Page 418 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

416 POST-WAR TANKS Plastic side skirts Snorkel for deep-

GE 1945–PRESENT After 1945, a new class of armored fighting tank or vehicle evolved:
water fording

the Main Battle Tank (MBT), which was more heavily armored, had a
more powerful engine, and was armed with a more potent gun than its
World War II predecessors. Although light and medium tanks were still
manufactured, it was the MBT that dominated tank production and tactics.
The major design development in this period was the introduction of new
armor types. Conventional steel armor had become vulnerable to high-

composite armors were introduced, of which the composite Chobham
type, used on the Challenger and Abrams tanks, was the best known.
A explosive anti-tank (HEAT) projectiles, and, to solve this problem, ▲ T72 The three-man T72 was an effective,
THE NUCLEAR (fixed to main gun) 90/105mm Date 1971 Origin Soviet Union if not particularly advanced, tank that
Upper section of turret

dispensed with the usual fourth crew
Weight 45.7 tons (41.5 tonnes)
member in favor of an automatic
main gun
3
Length 22 ⁄4ft (6.95m)
loader. It was widely exported to
countries around the world.
Top speed 37mph (60kph)
Engine 12-cylinder 780hp
(582kW) diesel engine
◀ AMX-13 Developed as an air-portable light tank
Date 1952 Origin France to support airborne forces, the AMX-13
featured an unusual two-part turret and
Weight 15.9 tons (14.5 tonnes)
an automatic loading system with two
Length 16ft (4.88m) six-round magazines. It was manned
Drive wheel by three crew.
Top speed 37mph (60kph)
Engine Model 8Gxb 8-cylinder
250hp (190kW) gasoline engine
115mm
main gun 12.7mm machine-gun
▶ T62
Date 1961 Origin Soviet Union
Weight 44 tons (40 tonnes)
Length 21 ⁄4ft (6.63m)
3
Top speed 31mph (50kph)
Engine V-55 12-cylinder 581hp
(433kW) diesel engine
A development from the T55, the T62 Reactive
was equipped with infrared night- armor
vision equipment. It was operated by
a crew of four men: the commander,
driver, gunner, and loader. It was the
first modern tank to be armed with
a smoothbore main gun.

▼ STRIDSVAGN 103 Often known as the S-Tank,
Date 1966 Origin Sweden this radical turret-less tank was
armed with a fixed gun that
Weight 42.9 tons (39 tonnes) was traversed by engaging the
Length 29 ⁄2ft (9m) left or right tracks, and elevated
1
Top speed 31mph (50kph) by adjusting the hull suspension.
It was operated by three crew.
Engine Rolls-Royce 490hp (223kW)
diesel/Caterpillar gas turbine engine
HEAT-round protection screen

105mm
main gun

Bulldozer blade
(folded)