- Armament: 45mm main gun, 7.62mm machine gun, 12.7mm machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 12,000
- Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 174 / Stalingrad Tractor Factory
- Top speed: 17 mph
20. BMD-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1966
- Armament: 73mm 2A28 smoothbore cannon, 9M14M anti-tank guided missiles
- Total units manufactured: 2,000
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 50 mph
19. KV-1 (Klimenti Voroshilov)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Heavy tank
- Year introduced: 1939
- Armament: 76.2mm main gun, 7.62mm machine guns
- Total units manufactured: 5,219
- Manufacturer(s): Kirov Factory
- Top speed: 22 mph
18. PT-76
Source: peer_gynt / Flickr
- Type: Amphibious light tank
- Year introduced: 1952
- Armament: 76.2mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 12,000
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 27 mph
17. T-44
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1944
- Armament: 85mm D-5T main gun, 7.62mm machine guns
- Total units manufactured: 1,823
- Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 75
- Top speed: 32 mph
16. T-34
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1940
- Armament: 85mm D-5T / ZiS-S-53 main gun, 7.62mm DT MG coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm DT machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 84,070
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 32 mph
15. T-54
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1949
- Armament: 100mm D-10TG main gun, 7.62mm SG MT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm bow-mounted machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 50,000
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 30 mph
14. T-55
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1958
- Armament: 100mm D-10 rifled main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 50,000
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 31 mph
13. BMP-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1987
- Armament: 100mm 2A70 rifled main gun, 30mm 2A72 coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 1,840
- Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
- Top speed: 43 mph
12. BMD-4 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
Source: Пользователь / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 2005
- Armament: 100mm main gun, 30mm cannon, AT-5 Spandrel anti-tank guided missile launcher, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 40mm automatic grenade launcher, 5.45mm general purpose machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 200
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 43 mph
11. T-62
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1961
- Armament: 115mm smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm DShKM anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 22,750
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 28 mph
10. IS-2 / JS-2 (Josef Stalin)
Source: David Merrett / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Heavy tank
- Year introduced: 1943
- Armament: 122mm D25-T main gun, 12.7mm DShK heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine guns
- Total units manufactured: 2,250
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 23 mph
9. IS-3 / JS-3 (Josef Stalin)
Source: Andrew Milligan sumo / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Heavy tank
- Year introduced: 1945
- Armament: 122mm D-25T main gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine guns
- Total units manufactured: 2,311
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 25 mph
8. IS-10 / T-10 (Josef Stalin)
Source: Ferran Cornellà / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Heavy tank
- Year introduced: 1953
- Armament: 122mm D-74 main gun, 14.5mm KPV machine guns, 12.7mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 8,000
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 26 mph
7. 2S25 (Sprut-SD)
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 2007
- Armament: 125mm 2A75 main gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 70
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 43 mph
6. T-80 (MBT)
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1976
- Armament: 125mm main gun, 12.7mm air defense machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 5,500
- Manufacturer(s): Omsk Transmash / Malyshev / LKZ
- Top speed: 43 mph
5. T-90
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1995
- Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 2,055
- Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
- Top speed: 40 mph
4. T-72 (Ural)
Source: deyanarobova / iStock via Getty Images
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1972
- Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 25,000
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 42 mph
3. T-64
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1966
- Armament: 125mm D-81 smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun
- Total units manufactured: 13,000
- Manufacturer(s): Malyshev Factory
- Top speed: 43 mph
2. T-99 Armata
- Type: Multirole tracked armored vehicle
- Year introduced: 2013
- Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm coaxial machine gun, 57mm automatic grenade launcher
- Total units manufactured: 40
- Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
- Top speed: 50 mph
1. T-14 (Armata)
Source: rusm / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 2016
- Armament: 125mm 2A82 smoothbore main gun, 30mm autocannon, 12.7mm heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Total units manufactured: 45
- Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
- Top speed: 50 mph
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