Battle tanks have been a staple of the battlefield since 1917. Back in the days when armor was needed for breakthroughs, the doctrine behind them wasn’t yet written. Today, we’re looking at the most produced battle tanks throughout history.
Do Numbers Matter for Armored Engagements?
The strategy usually dictates the flow of a battle, but numbers certainly help. Some countries opt for powerful armored forces, like the Soviets during the height of the Cold War. That said, there is still some reasoning behind the use of armor in modern conflicts.
Are Obsolete Tanks Worthless?
It depends on the engagement. If you’re fighting a desperate battle and one side has armor and the other doesn’t, there is a certain edge. However, if you’re facing a modern force with state-of-the-art armor, an obsolete tank might not cut it.
26. BMP-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
- Total units manufactured: 1,840
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
- Top speed: 43 mph
25. NORINCO Type 85-II
- Total units manufactured: 2,000
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1985
- Armament: 125mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer(s): China North Industries Corporation
- Top speed: 36 mph
24. BMD-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
- Total units manufactured: 2,000
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1966
- Armament: 73mm 2A28 smoothbore cannon, 9M14M anti-tank guided missiles
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 50 mph
23. NORINCO Type 63 (WZ211)
- Total units manufactured: 2,000
- Type: Amphibious light tank
- Year introduced: 1963
- Armament: smoke grenade dischargers
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer(s): China North Industries Corporation
- Top speed: 40 mph
22. T-90
- Total units manufactured: 2,055
- 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 discharges
- Country of origin: Russia
- Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
- Top speed: 40 mph
21. Chieftain MBT
- Total units manufactured: 2,083
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1965
- Armament: 120mm L11 main gun, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Country of origin: United Kingdom
- Manufacturer(s): Leyland Motors / Vickers / BAe Systems
- Top speed: 30 mph
20. Merkava (Chariot)
- Total units manufactured: 2,100
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1979
- 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
- Manufacturer(s): Israeli Ordnance Corps Facility
- Top speed: 29 mph
19. BMD-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
- Total units manufactured: 2,150
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 50 mph
18. NORINCO ZTZ-96 (Type 96)
- Total units manufactured: 2,200
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1997
- Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer(s): First Inner Mongolia Machinery Factory
- Top speed: 40 mph
17. Vickers MBT (VMBT)
- Total units manufactured: 2,331
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1965
- 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
- Manufacturer(s): BAe Systems / Avadi Company
- Top speed: 31 mph
16. NORINCO Type 62 (WZ131)
- Total units manufactured: 2,454
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1963
- 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
- Manufacturer(s): China North Industries Corporation
- Top speed: 37 mph
15. NORINCO ZTZ-88 (Type 80/85/88)
- Total units manufactured: 3,000
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1985
- Armament: 105mm rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, smoke dischargers
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer(s): China North Industries Corporation
- Top speed: 40 mph
14. Leopard 2
- Total units manufactured: 3,500
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1979
- 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
- Manufacturer(s): Krauss-Maffei Wegmann
- Top speed: 45 mph
13. M41 Walker Bulldog
- Total units manufactured: 3,728
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1951
- 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
- Manufacturer(s): Cadillac Gage
- Top speed: 45 mph
12. T-80 (MBT)
- Total units manufactured: 5,500
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): Omsk Transmash / Malyshev / LKZ
- Top speed: 43 mph
11. Leopard 1
- Total units manufactured: 5,816
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1965
- 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
- Manufacturer(s): Krauss-Maffei Wegmann
- Top speed: 40 mph
10. M1 Abrams
- Total units manufactured: 10,000
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1980
- Armament: 120mm Rehinmetall 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
- Manufacturer(s): General Dynamics
- Top speed: 42 mph
9. T-64
- Total units manufactured: 13,000
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): Malyshev Factory
- Top speed: 43 mph
8. M60 (Patton)
- Total units manufactured: 15,000
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1960
- 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
- Manufacturer(s): General Dynamics
- Top speed: 30 mph
7. T-62
- Total units manufactured: 22,750
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 28 mph
6. T-72 (Ural)
- Total units manufactured: 25,000
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 42 mph
5. BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
- Total units manufactured: 26,000
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1966
- Armament: 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 40 mph
4. BMP-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
- Total units manufactured: 35,000
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1982
- Armament: 30mm 2A42 main gun, 7.62 PKTM coaxial machine gun, 9M113 Konkurs missile launcher, smoke dischargers
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
- Top speed: 40 mph
3. T-55
- Total units manufactured: 50,000
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 31 mph
2. T-54
- Total units manufactured: 50,000
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 30 mph
1. T-34
- Total units manufactured: 84,070
- 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
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 32 mph
The image featured at the top of this post is ©"T-64AK at the T-34 Tank History Museum" by Vitaly V. Kuzmin is licensed under BY-SA 4.0..
