This Cold War Standby Is One of the Most Popular Battle Tanks of All Time

Battle tanks serve as an integral part of any infantry operation. Modern tactics rely on armor to push through static positions and stage breakthroughs. With that in mind, we're looking at the most popular battle tanks ever made.

Do Tanks Still Have a Place on the Battlefield?

No two wars are alike, so the operational needs of any military are going to differ from conflict to conflict. That said, there is still a place for tanks on the modern battlefield. While there has been an overwhelming shift to lighter vehicles, we're still seeing the efficacy of a battle tank in Ukraine where the terrain suits their use.

Do Tanks Hunt By Themselves?

Typically, no, they operate alongside infantry. Infantry is capable of fending off other infantry elements while taking up key positions along a tank's route. A solo tank isn't going to stay alive for very long.

How Do Infantry Deal with Tanks?

Most infantry elements will have anti-tank weapons at their disposal. Barring something like a rocket-propelled grenade, they've got the means to call in air support if fire superiority is present. Infantry is the most dangerous thing a tank can deal with, thanks in part to the element of stealth.

34. ROTEM K1 (Type 88)

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

33. BMD-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

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

32. M-84 (MBT)

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

31. Type 85 (YW531H)

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

30. NORINCO Type 85-II

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

29. NORINCO ZTZ-88 (Type 80/85/88)

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

28. TAMSE TAM (Tanque Argentino Mediano)

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

27. BMP-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)

Year introduced: 1982
Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
Armament: 30mm 2A42 main gun, 7.62 PKTM coaxial machine gun, 9M113 Konkurs missile launcher, smoke dischargers
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Total units manufactured: 35,000
Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
Top speed: 40 mph

26. Khalid (Sword)

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

25. Chonma-ho (Pegasus)

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

24. OTO-Melara OF-40

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

23. M1 Abrams

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

22. Leopard 2

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

21. Merkava (Chariot)

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

20. Denel Olifant (Elephant)

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

19. TR-580 (Tanc Romanesc Model 580)

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

18. T-80 (MBT)

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

17. Type 74 (Nana-yon)

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

16. T-72 (Ural)

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

15. Jagdpanzer SK 105 Kurassier

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

14. Alvis FV107 Scimitar

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

13. BMD-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

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

12. BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)

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

11. T-64

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

10. Leopard 1

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

9. Chieftain MBT

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

8. Vickers MBT (VMBT)

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

7. NORINCO Type 62 (WZ131)

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

6. NORINCO Type 63 (WZ211)

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

5. T-62

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

4. M60 (Patton)

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

3. T-55

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

2. M41 Walker Bulldog

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

1. T-54

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