24/7 Wall St. Insights:
- Ukraine owns more tanks than 90% of NATO countries
- Russia is home to the largest tank army on the planet
- Ukraine’s tank army consists primarily of models like the T-64 and T-72, which have undergone serious improvements over the years
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is known as perhaps the strongest military alliance on Earth. It boasts over 30 countries in the alliance. Each of these countries brings its own unique set of military assets to the organization, principle among these assets are tanks. Despite all the tanks within NATO, a couple Eastern European nations stand out by owning tank armies greater than 90% of the alliance’s members. (Which countries support Russia in the conflict with Ukraine.)
Russia is home to the largest tank army on the planet, that is a given, but Ukraine also has a formidable tank army as well, surpassing 90% of NATO countries.
Historically, Ukraine gained a significant number of tanks after the fall of the Soviet Union. Models like the T-64 and T-72 form the majority of its armored forces. However, these models have undergone upgrades and improvements over the years.
On the battlefield, tanks like the T-64BV and the modernized T-84 Oplot have seen significant action on the part of Ukraine. The T-64BV is notable for its heavy armor and 125mm main gun, while the T-84 Oplot also brings serious firepower with its KBA3 125mm gun.
On the other side of the battlefield, Russia’s recent deployment of the T-14 Armata tank also represents a significant improvement in tank warfare. The T-14 Armata is considered the first fully new Russian tank design since the T-72 was introduced in the 1970s. It is powered by a 1,500 horsepower engine and is capable of hitting speeds over 40 mph and its main gun consists of a 125mm smoothbore cannon.
Other nations within the region also boast significant tank armies as well, and 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at what these tank arsenals have to offer. (The NATO countries with the biggest tank armies.)
To identify the Eastern European countries with the most tanks, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Countries were ranked on the total number of tanks in their arsenal. We included supplemental information regarding the total military vehicles, artillery and MLRS units, as well as each country’s overall military strength score. Nations that do not have any tanks in their arsenal were excluded.
Here is a look at the largest tank armies in Eastern Europe:
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding the military dynamics of Eastern Europe is essential due to the region’s critical geopolitical importance, not to mention the ongoing conflict. Eastern Europe has historically been a focal point of tension, and military power plays an important role in maintaining both political and economic stability. The stability of Eastern Europe remains vital to global security.
9. Slovakia
- Total tanks: 36
- Total artillery: 44
- Total MLRS: 25
- Total military vehicles: 2,048
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.1891 – #69 out of 145
8. Czechia
- Total tanks: 65
- Total artillery: 53
- Total MLRS: 0
- Total military vehicles: 6,757
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7706 – #46 out of 145
7. Hungary
- Total tanks: 208
- Total artillery: 318
- Total MLRS: 0
- Total military vehicles: 7,797
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.8478 – #54 out of 145
6. Bulgaria
- Total tanks: 215
- Total artillery: 273
- Total MLRS: 24
- Total military vehicles: 7,420
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.0132 – #62 out of 145
5. Romania
- Total tanks: 345
- Total artillery: 720
- Total MLRS: 225
- Total military vehicles: 9,990
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7712 – #47 out of 145
4. Belarus
- Total tanks: 517
- Total artillery: 539
- Total MLRS: 206
- Total military vehicles: 6,700
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.0901 – #64 out of 145
3. Poland
- Total tanks: 612
- Total artillery: 525
- Total MLRS: 211
- Total military vehicles: 13,956
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2917 – #21 out of 145
2. Ukraine
![4th Tank Battalion trains with Moroccan counterparts during African Lion 2011 [Image 1 of 8] by DVIDSHUB](https://live.staticflickr.com/2530/5781686655_9054346225_b.jpg "4th Tank Battalion trains with Moroccan counterparts during African Lion 2011 [Image 1 of 8] by DVIDSHUB")
- Total tanks: 1,777
- Total artillery: 2,217
- Total MLRS: 491
- Total military vehicles: 22,110
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2598 – #18 out of 145
1. Russia
- Total tanks: 14,777
- Total artillery: 14,564
- Total MLRS: 3,065
- Total military vehicles: 161,382
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.0702 – #2 out of 145
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