Russia’s Fastest Tanks Can Reach Speeds of 50 Miles Per Hour

Tanks are not meant to reach breakneck speeds. With heavy armament and thick armor, these giants are designed to navigate rough terrains while supporting troops on the ground. However, today’s tanks are speedsters when compared to the original tanks used during World War I. Tank Mk V, used by the U.S. and England during the war couldn’t reach five miles per hour. Today, the average combat tank typically reaches speeds between 25 and 45 mph, depending on the terrain.

24/7 Wall St. identified the fastest Russian tanks ever built by a catalog of tanks from Military Factory. We ranked each tank according to the caliber of the main gain and then secondary guns. We have also 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.

Here is a look at the fastest Russian tanks ever built:

Why Are We Covering This?

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-26

• Type: Light tank
• Year introduced: 1931
• Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 174 / Stalingrad Tractor Factory
• Top speed: 17 mph
• Weight: 10.4 tons
• Armament: 45mm main gun, 7.62mm machine gun, 12.7mm machine gun

29. KV-1 (Klimenti Voroshilov)

• Type: Heavy tank
• Year introduced: 1939
• Manufacturer(s): Kirov Factory
• Top speed: 22 mph
• Weight: 49.6 tons
• Armament: 76.2mm main gun, 7.62mm machine guns

28. IS-2 / JS-2 (Josef Stalin)

• Type: Heavy tank
• Year introduced: 1943
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 23 mph
• Weight: 56.2 tons
• Armament: 122mm D25-T main gun, 12.7mm DShK heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine guns

27. IS-3 / JS-3 (Josef Stalin)

• Type: Heavy tank
• Year introduced: 1945
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 25 mph
• Weight: 50.5 tons
• Armament: 122mm D-25T main gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine guns

26. T-38

Soviet light amphibious tank T-38. 1937. u0421u043eu0432u0435u0442u0441u043au0438u0439 u043bu0435u0433u043au0438u0439 u043fu043bu0430u0432u0430u044eu0449u0438u0439 u0442u0430u043du043a u0422-38. (BY-SA 2.0) by Peer.Gynt

• Type: Light tank
• Year introduced: 1937
• Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 37
• Top speed: 25 mph
• Weight: 4 tons
• Armament: 7.62mm machine gun

25. IS-10 / T-10 (Josef Stalin)

• Type: Heavy tank
• Year introduced: 1953
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 26 mph
• Weight: 57.3 tons
• Armament: 122mm D-74 main gun, 14.5mm KPV machine guns, 12.7mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun

24. T-27

• Type: Light tank
• Year introduced: 1931
• Manufacturer(s): Bolshevik Works / GAZ
• Top speed: 26 mph
• Weight: 3 tons
• Armament: 7.62mm machine gun

23. PT-76

1971 South Vietnamese 1st Armored Brigade move forward in a captured Russian PT-76 tank. (BY 2.0) by manhhai

• Type: Amphibious light tank
• Year introduced: 1952
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 27 mph
• Weight: 16.1 tons
• Armament: 76.2mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun

22. T-60

T-60 u2018A / 2317u2019 - Patriot ... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Alan Wilson

• Type: Light tank
• Year introduced: 1941
• Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 37 / Factory No. 38 / GAZ
• Top speed: 27 mph
• Weight: 6.4 tons
• Armament: 20mm TNSh L/82.4 main gun, 7.62mm machine gun

21. T-62

Tank, probably Soviet T-62 (CC BY 2.0) by Marco Metzler

• Type: Medium tank
• Year introduced: 1961
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 28 mph
• Weight: 45.7 tons
• Armament: 115mm smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm DShKM anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun

20. T-70

• Type: Light tank
• Year introduced: 1942
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 28 mph
• Weight: 14 tons
• Armament: 45mm 20K main gun, 7.62mm machine gun

19. T-54

T-54 Tank. (CC BY 2.0 DEED) by Mohit S

• Type: Medium tank
• Year introduced: 1949
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 30 mph
• Weight: 39.7 tons
• Armament: 100mm D-10TG main gun, 7.62mm SG MT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm bow-mounted machine gun

18. T-55

• Type: Medium tank
• Year introduced: 1958
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 31 mph
• Weight: 44.6 tons
• Armament: 100mm D-10 rifled main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun

17. T-44

SU-101 Prototype Assault Gun ?... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Alan Wilson

• Type: Medium tank
• Year introduced: 1944
• Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 75
• Top speed: 32 mph
• Weight: 35.2 tons
• Armament: 85mm D-5T main gun, 7.62mm machine guns

16. T-34

T34/76 model 1941 [R-105 / Ps.... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Alan Wilson

• Type: Medium tank
• Year introduced: 1940
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 32 mph
• Weight: 30.9 tons
• Armament: 85mm D-5T / ZiS-S-53 main gun, 7.62mm DT MG coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm DT machine gun

15. BT-7 (Bystrochodnij Tankov)

BT-7 (Bystrochodnij Tankov), G... (CC BY 2.0) by Andrew Milligan sumo

• Type: Light tank
• Year introduced: 1934
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 32 mph
• Weight: 15 tons
• Armament: 45mm main gun, 7.62mm machine gun

14. T-90

T-72M Russian Battle Tank (CC BY-SA 2.0) by A Guy Named Nyal

• Type: Main battle tank
• Year introduced: 1995
• Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
• Top speed: 40 mph
• Weight: 51.3 tons
• Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade discharges

13. BMP-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)

• Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
• Year introduced: 1982
• Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
• Top speed: 40 mph
• Weight: 16.1 tons
• Armament: 30mm 2A42 main gun, 7.62 PKTM coaxial machine gun, 9M113 Konkurs mssile launcher, smoke dischargers

12. BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)

BMP-1 (CC BY 2.0) by Mikey

• Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
• Year introduced: 1966
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 40 mph
• Weight: 13.8 tons
• Armament: 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun

11. T-72 (Ural)

• Type: Main battle tank
• Year introduced: 1972
• Manufacturer(s): State Factories
• Top speed: 42 mph
• Weight: 50.7 tons
• Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers

10. 2S25 (Sprut-SD)

2008 Moscow Victory Day Parade (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) by Vitaly V. Kuzmin

• Type: Light tank
• Year introduced: 2007
• Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Top speed: 43 mph
• Weight: 19.8 tons
• Armament: 125mm 2A75 main gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers

9. BMD-4 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

• Type: Light infantry fighting vehicle
• Year introduced: 2005
• Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Top speed: 43 mph
• Weight: 15 tons
• 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

8. BMP-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)

• Type: Light tank
• Year introduced: 1987
• Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
• Top speed: 43 mph
• Weight: 20.6 tons
• Armament: 100mm 2A70 rifled main gun, 30mm 2A72 coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers

7. T-80 (MBT)

Russian Tank T-80 with Gas Tur... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Andrey Korchagin

• Type: Main battle tank
• Year introduced: 1976
• Manufacturer(s): Omsk Transmash / Malyshev / LKZ
• Top speed: 43 mph
• Weight: 50.7 tons
• Armament: 125mm main gun, 12.7mm air defense machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers

6. T-64

T-64BV mod 2017, Kyiv 2021, 16 (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) by VoidWanderer

• Type: Main battle tank
• Year introduced: 1966
• Manufacturer(s): Malyshev Factory
• Top speed: 43 mph
• Weight: 43 tons
• Armament: 125mm D-81 smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun

5. BMD-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

• Type: Amphibious light tank
• Year introduced: 1990
• Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Top speed: 44 mph
• Weight: 14.6 tons
• Armament: 30mm cannon, 7.62 machine gun, AT-4 ATGW launcher, 5.45mm machine gun, 40mm grenade launcher, smoke dischargers

4. BMD-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

• Type: Amphibious light tank
• Year introduced: 1985
• Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Top speed: 50 mph
• Weight: 12.7 tons
• Armament: 30mm 2A42 cannon, ATGM missile launcher, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun

3. BMD-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

• Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
• Year introduced: 1966
• Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Top speed: 50 mph
• Weight: 8.3 tons
• Armament: 73mm 2A28 smoothbore cannon, 9M14M anti-tank guided missiles

2. T-14 (Armata)

• Type: Main battle tank
• Year introduced: 2016
• Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
• Top speed: 50 mph
• Weight: 48 tons
• Armament: 125mm 2A82 smoothbore main gun, 30mm autocannon, 12.7mm heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers

1. T-99 Armata

4mayrehearsal 05 (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) by Vitaly V. Kuzmin

• Type: Multirole tracked armored vehicle
• Year introduced: 2013
• Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
• Top speed: 50 mph
• Weight: 55.1 tons
• Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm coaxial machine gun, 57mm automatic grenade launcher