Armor of the Cold War
Both sides settled down and dug in for the long winter ahead.

1 2S-1 Gvozdika (M1974) The 2S1 122mm Gvozdika ('Carnation') was first seen by the West in a Poland military parade in 1974 (hence the US Army designation of M1974). The 122 mobile battlefield artillery system utilizes a power turret capable of a fu... 1972

2 2S-3 Akatsiya (M1973) The 2S3 Akatsiya ('Acacia') - M1973 when in the US inventory - was first unveiled in the early 1970's. It is a heavy caliber battlefield artillery support system and serves the same purpose that the US M109 SPG serves. A crew... 1973

3 2S-7 Pion (M1975) The 2S7 Pion ('Peony') is noted as being the largest self-propelled gun in the world. First unveiled to the West in the late 1970's. it continued the Soviet tradition of concentrated heavy artillery systems. A spade is lowere... 1978

4 Alvis FV101 Scorpion The Scorpion series of light tank has seen many major variants produced both for local use and for export. The Scorpion chassis can be fitted to utilize a variety of weapon systems and interior setups, increasing it's lifespa... 1972

5 Alvis FV107 Scimitar The FV107 Scimitar is based on the successful family line of Scorpion CVRT chassis systems that operate throughout the British military and some export countries. The FV107 features a crew three and is armed with a 30mm gun t... 1978

6 AMX VCI (Vehicule de Combat d'Infanterie) The French-made AMX VCI (for "Vehicule de Combat d'Infanterie") infantry combat system was designed to a specific French Army vehicle requirement made in the years following World War 2. The VCI was based on the AMX-13 light ... 1967

7 AMX-10P The AMX-10 series of APCs serves a variety of roles in the French Army and in export countries. Like other APCs of this type, it can be fitted with a spectrum of turret systems for a particular assignment. The AMX-10 replaced... 1973

8 AMX-10RC ... 1981

9 AMX-13 Started just at the end of World War II, development of the AMX-13 reached full production in 1952 with over 3,000 units built. An automatic loader negates the need for a fourth man in the turret, though manual loading is req... 1952

10 AMX-30 The AMX-30 stemmed from a post-World War 2 design that saw many nations in Europe attempting to refit and update their armor inventories. With a three-way organized effort between West Germany, France and Italy to design and ... 1966

11 AMX-30 GCT The 155mm GCT were built to replace the Mk 61 and Mk F3 SPGs in service with the French Army and to fulfill an export contract for Saudi Arabia. The 155mm armed power turret has an elevation/depression of +66/-4 degrees and f... 1978

12 AMX-32 The AMX-32 was a further development of the commercially successful French-made AMX-30 main battle tank. Along with improvements made to the main armament, crew protection and internal components, the system was intended to b... 1979

13 AS-90 Bravehaert The AS90 began life as the prototype GBT in 1981 under the Vickers production banner. AS90 is a 155mm self-propelled gun that equips six Field Regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Artillery. Fitted with a stand... 1989

14 ASU-57 The ASU-57 was a Soviet-designed system meant to provide a self-propelled anti-tank gun option to airborne elements. The ASU was armed with a 57mm main gun (hence the "57" occurring in the designation) but was lightly armored... 1957

15 BRDM-1 The BRDM-1 series of amphibious scout cars first appeared in the late 1950s and would serve as the principle armored car in service with the Red Army until eventually being replaced by the equally successful BRDM-2 series. Th... 1957

16 BRDM-2 The BRDM-2 is an update to the BRDM-1 4x4 Scout Car. Updates include night vision equipment, more powerful engine which in turn improves the 4x4 cross-country performance and handling (along with two powered-belly wheels tha... 1966

17 BRDM-2 ATGW (Spandrel) The BRDM-2 Spandrel represents a variant on the BRDM-2 Amphibious Scout Car Model detailed elsewhere on this site. This BRDM-2 variant is mechanically identical to the BRDM-2 base with the exception of the Spandrel anti-tank ... 1977

18 Centurion (A41) Though considered a pivotal tank design of the Cold War, the Centurion main battle tank actually had its design roots in the latter stages of World War 2. The tank was conceived of as a new cruiser tank system in response to ... 1945

19 Challenger 1 (FV4030/4) The Challenger series was an off-shoot of the main battle tank designed to an Iranian export order that was to be designated as the "Shir 2". When the Shah of Iran was overthrown by a fundamentalist regime in 1979, the initia... 1983

20 Chieftain The British Chieftain main battle tank appeared in the 1960s and quickly established itself as the most powerful tank on the market, that is, until the arrival of the West German Leopard 1 series. A replacement for the aging ... 1963

21 FV214 Conqueror The British-produced Conqueror was designed to be fielded in conjunction with the hugely successful Centurion Main Battle Tank (still in service in many parts of the world today) in post-war Europe. The system was classified ... 1955

22 General Dynamics M1 Abrams The M1 Abrams was designed by Chrysler Defense and produced under the General Dynamics brand. The tank was introduced in 1979, entered service in 1980 and is still undergoing production. The system has been featured in the 19... 1981

23 HMMWV (High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle) / (Humvee) Aside from the M1 Abrams, perhaps no other American armored vehicle has represented the American Army more than the venerable Humvee series of four-wheeled vehicles. Since its inception, the Humvee has become a staple of mili... 1985

24 Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 1 A classic post-war German tank design, the Leopard 1 would feature some resemblance to German tank design and engineering from World War 2, with the jagged skirting and turret-forward placement. The Leopard 1 entered servi... 1965

25 Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 2 The Leopard 2 design stemmed from the cancellation of the collaborative MBT-70 design effort that included the United States of America. The result was a major upgrade to German frontline defense that replaced the aging Leopa... 1979

26 Land Rover Defender 110 The Defender 110 is produced by the British Land Rover Company for military and recreational use. The British Army and some Commonwealth nations have used the Land Rover series of SUV's since the 1950's. The type dates back t... 1983

27 LAV-150 Commando The LAV-150 is a light armored 4x4 vehicle that has been in the US Army since 1964 in other forms with the LAV-100 making an extensive appearance in the Vietnam War. The LAV-150 replaced both the LAV-100 (M706) and LAV-200 in... 1971

28 LAV-25 The LAV-25 8x8 wheeled system was designed and produced by General Motors of Canada (which went on to become General Dynamics Land Systems) to meet a requirement as put forth by the United States Marine Corps. The LAV-25 offe... 1983

29 M103 With the Cold War in full bloom, design of heavy tanks for the United States Army increased in an effort to mimic the success of the World War Two / Korean War-era M26 Pershing Heavy Tank (detailed elsewhere on this site). Th... 1954

30 M108 The M108 was an armored, full track-laying vehicle that provided a self-propelled carriage for a 105mm howitzer. Adequately mobile, the M108 was utilized for direct support of combat teams when employed with armored personnel... 1952

31 M109 Paladin Much like the 1960's era M113 armored personnel carrier, the M109 Paladin self-propelled gun has enjoyed a unique and long service life thanks in large part to sound design and a never ending series of upgrade programs. With ... 1963

32 M110 Developed in the 1950's, the M110 is a large caliber 203mm self-propelled howitzer. Developed about the same time as the M107 Self-Propelled Gun, they each share the same chassis and mounts. The crew is completely exposed to... 1960

33 M114 The M114 was originally designed as a battlefield recon vehicle. Poor off-road performance kept it from fulfilling the role successfully and thusly the system was entirely removed from service by the early 1980's. The extende... 1962

34 M3 Bradley The M3 Bradley CFV (Cavalry Fighting Vehicle) is very similar to the M2 Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) and only varies from it in a few subtle ways and by role. The M3 is classified as an armored reconnaissance and s... 1981

35 M41 Walker Bulldog The M41 Walker Bulldog was designed to replace the World War Two-era M24 Chaffee. Armed with a 76mm main gun, it was a very standardized tank, with driver front left and the weapons crew in the turret (loader left, gunner fro... 1951

36 M46 Patton The M46 Patton is classified as a medium tank and can further be classified as a 'stop-gap' measurement to the next generation of US tank engineering. The M46 Patton was basically a modernized M-26 Pershing Heavy Tank from Wo... 1949

37 M47 Patton (Patton 1) The M47 Patton tank saw a short life in frontline service, being replaced promptly by the M48 Pattons as early as 1953 (the M47s entered service in 1951. Because of their short life, they did not see any combat service in the... 1951

38 M48 Patton The M48 Patton Main Battle Tank was effectively the first tank engineering design in post-war America. The M46 and M47 Patton versions were merely developments of the World War Two M26 Pershing, which in itself, was a develop... 1952

39 M551 General Sheridan / Sheridan The M551 General Sheridan (or simply "Sheridan") was a light-armored and heavily-armed portable tank system utilized by the United States Army. The system evolved from the need to counter a similar Soviet design of the time a... 1968

40 M56 Scorpion The M56 (sometimes called the "Scorpion") was a fully tracked 90mm gun developed in the 1950s to provide airborne troops with a mobile anti-tank weapon. As such the system was used by airborne battalions and airborne infantry... 1953

41 M60 Patton A reliable and durable warhorse of the US forces over the decades, the M60 Patton Series Tank has seen over 20 years of action, including operations in both the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights during the Yom Kipper War. ... 1963

42 Magach (M48 / M60) Israel needed tanks to defend her borders from the Arab states and the M-48 tank was the choice based on reliability and available stock. Israel ordered 1950 era M-48 tanks from stock piles in Germany as part of the reparati... 1968

43 Medium Tank, M4 / M4 (Sherman) The M4 Sherman series of medium tanks proved an invaluable asset to Allied operations North Africa, Europe and the Pacific theaters of war in World War 2. The Sherman proved a relatively inexpensive, easy-to-maintain and - pe... 1942

44 Merkava (Chariot) The Merkava series of main battle tank represents the backbone of Israeli armor elements. The system was the result of extensive experience in the field of armored warfare done exclusively with foreign equipment, mostly US pr... 1979

45 Mitsubishi Type 74 The Type 74 Main Battle Tanks were developed to replace the outdated Type 61's in service with Japanese Defense Forces. The firm of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries produces the Type 74, which features the British-designed L7 105m... 1975

46 MT-LB The MT-LB was a product of late 1960's development and initially designated as the M1970 to the West. Initial designs were set to replace the MT-L, and were later used in all types of battlefield service including towing,... 1970

47 Obyekt 279 (Object 279) The Russian Obyekt (translating to "Object") 279 Soviet heavy tank was developed in 1957 at the Kirov Plant in Leningrad by L. Troyanov, an engineer in charge of prototype tank design. The heavy tank's design purpose was to ... 1957

48 Olifant (Elephant) The Olifant is a further development of the successful British Centurion tank design. When the UN imposed a trade embargo on military good sales into South African, the African nation searched from within to find a suitable c... 1983

49 Oto Melara C-1 Ariete A conventional, if unspectacular, main battle tank in service with the Italian Army. The C-1 Ariete Main Battle Tank belongs to the same family of vehicles produced by the consortium of IVECO and Oto Melara that includes the ... 1984

50 Oto Melara OF-40 The OF-40 main battle tank is produced jointly by the Oto Melara firm and FIAT. The weapon system is a bit under-gunned by current standards which dictate a frontline MBT to utilize at least a 120mm main weapon. FIAT produced... 1981

51 Panhard AML 60 / 90 The French Army used the Panhard AML 60 / 90 series of light armored cars to replace the 1950s-era Daimler Ferrets. Scout / Armored Cars have served on the battlefield for decades and continue to serve today in the form of fo... 1960

52 Panhard ERC 90 F4 Sagaie Originally for export, the 6x6 Panhard ERC-90 F4 Sagaie was adopted by the French Army in 1984. Power steering accompanies the two front-most wheels. The entire weapon system is also fully amphibious. Water movement is accomp... 1979

53 PT-76 The PT-76 was developed shortly after Second World War. The weapon system is designated as a "Light Amphibious Tank" featuring a crew of three and the ability to traverse varying depths of water. The PT-76 is armed with th... 1952

54 Rheinmetall Landsysteme TAM / VCTan The TAM ("Tanque Argentine Mediano") tank was developed by the German firm of Rheinmetall (formerly Thyssen Henschel) after several companies submitted contracts. The Argentine need was for a modern main battle tank of medium... 1977

55 Rhienmetall Landsysteme Luchs The Luchs 8x8 Reconnaissance Vehicle provides the German Army with an all-terrain amphibious reconnaissance vehicle. Amphibious capability is provided through two propellers located in the rear of the hull. Power-assisted ste... 1975

56 ROTEM K1 (88 Tank) The South Korean military has used tanks developed and produced in the United States from the time of the Korean War. In the 1970’s the Korean Government was concerned with its aging American family of tanks made up of the ... 1986

57 Steyr SK 105 Kurassier The SK 105 is classified as a mobile anti-tank system designed initially by the firm of Saurer-Werke but later picked up by the Steyr-Daimler-Puch consortium. The system was realized in 1967 with early production models hitti... 1971

58 Stridsvagn 103 (S-Tank) The Scandinavian Strv 103 'S-Tank' was an extreme departure from conventional main battle tank design in post-war Europe, or the world for that matter. Tank doctrine in World War Two reserved this type of design for Assault G... 1966

59 SU-152 (Zveroboy) By mid-1942 the Soviet Army needed a mobile heavy siege gun for fixed fortifications. Up to this point, most Soviet howitzers were pulled by horses along with their gun crews due to the fact that draft animals were more plent... 1942

60 SU-60 ...

61 SU-76 / Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 76M (Suchka) On June 22, 1941 Germany invaded the Soviet Union and caught them unaware. Hitler’s goal was to eliminate the Soviets as a military power and exterminate Communism while giving the German people living space. During the sum... 1942

62 T-10 / IS-10 (Iosif Stalin / Josef Stalin) The T-10 can be considered the pinnacle "Josef Stalin" tank design as it is the tank that superceded previous forms and became the final product of the series. It sported an all new main gun, redesigned body and turret and pu... 1953

63 T-54 The T-54 series of Soviet main battle tanks came about with development after World War 2, ending with the system becoming operationally available by 1949. It can be said that no other Cold War or post-Cold War tank has seen ... 1949

64 T-55 The T-55 Medium Tank is probably the most internationally prolific piece of tracked armor as it can be found in dozens of military inventories across the globe. It has seen military frontline service from the invasion of Hung... 1958

65 T-62 The T-62 tank represented an update to the T-54/55 series of Soviet-produced main battle tanks. Conventional systems include a 115mm main gun, self-defense machine guns from aircraft (12.7mm machine gun) and enemy infantry an... 1961

66 T-64 The T-64 main battle tank looks very similar to the T-72 that followed it. The design was intended to provide Soviet forces with a new type of tank to field in number though reliability issues with mechanical components limit... 1970

67 T-72 The Soviet-era T-72 Main Battle Tank is closely related to the T-64. The T-72 features a low-profile and is arguable one of the most recognizable of the Soviet-post war designs ever made. The weapon system as a whole is also ... 1974

68 T-80 Featuring a modified turret and ceramic armor, the T-80 Main Battle Tank holds the distinction of being the first Russian tank to be powered by gas turbines. It maintains the low profile of earlier Soviet tank designs and can... 1979

69 Type 59 The NORINCO-produced Type 59 was actually based on the purchase and subsequent local licensed production of the Soviet T-54 main battle tank (just redesignated as the Type 59 in Chinese service). The system, at least external... 1959

70 Type 61 After the close of hostilities in World War 2, the Japanese Empire was rightfully stripped of all war-making capabilities that included their heavy arms industries. Though Japanese tanks in World War 2 proved any but effectiv... 1961

71 Type 62 Yet another in the long line of NORINCO designs inspired by Soviet-era purchases, the Type 62 (classified as a “light tank”) is nothing more than a base version of the Chinese Type 59 built for better off-road capabilities th... 1963

72 Type 63 The Chinese NORINCO-built Type 63 is in many ways a relative to the Soviet-designed and built PT-76 troop carrier. The weapon system is fully amphibious, utilizing water bilge pumps at a fording speed of up to 12km/h (propell... 1963

73 Type 69 The NORINCO-produced Type 69 is a further indigenous development based on previous Soviet hardware purchases. The Type 69 is crewed by four personnel and comes in a type I and type II model flavor with the main difference bei... 1969

74 Type 80 The NORINCO Type 80 is based on the Type 69 main battle tank albeit with an entirely new hull design making the Type 80 an entirely new breed of tank in the series. As no automatic loading system is present in the turret, a c... 1980

75 Type 85-II The NORINCO-produced Type-85-II is a further development of the Type 80 main battle tank but offers up a host of improvements over its predecessor. Borrowing from design lessons learned from previous purchases of Soviet-era e... 1985

76 VCC-1 Camillino Italy already maintained several thousand license-production American M113 armored personnel carriers by OTO Melara, so it was no surprise that a decision was made to develop the system further with Italian modifications made... 1982

77 Vickers MBT The Vickers Main Battle Tank series was created with export customers in mind. It was soon discovered that foreign operators of the Centurion would find it's successor - the Chieftain - too expensive to procure and effectivel... 1965

78 Warrior IFV The Warrior IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) was designed with speed and cross-country ability to keep pace with the Challenger 2-series of main battle tank for the Royal Army. Other considerations made in the design process w... 1986

79 ZSU-23-4 Shilka The ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" system has been - and continues to be - a much-feared anti-aircraft system for pilots all over the world. The effectiveness of the Shilka at low altitudes has been very well documented, as the system has... 1965