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Tank building is an industry that has already exceeded 100 years, but there are tangible and interesting innovative solutions in last years was not noticed. You can count the number of tank manufacturers on two hands if you look at the tanks different countries, then it is likely that they have the same manufacturer. We created this top for you based on the assessment of the specialized online publication Army Technology. Watch and be amazed at the power of these monsters.
For the last half century, Chinese-made tanks have not been considered very technical, especially when compared to American standards. Everything turned out this way because tank building as an industry had never been developed in the Celestial Empire, and tanks were designed and developed based on the example of what was seen or captured. As a result of these manipulations, a very similar tank was obtained, but technically it was much weaker than the original. Trends past years They pleasantly surprise the eye, although everyone knows that modern Chinese combat vehicles still use drawings of foreign designs in the old way, but there are some quite successful works. One of them is the VT-4 tank, which has a digitized interface and a clear fire control system, which with its characteristics increases the vehicle’s performance. The tank also has a tracking system rocket launchers and, if necessary, protection against them is activated.
Weight - 52 tons
Maximumspeed - 70 km/h
Crew - 3 people
Engine power - 1300 hp.
The Kharkov plant, which was engaged in the production of T-80UD combat vehicles, after the collapse Soviet Union, stopped working on this model... only to make my own version of this tank! This is how the T-84 tank, an improved version of the T-80, which was later renamed the Oplot BM, saw the light of day. It has been improved and modernized so much that this model is considered one of the best on the market. The Oplot has a 125 mm smoothbore cannon that fires armor-piercing and explosive ammunition, as well as anti-tank missiles. The time it takes for the ammunition to be sent to the autoloader is 8 seconds; an improved ballistic computer helps the tank fire on the move, which makes it a real monster of technology. It may well compete with the Russian “Armata”, which at one time caused a lot of noise.
Weight - 51 tons
Maximum speed - 70 km/h
Crew - 3 people
This tank is often compared to its American counterpart, the Abrams, but according to experts, the American is still stronger. But the T-90 has nothing in common with American tank building; it is only a modernized model of the Soviet T-72 tank, which many countries still use in their combat arsenal. The T-90AM has improved characteristics compared to its predecessor: its turret can withstand armor-piercing projectile In addition, there is a search system for missile launch vehicles and an anti-shock system. The main weapon is a 125 mm cannon.
Weight - 48 tons
Maximum speed - 65 km/h
Crew - 3 people
Engine power - 1130 hp.
This tank is one of the most expensive tanks in the world, due to the set of complex complexes and systems that are installed on board. Powerful thermal imagers and rangefinders can identify and target the enemy at a distance of 4 km. The fire will be conducted from a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, into which one shell can be placed every 5 seconds. The fire control system can select more than six targets and hit them within half a minute. The tank is protected by tungsten and titanium modules and active-reactive armor. There is also a warning system for missile shots, a system against anti-personnel mines, the laser system also works.
Weight - 57.4 tons
Maximum speed - 71 km/h
Crew - 3 people
High-quality Dorchester armor gave this tank cult status; it was rightfully considered one of the most protected tanks in the world. It is unknown what this armor is made of, but it is believed that it is an alloy of cermets and some unknown metals. This monster appeared on the world stage in 1998, during the war in Iraq, and its armor saved it more than once from enemy grenade launchers. During its entire existence, this tank was defeated only once, when by mistake the same vehicle fired its shell at it. The main weapon of the tank is a 120 mm rifled cannon, thanks to the guidance system, it accurately hits the target. The British government is responsible for managing this colossus. computer system, and firing is carried out from a computer made in Canada
Weight - 62.5 tons
Maximum speed - 56 km/h
Crew - 4 people
Engine power - 1200 hp.
This tank is rightfully considered a veteran; it was put into service back in 1979. Despite this, it is one of the best fighting vehicles on the world stage until today. This version of the tank absorbed all the most innovative developments and ideas formed after its predecessor went through many battles and battles during the military operations in Iraq. The Leopard 2 fires from a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, which is suitable for various types of ammunition, including LAHAT - a guided missile. The shot can be fired at a distance of 5 km. Latest sights make this tank feel like the main one on the battlefield when enemy vehicles come against it. The disadvantage of Leopard 2 is the lack of dynamic protection, but there is multi-layer composite armor, under which there is also modular profiled armor, which increases the protection several times.
Weight - 67 tons
Maximum speed - 72 km/h
Crew - 4 people
Engine power - 1500 hp.
Type 10 (Japan)
Few people associate modern military equipment with Japan, but it was in Japan that this magnificent killing machine, the Type 10, was developed. It appeared on the combat arena in 2012. A country rising sun outdid herself by developing this technically ingenious machine. The fire will be introduced from a 120 mm smoothbore gun, with an automatic loading system. The crew of the tank is three people. They are located in a part of the tank that is protected by nanocrystalline steel, this steel is three times stronger than regular steel. The tank is equipped with modern computers that monitor what is happening on the battlefield, which gives this tank a huge advantage over others.
Weight - 44 tons
Maximum speed - 70 km/h
Crew - 4 people
Engine power - 1200 hp.
Merkava IVm (Israel)
Israel has always purchased foreign tanks, but constant hostilities and the difficult situation in the country forced the government to develop its own unit - the Merkava tank. The crew of the tank is four people, besides them, the tank can fit a couple more soldiers. The basis of this tank is protection. It is protected by modular armor, which can be quickly replaced if necessary. Huge attention The creators paid attention to the elements of camouflage. Even the colors of the exhaust gases of this tank do not attract attention. The Trophy protection system warns the tank crew of impending danger and can also stop anti-tank missiles. The weapon on this tank is a 120 mm smoothbore gun.
Weight - 70 tons
Maximum speed - 60 km/h
Crew - 4 people
Engine power - 1500 hp.
Of the many tanks, this tank has the most military experience. It has been used since 1980, but if you think that this model is already old and worthless, you are mistaken, it is constantly updated and modernized. The tank fires from a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, which is suitable for all types of shells, so this tank can hit any target and penetrate any armor. Protected by M1A2 SEPv2 laminated steel composite. To create this tank, they even use depleted uranium, which has a very high density and is practically impossible to penetrate. Also, the latest technologies are used for this tank - the best thermal imagers and GPS systems navigation. For dessert we saved the most interesting fact— the tank has a remote control.
Weight - 63.1 tons
Maximum speed - 66.8 km/h
Crew - 4 people
Engine power - 1500 hp.
In the mid nineties South Korea started developing her own tank. Hyundai has developed the K2 Black Panther. This tank is like a combination of the best technical solutions of all the tanks described above. Externally, it is similar to the German Leopard2, as well as partially in terms of filling. The Korean tank has a German smoothbore gun and an engine that runs on a diesel engine with a capacity of 1,500 horsepower. Loading shells is similar to loading shells on the French AMX-56 Leclerc. The firing rate of this tank is 10 shots in 60 seconds. Modern tracking systems allow the tank to feel confident on the battlefield. The Korean tank is protected by composite and explosive reactive armor. As elsewhere, there are two defense systems: passive - detects threats and creates interference, and active - can stop missiles, like the Israeli Merkava.
More than a hundred years ago, tanks first appeared on the battlefield. And throughout the twentieth century, these combat vehicles determined the outcome of major military conflicts. The strongest was considered to be the one whose tanks had better armor protection, more powerful weapons and who had more of them. Despite a large number of anti-tank weapons existing today, tanks still remain the main striking force of the ground forces. Most military experts believe that this situation will continue in the next decade.
One of the most discussed topics related to military equipment and weapons, the question is which is the best tank in the world. States annually invest tens of millions of dollars on the development of new combat vehicles and the modernization of old models. The most “advanced” tank-building countries are the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Russia, China, Israel and Ukraine. They can mass-produce tanks and have serious tank-building schools with long-standing traditions. IN last decades India, Pakistan, Turkey, Poland, both Koreas and Japan are trying to join this “club of the elite”.
The question of which is the best tank is not very correct: it is very difficult to compare vehicles that have never met each other in real combat. And one fight will not be able to dot all the i's in this matter. The outcome of the fight depends not only on tactical and technical characteristics combat vehicles, but also on the training of the crew, the specific theater of operations and on countless other factors (from luck, in the end). We should not forget that tanks do not fight alone - they are part of a complex army mechanism, working in close cooperation with infantry, artillery, and aviation. So a simple comparison Performance characteristics of cars does not make it possible to seriously talk about the advantages of this or that tank.
We will try to conduct a comparative analysis of the most famous and modern tanks, and present to you the top 10 strongest armored vehicles in the world. Some of the tanks in service with the world's strongest armies were developed several decades ago (American Abrams, Israeli Merkava, German Leopard), after which they went through several stages of modernization. In our rating we will consider only the latest (most advanced) modifications of cars. The main criteria for awarding a particular place will be three indicators: the security of the combat vehicle, its firepower and tank mobility. So, our top: 10 best tanks modernity.
10. "Arjun" Mk.I (India)
Our top 10 opens with Indian fighting machine, which was put into service in 2011. This tank can be called the first independent development of Indian tank builders, although it took Indian technologists and engineers more than thirty-five years to create it. "Arjun" has a mass of 58.5 tons, its crew consists of four people, the tank is equipped with a 120-mm rifled gun, from which it is possible to launch guided missiles. The gun's rate of fire is 6-8 rounds per minute.
The tank is equipped with an engine with a power of 1400 hp. With. (specific power - 23.9), which allows the car to reach a speed of 75 km/h on the highway.
"Arjun" Mk.I made it into our top, but it is on the very bottom line. The development of this combat vehicle began more than 35 years ago. Perhaps the technical solutions used in its design were once modern, but now they are somewhat outdated.
9. Type 99A2 (China)
Type 99A2 is latest modification Chinese combat vehicle, but calling this tank a completely independent development would be a stretch. The vehicle was created on the basis of the Soviet T-72 tank, although it has a large number of differences from it. This combat vehicle was put into service in 2011, it has a mass of 58 tons, a crew of three people, the tank is armed with a 125-mm smoothbore cannon with a rate of fire of 7 rounds per minute. A 1,500-horsepower engine (specific power 25.9) allows this combat vehicle to accelerate on the highway to a speed of 70 km/h.
Unlike the T-72, the Type 99A2 received a new welded turret and more advanced protection, which consists of both more “advanced” armor and the latest generation of dynamic protection. In addition, the Type 99A2 has a laser system that can literally blind the enemy.
8. AMX-56 Leclerk
In eighth place in the top 10 french tank, adopted for service in 1992. At the time of its creation, this combat vehicle was considered the most modern and high-tech, but more than twenty years have passed since that moment. The AMX-56 Leclerk has been discontinued from serial production. You can also add that this French tank is one of the most expensive in the world (about 6 million euros).
The latest series of this combat vehicle weighed 57.4 tons, the tank was armed with a 120-mm smoothbore cannon, and its engine had a power of 1,500 hp. With. The Leclerk has an automatic loader, which is not typical for the Western school of tank building. This element made it possible to reduce the crew to three people and strengthen the armor without increasing the weight of the vehicle. The design of the automatic loader differs from analogues used in Soviet (Russian and Ukrainian) tanks. It is located in the aft isolated part of the tower, which is equipped with knockout panels. This engineering solution can easily be considered one of the main advantages of the tank.
7. Challenger 2 (UK)
Production of this tank began in 1994; it belongs to the second generation of British Challengers. The combat weight of the vehicle is 62.5 tons, it is armed with a rifled 120-mm cannon, and the tank has a crew of four people.
Experts consider the main advantage of the Challenger 2 to be its armor protection, which ensures high safety for the crew. The machine is also equipped with dynamic protection. The engine (power 1200 hp) provides maximum speed 56 km/h.
Challenger 2 has real combat experience; it was used quite successfully by the British in the Balkans and during the second Iraqi campaign. True, in these conflicts this tank was opposed by outdated models of Soviet combat vehicles. In 2008, taking into account the obtained real combat experience a deep modernization of the tank was carried out: the vehicles received new gun, engine and transmission. The fire control system was also replaced.
6. K2 "Black Panther"
This is a South Korean tank that was put into service in 2018. It is considered the first tank that South Korean engineers independently developed. The car turned out to be very advanced, but very expensive: the cost of one Black Panther is estimated at $8.5 million.
The tank weighs 55 tons and has a crew of three people. The K2 is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore gun, developed on the basis of the German Rh-120 tank gun, one of the best in the world today. But that’s not all: the tank is equipped with an automatic loader, similar in design to that found on the French Leclerc. The automatic loader allows the tank to fire at a rate of 15 rounds per minute. In addition, the K2 MBT is equipped with a complex active protection, capable of shooting down enemy shells and guided missiles.
The electronic content of the K2 is also very advanced: all the electronic systems of the tank are assembled into one network (TIUS), and the combat information and control system allows you to control a tactical tank formation in an automated mode, exchange information in real time between tanks and other types of military equipment, and also control points.
5. BM "Oplot"
4. T-90AM (Russia)
3. Abrams M1A2 SEP
1. T-14 “Armata” (Russia)
T-14 "Armata". This combat vehicle topped our top 10, one might say, in advance. The vehicle is still experimental, that is, it is not yet in service with the Russian army. Information about it is incomplete and quite contradictory. It was first demonstrated to the general public in 2018.
The creators position it as a new generation tank. The tank weighs 55 tons, has a crew of three people, and will be equipped with a 125 mm cannon.
This combat vehicle has several differences in its layout: the tank's turret is uninhabited, and the crew is located in its front part, in a special armored capsule. The tank will be equipped with a phased array radar (like the latest fighters) and a large number of video cameras that will provide all-round visibility to the crew.
From the defense of the Armata, mention should be made of the Afganit KAZ, which, according to the developers, will be able to shoot down even modern BOPS. It is also worth adding to it the newest complex dynamic protection "Malachite" and a mine protection system.
Among the disadvantages of the vehicle, experts already name the automatic loader with part of the ammunition, which is located in the fighting compartment. This is a typical Soviet layout, which leads to the detonation of ammunition when it hits fighting compartment cumulative or sub-caliber projectile.
The developers call the Armata the world’s first tank for “network-centric warfare.” The problem is that today in the Russian army this tank is the only element for conducting such combat operations.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them
Most big tanks by weight and size in the world. Almost all super heavy tanks were built or developed during World War II.
Above, photos of the actually created gun, which was supposed to be installed on the Monster tank
Germany, 1942, 42 meters, weight 1500 tons, crew 100 people
In 1942, Hitler approved the design and construction of the monster tank, but the project was canceled in 1943 before construction had even begun. The tank was supposed to be fifteen times larger than a regular tank, it was supposed to be equipped with an 800 mm Krupp gun (regular tanks are equipped with 75 - 122 mm guns).
The 800 mm Krupp gun is the largest of the artillery pieces ever built. Each shell weighed 7 tons and had a firing range of up to 37 km (23 mi).
Germaniz, 1942, 35 meters, weight 1000 tons, crew 20 people
Ratte looked a lot like a monster. It was also developed in 1942 and was also discontinued a year later. Unlike the Monster, the Ratte was to be armed with a warship turret with two 280mm cannons. Other weapons on Ratte: one 128 mm cannon, eight 20 mm anti-aircraft guns and several 15 mm machine guns.
Tank VIII Maus is the largest tank ever built. It is small compared to the Monster and Ratte, but is still three times larger than a regular tank. Design was completed in 1942 and production began the same year, but only two tanks were built before the end of the war.
The tanks were armed with one 128 mm gun and one 75 mm gun.
Tank VIII Mouse
Germany, 1944 - 10 meters, weight 188 tons, crew 6
Super heavy tank is very similar to tank VII I Mouse. This project was started in 1942, but not all tanks were built. One tank hull was built in 1944, but the turret was not installed until after the war.
The E-100 Tiger Mouse was to use the same turrets as the VIII Mouse tank. Thanks to its lighter weight, this tank should be faster and more effective on the battlefield than the VIII Mouse tank.
Germany, 1943 - 10 meters, weight 140 tons, crew 5 people
FCM F1 is the heaviest and most big tank not of Nazi origin. It was intended to replace the Char 2C, which was one of the heaviest tanks that had never been used in combat. Unfortunately, France was defeated before the FCM F1 project was completed, so none of these tanks were built.
The FCM F1 was supposed to be armed with a 90 mm cannon, a 47 mm cannon, and six machine guns. It's worth noting that this tank was 10 meters long, but only just over 3 meters wide, so it could be transported across railway.
France, 1940, 11 meters, weight 139 tons, crew 9 people
O-I is Japan's attempt to create a super heavy tank. IN various sources There are reports that one model was completed and sent to Manchuria during World War II, but this is highly unlikely and is more likely to be rumor than truth. The O-I was probably cancelled, like most other super-heavy tank projects.
The O-I was to have three turrets. The main turret had a 105 mm cannon, the right turret had a 37 mm cannon, and the left turret had three machine guns.
Japan, 1944, 10 meters, weight 130 tons, crew 11 people
The K-Wagen was one of the first attempts to create a super-heavy tank. Again, it was a crazy plan by engineers from Germany, but this time it was before the Nazi era.
The K-Wagen did not have a main turret. Instead there were four side-mounted 77 mm guns and seven machine guns. It is the second largest tank ever actually built - only the VII Maus tank is larger, as all other super-heavy tank projects were not completed.
Germany, 1917, 13 meters, weight 120 tons, crew 27 people
T-28
The T-28 was developed by the American military during World War II. It was to be used to break through German defenses and a possible invasion of Japan.
The T-28 did not have a normal turret, so it could be classified as a tank destroyer, self-propelled gun, not a super heavy tank. For this reason, it was renamed from T-28 to T-95, and then back again.
It was armed with one 105 mm cannon and single machine gun. It had 4 tracks instead of the traditional 2.
T-28
USA, 1945, 11 meters, weight 95 tons, crew 8 people
TOG2
TOG2 was the largest British tank ever built. Just like most other super-heavy tanks, it was developed during World War II. One prototype was built in 1941, but the project was shelved and TOG2 never saw combat.
TOG2 was armed with one 76 mm cannon.
TOG2
Great Britain, 1940, 10 meters, weight 80 tons, crew 8 people
Another British super heavy tank. The tank was also developed during World War II, but was never put into production.
The A39 Turtle was armed with a 96 mm cannon and three machine guns.
A39 Turtle
Great Britain, 1944 - 10 meters, weight 78 tons, crew 7 people
Why did the army abandon heavy tanks?
Interestingly, almost all of the tanks were built during the Second World War. What made engineers try to build such monsters at this time, and why weren't such tanks built until now?
The main reason for creating a super-heavy tank was immunity from enemy fire. The super heavy tank had thick armor that would have been impenetrable to most WWII guns.
There are several reasons for abandoning these tanks:
HEAT shells appeared. Which could penetrate armor up to 500 mm or even more;
The tank could be hit by aircraft;
The tank's poor maneuverability during advance and retreat, which limited its use on the battlefield.
Another problem was the transportation of super-heavy tanks. Most were too large to be transported by rail, so they had to rely only on their own propulsion abilities. The problem is that most of them moved extremely slowly, so they could not reach the battlefield at the right time.
Besides, super heavy tanks destroy roads. Therefore, they would have to drive over rough terrain, which would further slow down the movement.
Heavy tank IS-2 (video):
Heavy tank Grote R-1000 (video):
Heavy tanks IS-3, IS-7 (video):
OKHRANA.RU invites its readers to get acquainted with the TOP 5 most powerful tanks world existing today. We asked the famous military expert Dmitry Litovkin to comment on the capabilities of combat vehicles. According to him, any comparison of the combat effectiveness of tanks is very dubious, because they have never encountered direct military confrontation. Therefore, we decided not to assign places in our ranking.
Dmitry Litovkin:
“Russian designers once offered the Americans a comparative test of the T-90 and M1 Abrams tanks during a training battle. But they categorically refused. The fact is that in all the markets in which these vehicles are present, they have never met each other .Also never met GermanLeopardwith T-90 and others. Let's say that Iraq has Abrams today, and Syria has T-90s, but these states are not at war. Or another example: after the first battles in the Gulf, when the Abrams shot down unmanned T-76s standing in the parking lot, the Americans announced the advantages of these tanks, but when they reached Baghdad, they were burned with old RPG-7s. Therefore, the ratings are very conditional, because there were no direct collisions, and we can judge the characteristics of the cars only by indirect evidence."
M1A1 "Abrams" (USA)
This is perhaps the most honored tank of our time: honored in the sense that it has gone through three wars and several stages of modernization. Despite the declared superpowers, the Abrams have a number of shortcomings that neutralize the PR admiration for these giants. For example, having the most powerful engine in the world (3500 l/s stated), M1A1s remain very heavy and clumsy. The Americans themselves were so upset by the slowly turning turret that they installed an additional engine here, covering it with standard iron. As a result, it turned out to be possible to burn the famous supertank with one shot: a bullet hitting this additional engine creates a spark, which in turn ignites the fuel compartment, and so on. Even if a fire was avoided, the tower, as we said, loses four times its rotation speed. In addition, loading shells into the Abrams cannon is done manually. That being said, that's enough for today. mass tank, written-off cars are not destroyed, but dismantled, and their spare parts are used for new models.
Specifications:
Tank weight: 61.4 tons.
Crew: 4 people (commander, gunner, loader, driver).
Chobham armor, steel using depleted uranium.
Armament: 105 mm M68 rifled gun, 120 mm M256 smoothbore gun, 12.7 mm machine gun, 2 M240 machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber.
Highway speed: 67.72 km/h.
Ground speed: 48.3 km/h.
Dmitry Litovkin:
“This tank is very heavy, and the engines are gas turbine, although now it seems they are going to switch to diesel. In Iraq, the model did not perform very well. As we know, it turned out that it cannot even withstand a hit from an RPG-7.”
T-90MS "Tagil"
This is a modification of our best to date serial tank T-90, which in turn replaced the T-72. An attempt was made here to “cure” our samples from old tank “diseases” - weak weapons and low engine power. We managed to get rid of the first one completely: Tagil now has a cannon that can penetrate the armor of any NATO member at a distance of 1,500 km. In addition, there are the latest electronics, a fire guidance system and automatic weapon loading. And also - new modular packages for protection against cumulative enemy fire, a machine gun above the turret with remote control. Disadvantages still remain low power“under the hood” – only 1000 l/s, and lack of all-round visibility for the driver. They only installed a rear view camera.
The basic advantages of the T-90 include that in its armament it is superior to most models in the ability to hit unarmored targets, since its ammunition includes high-explosive fragmentation shells. The tank also has high performance in hitting armored targets at long distances. Main anti-tank weapons It has armor-piercing sub-caliber shells (3BM-42 and 3BM-42M) and a Reflex-M guided weapon system with 9M119M and 9M119M1 missiles, which ensure the defeat of the same Abrams in all areas of the frontal projection at a distance of up to 5000 m.
Specifications:
Tank weight: 48 tons.
Crew: 3 people.
Armament: 125-mm 2A46M-5 cannon, ammunition - 40 rounds; Guided weapons: 9K119M "Reflex-M", coaxial machine gun 7.62 mm 6P7K (2000 rounds), anti-aircraft machine gun 7.62 mm 6P7K S UDP (T05BV-1) (800 rounds).
Maximum highway speed: 60 km/h.
Highway range: 500 km.
Dmitry Litovkin:
“Now the T-90 has come in handy in Syria. It seems to be praised. But again, there are no direct clashes with tanks of other types. The Tagil simply takes into account the military’s requirements for the layout of equipment. There is a steering wheel, there is GLONASS, a new sighting system. Then "This is a modernization of the T-90 so that it is simply modern and more efficient."
Challenger 2 (UK)
An old tank or a long-lived one, whichever you prefer. Production of Challengers began in the early 90s, and the current model is only the second generation. Despite this, British tanks have a number of important advantages. For example, excellent crew protection or the L30A1 rifled gun, which is capable of accurately hitting distant targets. This is the only rifled gun on NATO tanks today. In terms of armor protection and resistance to cumulative shells, the tank can be called the most protected tank in the world in this regard. It is equipped with a 12 cylinder diesel engine with 1200 horsepower and the most modern system aiming and visual observation, including at night. But again, the Challengers never left the shores of Britain, and it is difficult to predict what they are like in a real battle in new terrain. Besides, British cars are very expensive.
Specifications:
Tank weight: 62.5 tons.
Crew: 4 people.
Armament: 120 mm L30 smoothbore gun, 2 7.62 mm machine guns, 10 L8 grenade launchers.
Highway speed: 59 km/h.
Power reserve: 450 km.
Dmitry Litovkin:
"Well, what can we say about a tank that never left British territory? Although others British tanks"Chieftains" were actually in service with Iran during the Iran-Iraq conflict. The Iraqis, as far as I remember, were on Soviet T-62s. So, using the maneuverability of our vehicles, they went into the flanks of the clumsy British and shot them from the side projection. I think that the new generation of Challengers have the same drawback - these tanks are heavy and slow."
"Leopard" 2A7 (Germany)
One of the oldest examples of tank building in the world. It was put into production in 1972 and has since gone through several stages of modernization. In "protection" it has composite three-layer armor made of steel and tungsten. In the “attack” he received one of the best guns to date, the 120 mm Rhl 120/L55. It is in service in 18 countries around the world. At the Eurosatory 2010 exhibition, the Germans showed a new modification of the Leopard - 2A7+, adapted for combat in urban areas. A lot has changed on the new models - from the hull to the safety of the crew. There is additional protection against cumulative projectiles, all-round visibility for all crew members with thermal imagers for night observation. Thus, the main combat Leopard-2 has remained one of the best for many years and is deservedly in demand in military markets. He managed to fight quite a bit: in Afghanistan in 2007, several of these vehicles were blown up by improvised explosive devices, all the crews survived with the exception of one driver.
Specifications:
Tank weight: 67,500 kg.
Crew: 4 people.
Armament: 120 mm L55 smoothbore gun, 12.7 mm machine gun, 40 mm grenade launcher, 7.62 mm machine gun.
Speed: 72 km/h.
Power reserve: 450 km.
Dmitry Litovkin:
“Yes, it is considered that now this is one of the best tanks in the world. But again, it has not been tested in battle. At this point, only the Abrams, T-62 and T-72 have fought with us, and now the T-90. Therefore, “Leopard” can only be assessed based on its basic characteristics.”
"Merkava" (Israel)
It was created after Great Britain refused to supply a batch of its tanks to Israel in 1970, which incredibly stunned its government. The tank has gone through four modernizations, but the next model, judging by media reports, will be fundamentally new car with a laser gun, and testing will begin in 2020. In the meantime, the Merkava differs from its counterparts in its original design: the engine is located in the front, eliminating the possibility of the crew being hit by frontal fire. There are also escape hatches through which the crew can escape the vehicle during enemy fire. The tank has a 1500 l/s diesel engine. In 2006, Merkava Mk. 4 appeared in the Lebanon War. During the battles with Hezbollah militants, who used anti-tank guided missiles en masse, 6 vehicles were knocked out, and 2 tanks were irrevocably destroyed. One from fire from the Kornet-E ATGM, the other from a landmine explosion with an approximate capacity of 300-350 kg of TNT.
Do you need to protect your crew as much as possible? Please! The Armata has an uninhabited tower, that is, three crew members are in a specially protected separate capsule, which is located inside the vehicle platform. The tank's guns are controlled remotely.
Have you always dreamed of arming a tank so that no infection...? Easily! The smoothbore 125-mm cannon of the T-14 fires not only standard shells, but also guided missiles"ground-to-ground" and "ground-to-air". In this case, the ammunition is hidden in a separate module, which prevents its detonation when hit by a projectile.
Was there not enough filling? Make yourself comfortable! Thanks to the latest electronic systems, "Armata" itself collects and analyzes information, observes any movements around in any weather and time of day. In addition, the T-14 is the first tank in history that automatically protects itself. The Afghanit active defense system detects and destroys all shells and missiles approaching the Armata within a radius of 20 meters.
Did you need a light and maneuverable tank? Give us a highway! "Armata" is 20-30 tons lighter than all existing models with the same powerful engine - 1500 l/s. The T-14 drives with the breeze at a speed of 80-90 km/h.
It remains to add that serial production of the Armata will begin this year, and by 2020 the Ministry of Defense plans to put 2,300 vehicles into service! They will completely replace all the old ones soviet tanks, which still serve the interests of the country.
Dmitry Litovkin:
“Thus, there are 5 (the list can be expanded to 10) most famous and powerful tanks in the world, but it is not possible to objectively assess their actual combat power. After the battle of Prokhorovka in 1943, there were no more direct tank clashes in the world. And It’s the war that puts everything in its place, which is why our T-34 is still considered the best machine of World War II.”
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