The most legendary tank in the world. The most powerful tank in the world. What's in the future

03.03.2020

Today, not a single army in a developed country can do without tanks. Well-armoured, but clumsy and slow heavy tanks disappeared, mobile, but poorly protected medium tanks disappeared, and their best features were combined by main battle tanks.

However, different countries have different ideas about what a modern tank should be like, besides, it is impossible to create an ideal one, because there are restrictions that are not dependent on the creators, for example, the budget.

Modern vehicles of the same class differ noticeably, but there are characteristics that are equally important for any tank, and we will build a rating based on them today. Here they are:

protection, including passive and active;
firepower, determined by the gun and guidance systems, fire control, and so on;
mobility and mobility, depending on the dynamics, range and transportability.

Remember that it is not enough to make the most protected tank and put the most powerful gun on it. You also need to produce it, use it in real battles, maintain it, and so on. Therefore, a car that looks great on paper can turn out to be a failure in the real world.

10th place - Ukrainian Oplot BM

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine continued to develop the T-80UD. The last modification of this tank was Oplot BM.

The tank of the layout familiar to the Soviet school is protected by the built-in dynamic protection "Duplet". KOEP "Varta" and KAZ "Barrier" were installed. The disadvantages of "Warta" is the inability to withstand modern ATGM "Kornet", ATGM "Combat", and "Barrier" is distinguished by a high price, long reload and a short range of detection of threats.

The ammunition is stored in the loading mechanism, it is possible to fire guided missiles. The fire control system is frankly outdated and inferior to modern competitors.

Mobility is at a high level.

The ratings of modern tanks, in which the Ukrainian took first place, repeatedly surfaced on the network, they were based on supposedly simulated battles. In fact, the “simulated battles” turned out to be an ARMA 2 game, the video of which was recorded by a blogger on YouTube.

9th place - French Leclerc

An ultra-modern and super-expensive tank that appeared in 1992. Equipped with innovative modular armor.

It differs from Western tanks by the presence of an automatic loader located in the tower behind the knockout panels. It can be called the main advantage of Leclerc. Powerful gun, modern fire control system.

Thanks to the 1500 hp engine. and active suspension has excellent mobility.

At the time of its appearance, as already mentioned, it became ultra-modern and super-expensive. So far, it has not demonstrated anything outstanding in armed clashes, remaining a good weapon only on paper. But the high price and potential unreliability due to an overabundance of electronics has not disappeared anywhere.

8th place - Japanese Type 10

Entered service in 2012, today it is one of the most advanced main battle tanks in the world.

Armed with a 120 mm cannon, similar to those used on the Leopard and Abrams, a modern fire control system makes it an even more formidable weapon.

The tank, weighing only 44 tons, is slightly less protected than its competitors, however, it is equipped with modular armor, which allows you to quickly replace damaged modules or install additional ones.

An active suspension, a powerful engine and a continuously variable transmission provide the Japanese tank with excellent mobility and a speed of up to 70 km/h both forward and backward.

7th place - Israeli Merkava Mk.4M

Provides the world's best protection to its crew thanks to its front-mounted engine layout serving as additional armor. Moreover, there are doors in the rear of the hull, thanks to which the tank can transport the crews of damaged tanks or troops.

The Merkava is armed with a 120 mm cannon capable of firing at low-flying helicopters thanks to a modern fire control system.

In addition to the combined passive armor, it is protected by the unique Trophy active protection complex.

6th place - British Challenger 2

One of the most protected from direct fire tanks in the world.

The second-generation Chobham armor is used, after combat experience in Iraq, the vehicle received a removable ROMOR dynamic protection that covers the most vulnerable spots.

There is a known case of hitting a tank with 15 grenades from an anti-tank grenade launcher, after which the Challenger 2, which was not too injured, continued its task.

A rifled gun of 120 mm caliber is used as a weapon. Such an unusual gun allows you to shoot accurately at a distance of up to 5 km, which is a record among MBTs.

Of the shortcomings, poor protection of the lower frontal part, which has now been corrected by dynamic protection, and mediocre mobility.

5th place - Russian T-90AM

Mass produced in Russia. T-90 previous versions - the most commercially successful tank on the world market. Built on a base well known from the times of the USSR, it is distinguished by a modest price, unpretentiousness and reliability.

It appeared as a result of a deep modernization of the T-72, which affected almost everything. In addition to passive armor, it is protected by active "Contact-5" and KOEP "Shtora-1".

Ammunition is in a carousel-type autoloader, which can lead to instantaneous detonation of the entire ammo when the machine is hit and the tank is completely destroyed. Capable of firing guided missiles.

Small dimensions, weight and the ability to force water barriers up to 5 meters deep are a noticeable plus of the Russian MBT. Of the minuses - an outdated mechanical transmission, a reverse speed of 5 km / h.

Modification of the T-90AM allowed to take a worthy place in the ranking. The new turret, DZ "Relikt", a modern automatic loader, part of the ammunition in the turret box and automatic transmission became a breath of fresh air for an aging vehicle and put it next to the best Western models.

4th place - American М1А2 SEP Abrams

A tank about which news constantly appears. They talk about him, compare him with him, but is he worthy of it?

Having appeared in the American army back in 1980, Abrams received several modifications, the last of which we will talk about.

Protected by excellent armor with uranium, the ammunition is placed behind the knockout panels. Some samples have an active protection system "AN / VLQ-6".

The 120 mm gun is distinguished by good accuracy thanks to a modern fire control system.

1500 hp gas turbine engine gives excellent mobility, but consumes a lot of fuel and generates a huge amount of heat during operation, making camouflage difficult.

The disadvantages include large dimensions and weight, which make transportation difficult.

3rd place - South Korean K2 Black Panther

Composite armor along with modular reactive armor protect the tank from enemy fire. Additionally, there is an active protection system. The use of modern technologies and materials made it possible to make a light MBT, protected at the level of its heavy counterparts.

The gun is similar to that installed on the Leopard, the fire control system is capable of hitting low-flying helicopters and operating in automatic mode, firing at given targets without the participation of a gunner.

1500 hp diesel engine and active hydropneumatic suspension, what else do you need for excellent mobility?

In some ways, this combat vehicle is similar to Leclerc. During its appearance, it became one of the most perfect and expensive in the world. But, if Leclerc did not show himself in anything, then the Black Panther has a lot of time ahead.

2nd place - German Leopard 2A7

The most modern version of the German predator, which for many years has been a model for engineers in other countries.

High protection, excellent firepower and excellent mobility go from modification to modification. Leopard 2A7 received updated electronics and additional armor. The developers claim all-round protection against grenades fired from RPGs.

The gun and fire control system are the reference for today and provide the most accurate shooting.

The diesel engine develops a power of 1500 hp, which makes it possible to accelerate a tank weighing 67.5 tons to 72 km/h.

1st place - Russian T-14 Armata

The layout with an uninhabited turret, in which the crew is located shoulder to shoulder in the fighting compartment, has been worked out for a long time, but it was brought to life in a serial model by Russian engineers.

Passive armor is supplemented with dynamic "Malachite" and KAZ "Afghanite". KAZ is able to calculate the position of the enemy and respond with fire. Only our "Afghanit" and the Israeli "Trophy" are capable of this.

The 125 mm 2A82 gun is now superior in power to the gun mounted on the Leopard-2A7, later it is possible to install a 152 mm 2A83 gun that fires shells with armor-piercing more than 1000 mm, which will allow hitting any Western tank in the frontal projection.

Active suspension and diesel engine from 1200 to 1800 hp. provide excellent mobility even over rough terrain.

It is important that Armata was originally created for network-centric warfare, that is, for actions together with other combat units. To do this, the Russian tank is equipped with a variety of electronic systems that simplify the work of the crew and link equipment of various kinds into a single whole.

Finally

Even if you collide all the listed tanks in a real battle, the outcome will not be able to unequivocally determine the places, because a lot depends on the training of the crews, conditions and chances. Therefore, you should not take the rating as an axiom or be indignant at a biased attitude towards your favorite car.

The question of which of the tanks can be considered the best in the world has not lost its relevance since the middle of the 20th century. Until now, tanks are actively used in any significant military conflicts, and the level of equipment of the armored forces today characterizes the power of any modern army with exhaustive completeness. This is confirmed by the attention that continues to be paid to the development and modernization of tanks in all countries that strive for advanced positions in the field of their defense capability.

Comparison of the main battle tanks of Russia and NATO is also essential in the information war, which has gained momentum by now. This also affects the geopolitical alignments that determine the spheres of influence of the main "power centers" of the modern world.

We should not forget that tanks are one of the most significant goods on the world arms market. Therefore, many ratings of the "best tanks" in the media are quite often adjusted to suit individual manufacturers. A vivid example of this approach is the long-term campaign in the leading Western publications to criticize the Soviet developments of the T-80 and T-90, in which these magnificent combat vehicles were declared "unsuccessful". The Chinese media, gaining influence, purposefully advertise their own approach to the evaluation of armored vehicles, emphasizing the ratio of its characteristics and cost.

TOP 10: rating of the best tanks in the world

This year, the general nature of the assessments that determine the best tanks in the world has converged in many ways. The main reason for this was the emergence of an undisputed leader in world tank building, and the opinion on this matter is shared by many leading experts not only in Russia, but also in the West.

1. T-14 "Armata"

The newest Russian tank already technically has a number of properties, which foreign competitors are still far from real implementation. First of all, this is an uninhabited tower, crew accommodation in the most reliable armored capsule and a powerful 125-millimeter cannon with fully remote digital control. In addition, the T-14 was able to achieve effective performance as the most "advanced" stealth tank.

The reduction in visibility for all the most modern anti-tank weapons has been achieved in a complex manner, manifesting itself in the infrared, radio and magnetic ranges. This was not only the result of the use of new materials. The special capabilities of the new generation of the Afghanit active protection complex (KAZ) also affected, which is able to blind enemy anti-tank guided missiles safely for the infantry and equipment surrounding the tank by using smoke-metal curtains of particles that are opaque for a wide range of ranges of most types of radiation.

In combination with the strongest ceramic-metal armor, an all-round target detection system and the traditionally high mobility and cross-country characteristics for Russian armored vehicles, the T-14 is a formidable, well-protected Russian combat vehicle with impressive strike power. Experts from the authoritative American publication The National Interest have repeatedly described the Armata as "the best tank in the world."

2. "Leopard-2A7"

Having become one of the most significant brands, the “German car” Leopard 2 in its latest modification, which the manufacturer sometimes presents as both A7 + and A7V, consistently occupies the top lines of various tank ratings, often leading them. In any case, for a long time this tank was undoubtedly the leader as the most expensive in the world, its price to date is almost $ 9 million.

The latest version of the Leopard 2 will retain Rheinmetall's 120mm 55-caliber smoothbore gun and a 1,500-horsepower diesel engine, giving this rather massive tank high mobility. The main improvements to the A7+ standard affected the tank's electronics, as well as increased mine protection and the introduction of the Saab Barracuda multispectral camouflage coating.

3. "Abrams" M1A2 SEP

The Russian tank in the course of the modernization that has begun is a direct competitor to the Abrams. For some elements, the new version of the T-90 is unified with the Armata platform, which will not only improve the performance of the vehicle, but also become a major stepping stone for the future. The main advantages of the new model are a new combat turret module with a 125-millimeter high-precision cannon, multi-layer armor, placement of an ammunition rack in the aft niche isolated from the fighting compartment and crew, and a remote-controlled weapon station with a heavy machine gun. In addition, the tank will be equipped with more high-precision sights, better communications and an 1130 hp engine.

5. BM "Oplot"

Such a high place for Ukrainian development, which is a deep modernization of the T-80 (T-84) tank, is given, first of all, as a merit of the Soviet school of tank building. Since the level achieved by Kharkiv specialists is still inaccessible to many more eminent and active competitors. Serious performance characteristics of the tank testify to this: with a modest mass of 51 tons, it is armed with a powerful automatically loaded 125-mm KBAZ smoothbore gun, from which you can fire Kombat guided missiles. It has a high level of security due to multi-layer armor, dynamic protection "Doublet" and modern KAZ "Barrier". Contrary to popular belief about the little-known Ukrainian Oplot, it was included in its TOP-10 by the most popular Western portal military-today.com, putting it on a par with the T-90 and Leclerc.

6. K2 Black Panther

The South Korean K2 Black Panther, in the development of which Rotem (a division of Hyundai Motors) participated, was put into service in 2019 and consistently occupies high places in world tank ratings. The main advantages of the tank are associated with its ultra-modern electronics, which connected all the electronic systems of the tank into a single network and ensured its full connection to all kinds of external support functions on the battlefield in real time. Important features of the K2 were the combination of a 120 mm cannon based on the German Rh-120 with an efficient automatic loader that provides an amazing rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute, and a modern KAZ.

7. "Challenger 2"

The French AMX-56 Leclerc R (Renouve, or “Updated”) was able to win the title of the most expensive tank from the Leopard-2 and Abrams, being valued at $10.6 million. The low profile and tight layout made it possible to achieve high security of the tank with its relatively low weight. "Leclerc" against the background of other NATO main battle tanks is distinguished by the presence of an effective automatic loader. The combat vehicle is extremely saturated with various ultra-modern electronics and is positioned as the most adapted to the conditions of urban combat.

9. Type 99A2

The Chinese Type 99A2 (ZTZ-99A2) is considered one of the most modern Chinese main battle tanks, while at the same time representing the development of the concept of the Soviet T-72 tank. For a tank put into service in 2011, the Type 99 has good multi-layered armor with very modern reactive armor. The high level of Chinese electronics made it possible to equip the tank with advanced communication, navigation, aiming and fire control systems. Combined with a 125 mm autoloading smoothbore gun, a 1500-horsepower engine and a laser blinding device, the Chinese tank is considered a very formidable combat vehicle, in some ways even ahead of the Russian T-90MS.

10. "Arjun" Mk.II

The Indian main battle tank Arjun Mark II was first presented to the public in 2011 and was being finalized for quite a long time (until 2017). However, the powerful and well-protected combat vehicle turned out to be too heavy, which significantly limited its use in the local theater of operations. The tank has fairly modern fire control systems, an optical-electronic enemy suppression system, and a remote-controlled 12.7-mm machine gun.

Worthy of mention tanks and developments of the future

Many modern tanks are quite worthy to take a place in this rating. Among those that often make it into the world's top 10 best combat vehicles, special mention should be made of the latest modification of the Israeli main battle tank Merkava Mk.4. It is distinguished by a layout that is rare for the present time with the location of the engine compartment in the front of the hull. In the stern of the tank there is a compartment in which you can transport troops, evacuate the wounded or deliver ammunition, which turns the Merkava into a universal combat platform capable of playing the role of both a tank and an armored personnel carrier.

Relatively new developments introduced in the current decade are the Japanese Type 10 Hitomaru and the Turkish Altay. These powerful and quite solid tanks are distinguished by a high degree of commonality with the German Leopards-2. But in general, these machines noticeably fall short of the "original", which over the years of their creation has been able to significantly improve.

Due to the confidentiality of data on the technical characteristics of tanks such as the newest VT4 shown by China (MBT-3000) and the Iranian Karrar, which was put into service in 2016, it is difficult to say anything definite about them. Experts note a significant degree of T-90A influence in their design, but doubt that both of these tanks can surpass the "original" in combat capabilities, not to mention more modern versions of the Russian tank.

Among the promising models, which also do not yet have any specific information, is, first of all, the Franco-German project EMBT (European / Enhanced Main Battle Tank), first presented in the form of a demonstration layout in the summer of 2018. This peculiar hybrid from the manufacturers of Leclerc and Leopard is promised to be finalized no earlier than the 2030s.

On another project - the next "upgrade package" of the American main tank "Abrams" with the M1A2D index - more detailed information, on the contrary, is expected in the near future. In all likelihood, this development will eventually take the place of the current new Abrams in the ranking of the 10 best tanks in the world in 2020.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

Western journalists, following politicians, are haunted by the idea that Russia was able to create tanks that are superior in quality to their Western counterparts. So, Forbes magazine in a rather voluminous article compared the main mass tanks of Russia, Germany, the USA, China and France, respectively, the following samples were critically evaluated: T90, Leopard-2, M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams, MBT-2000 and AMX- 56 Leclerc. In fairness, let's add the British Challenger 2 tank to this list and compare these six samples in order to determine the true leader. Let's reduce the evaluation principle to the simplest: let's compare the technical characteristics of vehicles, protection systems and weapons, the cost of their production, the effectiveness of combat use, demand on the world arms market, and based on the combination of these data, we can determine the best vehicle. In this list, perhaps, it is also worth adding the Israeli Oshlbd (Merkava) tank.

Of course, one could consider other excellent examples of tank building, such as the Japanese Type-10 main tank or the South Korean K2 Black Panther main tank, but given their relatively small production and the lack of examples of combat use, we will refuse to consider these candidates in the ranking for the title of the best tank in the world. The Russian tank T14 "Armata" does not make sense to consider yet, since this model has not yet been adopted for service.

ABRAMS AND T90

The Western media almost in unison sing the merits of the American M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams tank, calling it the pinnacle of technical excellence in world tank building, well, let these praises remain on their conscience, let's move on to the facts. First of all, it is worth noting that this tank is an old development (serial production began on February 28, 1980), which has been modernized many times. But in general, the car has proven itself well. It is equipped with a 1500 horsepower AVCO Lycoming AGT-1500 gas turbine engine, with a combat weight of 64 tons, this machine can reach a maximum speed of up to 67 km per hour on a prepared path, up to 30 km/h on rough terrain with a cruising range of 426 km. Specific power - 23.8 hp per ton. The tank is well protected, its frontal armor is 650 mm thick, in addition to its own composite armor, it is protected by additional panels and has active and dynamic protection. The machine is equipped with a panoramic sight, a thermal imager, a laser rangefinder, a global positioning, control and communication system, high-resolution liquid crystal color displays (which display all the necessary information in digital and graphical forms) allow the commander to see the picture of the battle. The rangefinder is able to determine the distance to the target to be hit, up to almost 5 km, the main sight is equipped with a stabilizer.

The tank is armed with a 120 mm M256 smoothbore gun (a licensed version of the Rheinmetall Rh-120 made in Germany), machine guns: one 12.7 mm M2HB and two M240 caliber 7.62 mm. The ammunition load of the 120 mm cannon of the tank, among other ammunition, includes the M829A3 sub-caliber projectile with a depleted uranium core, the maximum range of its effective use is 4.4 thousand meters, at a distance of 2 km it pierces 720 mm armor. The gun is loaded manually, the crew of the tank is four people. Western experts clearly over-praised this tank. In Iraq, in the current war, the jihadists managed to knock out the Abrams from the RPG-7, and this is already ridiculous. Poorly armed Yemeni guerrillas - the Houthis and they managed to destroy about 20 Abrams tanks.

How can the Russian main tank T90 answer all of the above, let's consider its modifications T90SM and T90AM. The machine is equipped with a V-92S2F V-92S2F V-shaped 12-cylinder liquid-cooled turbocharged diesel tank engine with an HP 1130 power. With a combat weight of 48 tons, the tank is capable of speeds of 65–70 km/h on a prepared track and up to 45–50 km/h on rough terrain. The ratio of the weight of the tank to the engine power of 24 hp. per ton i.e. better than the M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams. The pressure of the tracks per unit surface of the T90AM is 10% lower than that of the American tank, respectively, the cross-country ability of the Russian vehicle is higher.

The tank is equipped with a panoramic sight, a thermal imager, modern control systems, navigation, internal and external communications, and surveillance. At the disposal of the crew commander of the Kalina OMS with an integrated combat information and control system of the tactical level, a high-resolution liquid crystal color display (it displays all the information necessary for the commander) allows you to monitor the combat situation. Sighting range of OFZ shells up to 10 km. Guided munitions allow you to hit targets at a distance of up to 5 km, ATGMs reliably hit the enemy at a distance of up to 3 km.

This combat vehicle is superbly protected. The thickness of the composite armor in the frontal part of the hull is 750 mm, the turret is 950 mm. The tank's ammunition is located in a separate module, which significantly increases the crew's survival rate when a projectile hits it and the entire ammunition is detonated. In addition to its own armor, the tank has additional screens, active and dynamic protection systems. The modern modular complex of the third generation dynamic protection "Relikt" is too tough for the vaunted American projectile with a uranium core M829A3, so the Yankees are urgently looking for a new solution.

The armament of the T90AM tank is also impressive: a 125 mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore gun with automatic loading and a 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun coaxial with it, as well as a 7.62 mm anti-aircraft gun UDP T05BV-1. The crew of the tank - three people (loader - no). The T-90 has demonstrated exceptional reliability in the current wars in Iraq and Syria.

AMERICAN VS RUSSIAN

Since these tanks have not yet met on the battlefield, let's try to analytically assess the chances of each one winning. Undoubtedly, Abrams tanks have a rich track record and they performed well in 1991 and 2003 in the US wars against Iraq. In both cases, Saddam Hussein's tank troops were also equipped with Soviet combat vehicles of the unmodernized T-55, T-64, T-72. In addition, Iraq at that time did not receive any consumables, spare parts, or ammunition from Russia, and Iraqi crews were the main factor of unreliability, mainly because of this, it was not difficult for the Americans to fight almost without loss with the tanks of Saddam Hussein. That is, this combat experience does not mean anything, the Yankees have never met in battle with Russian crews and modern Russian tanks. Moreover, it must be taken into account that Abrams fought only in a warm climate, on a flat, very slightly rugged, flat terrain. Experts believe that in the climatic and relief conditions of Russia, especially in winter, this "miracle machine" most likely will not be able to fight at all. The Germans have already had to admire their dead machines on frosty days in the battle near Moscow in December 1941 - January 1942. Then, already the technical parameters of the T-90AM leave no chance for the Abrams tank, both in the M1A2 SEP V2 modification and in the M1A2 SEP V3 modification. And the main victorious force in battle is the Russian soldier, Russian tank crews, who confidently demonstrate high combat skills. The new Russian tank T14 "Armata" is on the way, which in all respects leaves the Abrams far behind. The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm and is toughly raising the issue before the Senate about funding a new tank project. Even if they manage to persuade the senators, America will still fall behind in the tank race by at least a corps. The Pentagon also lags behind the Russian military department in operational art, it is worth noting that the Americans do not have historical combat experience in mass tank battles, and the experience of waging “big” wars too.

You can also take into account the fact that these days Abrams tanks in Iraq and Yemen do not show themselves in the best way. But in this case, there are two nuances, firstly, these are old cars, and secondly, they are driven by "armless" Arab crews.

LEOPARD 2

The German masterpiece of modern tank design, the Leopard 2, is a good, solid tank, but it will be very difficult to fight on it because of its heavy weight on the Russian terrain, except perhaps along the roads. It seems that, mindful of their stunning defeat on the battlefields in World War II in the East, the Germans do not even dream of considering Russia as a possible theater of operations (TVD). In the current Syrian war, the Leopard 2 was used by Turkish troops during the Euphrates Shield operation, it must be admitted that it did not behave very well in a combat situation and generally received a negative assessment of experts. Again, a reservation must be made here, Turkish crews fought on these tanks in Syria, perhaps the Germans under the same conditions could rehabilitate their Leopard 2. In fact, Germany is an unsurpassed leader in mechanical engineering. Let this project be over 40 years old, but in a modernized form, Leopard 2 looks very impressive. The weight of the vehicle in full combat gear reaches almost 70 tons, the armor is multi-component, additional protective screens are used, as well as dynamic protection systems. The tank is equipped with an automatic fire-fighting system. It has a MTU MB 873 Ka-501 12-cylinder V-twin turbocharged diesel engine with an output of 1,479 hp. or MTU MT883 with 1,650 hp. The maximum speed of this machine on prepared tracks is 68 km/h, on rough terrain 30 km/h. The maximum power reserve is 320 km. But in Russian off-road conditions, this monster can stand up tightly, especially in the severe cold of Russian winters.

The Leopard 2 is armed with a 120 mm Rheinmetall L55 smoothbore cannon (manually loaded) and two 7.62 mm MG3A1 machine guns. Anti-tank projectile DM-53 with a warhead in the form of a tungsten core is capable of penetrating 750 mm armor at a distance of 2 km, Israeli-made LAHAT ATGM, which is part of the tank's regular ammunition? hits targets at ranges up to 6 km. The Leopard-2 is equipped with the German EMES 15 fire control system, a panoramic sight, a laser rangefinder, a thermal imager and other equipment, including modern navigation and surveillance communication devices. The crew of the car is 4 people. For the Western European theater of operations, the tank is ideal.

Again, this tank is clearly not worth meeting on the battlefield with the T90AM, the Leopard has little chance of emerging victorious from this fight, and its vaunted defense is powerless against modern Russian anti-tank weapons.

MBT-2000 AND AMX-56 LECLERC

The main Chinese tank MBT-2000 is deservedly considered a satisfactory model in the comparative table of world tank building. Its technical capabilities, perhaps, should be compared with the T-72B, and the T90AM, it is inferior in all respects. Although the MBT-2000 is the most massive tank in the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA), it was originally created to capture the global tank market. This example is manufactured under license by Pakistan under the name Al-Khalid. The vehicle does not yet have a well-known combat vehicle, just as, by the way, the Chinese army does not have historical experience in conducting massive tank battles. It is not known how these machines will behave in the conditions of Siberian frosts. Currently, the PLA is receiving new tanks MBT-3000 (VT-4), however, this model is also oriented to the international market in the future. According to the declared technical characteristics, it is comparable to the T90AM, but one can only guess what this machine will be able to demonstrate on the battlefield. There is no complete certainty that the PLA command does not at all consider tanks as an effective force for modern and future wars. Unlike Russian and German tank builders, who produce all the components themselves, the Chinese supply many parts of combat vehicles from abroad, the main components are purchased in France.

The AMX-56 Leclerc tank is another proof of the French ambitions. They could well get by, like other countries of continental Western Europe, with German Leopard 2 monsters or American Abrams. But no, Paris goes its own way in everything, despite the financial costs. This machine has been mass-produced for 15 years since 1992, currently 406 tanks are owned by the French army, and 388 are in service with the UAE military. The weight of the machine reaches 54.6 tons. Its 8-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine with a capacity of 1500 hp. allows the tank to accelerate to 71 km/h on a prepared track and up to 40 km/h on rough terrain and provides a cruising range of 550 km. I will immediately note that this tank was not tested in Russian conditions either, and I presume that it will not prove itself here, just like other foreign models.

The AMX-56 is protected by modular multi-layered composite armor, the design of the tank is designed so that the sloping frontal armor will meet an anti-aircraft projectile with a direct hit with a thickness of 700 mm. This "Leclerc" does not have dynamic protection, the French rely on the design of their armor. The communication, control, surveillance and aiming system are combined into a single system, the tank is literally crammed with electronics, here its full set, including the central computer, the tank's control system is integrated into the IMS. This car is comfortable for the crew.

The armament of the AMX-56 is the CN-120-26 smoothbore gun, which has two stabilizers, a thermal imager, a range finder, a combined gunner's sight and a panoramic commander's sight. The gun of the AMX-56 tank is equipped with an automatic loader. The performance characteristics of this gun are comparable to the characteristics of the German smoothbore tank gun Rh 120, the ammunition of the guns of the Abrams and Leopard tanks is suitable for the French tank gun CN-120-26. Additional weapons "Leclerc" - machine guns: M2HB-QBC caliber 12.7 mm and F1 caliber 7.62 mm. The crew of the AMX-56 Leclerc is three people. The tank is not bad, it has proven itself well in the fighting in Yemen, but again, it is hardly suitable for war in the conditions of the Russian climate and landscape.

MERKAVA AND CHALLENGER 2

The Israeli tank "Merkava" ten years ago was considered almost one of the best in the world, now it is estimated much more modestly. Despite the fact that the tank is very heavy, its weight reaches 70 tons, the armor of the Merkava, whose thickness is equivalent to 750 mm, is not effective against modern armor-piercing sub-caliber shells, it will not withstand. KAZ Meil Ruach (“Air Cloak”) is used as active protection. In battle, these vehicles do not show their best side, the poor training of Israeli tankers also affects here, but mainly the matter is in the technical shortcomings of the tanks themselves. It is known that the Russian ATGM "Kornet" terrifies Israeli tankers. "Merkava" is produced according to the principle from the world one by one: 28% of components are foreign-made. The Merkava-4 modification has a 1500-horsepower diesel engine, which allows it to accelerate on a prepared track up to 60 km/h, on rough terrain up to 30 km/h, and a cruising range of up to 500 km. The tank is armed with a 120 mm MG253 smoothbore gun and two 7.62 mm FN MAG machine guns, some models are armed with a 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun and a mortar. The crew of the car is 4 people. The tank's ammunition includes the LAHAT ATGM. The SLA practically copies that of the Abrams tank, the gunner has a sight with a thermal imager and auto-tracking of the target, the commander has a panoramic sight with the same functions, in addition there are backup optical and IR sights.

The British Challenger 2 tank has long and reliably earned itself a bad reputation. But still, according to Western experts, it remains one of the best armored vehicles in the world. The machine is heavy, its combat weight is 62.5 tons. The armor is combined anti-ballistic, there is dynamic protection. The digital fire control system includes a 32-bit processor and a Mil Std 1553 data bus. The gunner's combined stabilized sight was developed by Barr and Strood in cooperation with the French SAGEM, and the NANOQUEST L30 telescopic sight is also used. The commander has a stabilized panoramic periscope sight SFIM thermal imager TOGS-2. The control system is built around the onboard computer of the Canadian company CDC, which is a modernized computer of the M1A1 Abrams tank. The machine is equipped with a 12-cylinder V-shaped turbocharged diesel engine with a capacity of 1200 hp, develops a speed of 56 km/h on a prepared track, 25–30 km/h on slightly rugged terrain, and a cruising range of 400 km. 120 mm rifled gun L30E4 (L11A5); two 7.62 mm machine guns. The crew of the tank is 4 people. A total of 400 Challenger 2 tanks were produced. Even during the 1991 Iraqi war, these tanks showed their unreliability in battle.

WORLD TANK MARKET

Many military experts believe that in the near future tanks will no longer be used in combat, they will be destroyed by high-precision weapons, modern and promising PTS, just as machine guns and tanks themselves destroyed cavalry in their time. However, for the time being, not one army in the world is going to write off tanks. On the contrary, the sale of tanks on the world arms market turns out to be profitable for some countries.

According to Forbes magazine, the undisputed commercial leader of the first two decades of the 21st century is the Russian T90MS tank, which, by the way, occupies an important niche in the Russian arms export.

Now the manufacturer of these tanks has two new contracts for delivery abroad: Iraq will receive the first batch of 73 vehicles, and Vietnam will put another 64 units of this type of equipment into service. In the near future, it is planned to sign a contract for the supply of 146 T-90MS tanks to Kuwait, as well as to launch an assembly plant in Egypt. In total, taking into account the supply of ammunition, consumables, spare parts and other things, sales will bring Russian tank builders at least $400-500 million in income. In total, more than 2,100 T-90 tanks of various modifications were produced, of which more than 1,500 were exported. Under existing contracts, more than 1,000 new tanks will be sold abroad in the coming years. An increase in the portfolio of orders to 1600 tanks and more is expected.

Now the T-90 is in service with the armies of 38 different countries, this is the best sales result in the world. Not only does this tank have a low cost, and hence the final price (118 million rubles), it outperforms competitors in terms of quality in almost all respects.

The German tank Leopard 2 is considered by many to be the best in the world, as we can see, this statement is far from the truth. This machine was delivered to 21 countries of the world, mainly to Northern and Western Europe, as well as to Turkey. The latter used them very unsuccessfully in Syria during Operation Euphrates Shield.

The Leopard 2A6 costs $6.79 million, and the Leopard 2 A7+ is more than $10 million. In total, more than 3200 Leopard 2 different modifications were produced, of which 300 units are in service with the Bundeswehr, the rest went abroad. The production of this tank has been stopped and its export too. In the list of sales, the Chinese main tank MBT-2000 claims the second place in the world ranking. At a cost of 4.7 million dollars per unit, China sold its cars to Morocco (150 units), Myanmar (150 units), Sri Lanka (22 units), Bangladesh (44 units). 415 tanks were delivered to Pakistan and an assembly plant was built there, where the same tank is produced under the name Al-Khalid.

The cost of one M1A2 SEP Abrams is also very biting: it varies, but generally around $8.6 million, so buyers are not eager to purchase a new tank with a full technical package. Older models that are simpler in terms of equipment are exported, which are taken from storage, undergo major repairs, mainly engines, guns and FCS are subject to replacement. For example, Egypt has acquired more than 1,200 M1A1 Abrams tanks. This tank is in service with the armies of six countries (except the United States). In total, the American military industry sold 2217 M1 tanks abroad, of which about 750 were in the improved M1A2 configuration. This tank has no prospects for mastering the world market. In addition, only 12 machines of this type are currently produced in the United States per year.

France began serial production of the AMX-56 Leclerc in 1990. Since then, the French army has received 406 tanks, and only 388 vehicles have been exported, the same British Challenger 2 tanks at a cost of $ 8.6 million per unit, only 38 units have been sold abroad. As for the Leclerc tanks, the United Arab Emirates turned out to be the only buyer of the miracle of French tank building. The cost of one French tank is considerable - 9.3 million euros. The Merkava is estimated by the manufacturer at $6 million, but everything is simpler here, because of its technical shortcomings, no one but Singapore wants to buy this tank, the latter has signed a contract for only 50 vehicles.

As the saying goes: "Tanks are not afraid of dirt." This expression perfectly characterizes such a powerful machine as a tank. The tank is not afraid of any obstacles, in it you can not only feel completely safe, but also in case of danger or attack by enemies, defend yourself by using military artillery. It is a kind of multifunctional machine.

Since ancient times, people have preferred stronger and more effective weapons. As soon as something better appears, so they begin to invent many analogues. Then these analogues are used until something more perfect and more powerful appears. People have such a principle. Times go by, more and more new weapons appear, but the tanks do not give up their positions. This is a reliable front and rear of the army.

In our time of high technology, military equipment is constantly being improved, becoming “smarter”. Today we will share with you our Top 10 ranking. The most powerful tanks in the world. They are a kind of "monsters" among their own kind, you will surely admire appreciating their stateliness and grandeur. And what power lies in them! The power to protect and destroy at the same time. In our ranking you will get acquainted with the steel "monsters", which are the best tanks in the world ever created.

10. Leclerc

This tank is the basis of the army of modern France, and 388 units are in service with the UAE, which is explained by its high cost - $ 8 million. However, all this pales against the backdrop of a 120-mm muzzle, with an ammunition load of 40 rounds, as well as two additional machine guns, a total of 4000 rounds of magazines, which, combined with the ability to accelerate to 71 km / h, makes it excellent in the fight against enemy foot forces .

9.

We could not help but include the Merkava in the ranking of the best and most powerful tanks in the world, which are the pride of the Israeli defense industry. In addition to the intimidating 120 mm barrel, the tank is capable of firing guided anti-tank missiles, which makes it possible to accurately disable enemy military equipment. At the same time, protection is provided by the latest generation of steel modular armor, which, although it adds weight, allows you to remain invulnerable to shots from some types of hand grenade launchers.

8.

Produced in Pakistan, this tank has absorbed the latest developments of the leading engineers of its region, which allows it to remain equally effective regardless of the time of day. The 125 mm smoothbore gun is capable of hitting almost any enemy vehicle, but one of the machine guns had to be sacrificed for the sake of its extended ammunition capacity, which does not at all reduce the effectiveness of the combat vehicle.

7. K1A1

Also among the most powerful tanks in the world is the crown of the modern military industry of South Korea. The heavy-duty 120 mm smoothbore gun requires simultaneous service by two crew members at once, but is extremely effective against enemy reconnaissance drones that fall into its field of view. Efficiency against infantrymen is provided by one coaxial or two standard machine guns, depending on the modification.

6.

The pride of British tank building, it is recognized as one of the best in the world due to its reliability. It is in service with the United Kingdom and Oman. It is extremely effective against foot soldiers and lightly armored vehicles, because in addition to a 120 mm rifled barrel, it has two coaxial and one movable machine gun at its disposal. However, such firepower has a negative effect on the mobility of the tank - it is only able to reach a speed of 56 km/h.

5.PT-91

The main combat vehicle of the Polish army is on the fifth line of the list of the 10 most powerful tanks in the world. In addition to the terrifying 125 mm smoothbore gun, the tank is equipped with active armor, which guarantees no major damage after the first enemy shot. Moreover, the presence of three machine guns allows you to destroy enemy anti-aircraft guns and their crew at medium and close distances.

4.T-90

Oddly enough, the representative of the Russian tank industry is distinguished by its compactness and lightness, guaranteeing the maneuverability inherent in Soviet-made tanks. In addition to enemy vehicles, thanks to two powerful machine guns, the tank has no difficulty with artillery, which, due to its low weight and, accordingly, high movement speed, it can reach almost instantly. The T-90 is rightfully considered one of the best tanks in the world with great firepower and high speed characteristics. The hull armor is made using composite steel, which prevents the T-90 from becoming an easy target for enemy infantry armed with an anti-tank gun, even at close range.

3.

This Chinese-made machine, which opens the top three in the top 10 most powerful tanks in the world, is by no means cheap: you will have to pay about $ 22 million for one unit, which significantly reduces its competitiveness. The relatively light tank is equipped with a 125 mm smoothbore gun, in addition to which three machine guns are attached: to deal with anti-aircraft guns and two twin ones, effective against infantry.

2.

This tank is characterized by the high production cost inherent in most South Korean combat vehicles. The developers explain this by the fact that they used combined armor, which gives a lot of advantages in close combat, and due to the low weight of only 62 tons, they managed to get additional speed and maneuverability. Despite all this, the Black Panther, armed with a .55 caliber cannon, was able to win only half of the training battles.

1. M1A2 Abrams

The crowning achievement of our ranking is the brainchild of the American defense industry, which has been a leader since the end of the last century, thanks to the constant improvement of its technology in response to the changing style of modern warfare. M1A2 Abrams - the best tank in the world. Its “highlight” is not at all the weapons potential, although it is worth saying that the firepower is by no means inferior to competitors, but the technical component. The machine is literally crammed with various electronics, allowing you to coordinate actions with allied forces and aircraft, which allows you to be as effective as possible on the battlefield. And, unlike most of the presented tanks, the M1A2 proved its effectiveness in real military operations.

+ T-14 Armata

The Armata tank has become the embodiment of the unique developments of past years and the achievements of the modern military-industrial complex of Russia. T-14 is a unique combat vehicle of the 3rd generation. Perhaps, after all the tests, Armata will receive the title the best and most powerful tank in the world. Its peculiarity is that the crew is located not in the tower, but in an armored capsule, which ensures survival even with the detonation of ammunition. This latest Russian tank was first demonstrated in 2015 at the Victory Parade.

Of the unique technical characteristics, it is worth noting: the design features that make the tank barely visible on enemy radars, in the infrared and magnetic range, and even difficult to distinguish on the ground with visual contact, are essentially using stealth technology. Also, the vehicle is equipped with the latest Afganit active protection, which can prevent an anti-tank projectile from hitting it, and the 4th generation Malachite armor protects against almost 100% of shots from hand grenade launchers. Firepower is provided by a 125 mm smoothbore gun with 45 rounds of ammunition and two machine guns: Kord (12.7 mm) and PKTM (7.62 mm). On highways, the T-14 has a speed of up to 90 km/h.

The best tank in Russia and the world | Video

Western journalists, following politicians, are haunted by the idea that Russia was able to create tanks that are superior in quality to their Western counterparts. So, Forbes magazine in a rather voluminous article compared the main mass tanks of Russia, Germany, the USA, China and France, respectively. The following samples were critically evaluated: T-90, Leopard-2, M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams, MBT-2000 and AMX-56 Leclerc. Let's add a British tank to this list for the sake of justice Challenger 2 and compare these six samples to determine the true leader. Let's reduce the evaluation principle to the simplest: let's compare the technical characteristics of vehicles, protection systems and weapons, the cost of their production, the effectiveness of combat use, demand on the world arms market, and based on the combination of these data, we can determine the best vehicle. It is also worth adding to this list Israeli Merkava tank.

The Russian "flying" tank T-90 is considered a world bestseller.

Abrams and T-90

It is equipped with a 1500 horsepower AVCO Lycoming AGT-1500 gas turbine engine, with a combat weight of 64 tons, this machine can reach a maximum speed of up to 67 km per hour on a prepared path, up to 30 km/h on rough terrain with a cruising range of 426 km. Specific power - 23.8 hp per ton. The tank is well protected, its frontal armor is 650 mm thick, in addition to its own composite armor, it is protected by additional panels and has active and dynamic protection.

The machine is equipped with a panoramic sight, a thermal imager, a laser rangefinder, a global positioning, control and communication system, high-resolution liquid crystal color displays (which display all the necessary information in digital and graphical forms) allow the commander to see the picture of the battle. The rangefinder is able to determine the distance to the target to be hit, up to almost 5 km, the main sight is equipped with a stabilizer.

Tank M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams

The gun is loaded manually, the crew of the tank is four people. Western experts clearly over-praised this tank. In Iraq, in the current war, jihadists managed to knock out "Abrams" from, and this is already ridiculous. Poorly armed Yemeni guerrillas - the Houthis and they managed to destroy about 20 Abrams tanks.

What is the answer to all of the above? Russian main tank T-90, consider its modifications and T90-AM. The machine is equipped with a V-92S2F V-92S2F V-shaped 12-cylinder liquid-cooled turbocharged diesel tank engine with an HP 1130 power. With a combat weight of 48 tons, the tank is capable of speeds of 65–70 km/h on a prepared track and up to 45–50 km/h on rough terrain. The ratio of the weight of the tank to the engine power of 24 hp. per ton i.e. better than the M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams. The pressure of the tracks per unit surface of the T-90AM is 10% lower than that of the American tank, respectively, the cross-country ability of the Russian vehicle is higher.

Russian tank T-90MS

The armament of the T90-AM tank is also impressive: a 125 mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore gun with automatic loading and a 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun coaxial with it, as well as a 7.62 mm anti-aircraft gun UDP T05BV-1. The crew of the tank - three people (loader - no). The T-90 has demonstrated exceptional reliability in the current wars in Iraq and Syria.

American vs Russian

Moreover, it must be taken into account that Abrams fought only in a warm climate, on a flat, very slightly rugged, flat terrain. Experts believe that in the climatic and relief conditions of Russia, especially in winter, this "miracle machine" most likely will not be able to fight at all. The Germans have already had to admire their dead machines on frosty days in the battle near Moscow in December 1941 - January 1942. Then, already the technical parameters of the T-90AM leave no chance for the Abrams tank, both in the M1A2 SEP V2 modification and in the M1A2 SEP V3 modification. And the main victorious force in battle is the Russian soldier, Russian tank crews, who confidently demonstrate high combat skills.

A new Russian is on the way, which in all respects leaves Abrams far behind. The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm and is toughly raising the issue before the Senate about funding a new tank project. Even if they manage to persuade the senators, America will still fall behind in the tank race by at least a corps. The Pentagon also lags behind the Russian military department in operational art, it is worth noting that the Americans do not have historical combat experience in mass tank battles, and the experience of waging “big” wars too.

Leopard-2

In the current Syrian war, the Leopard 2 was used by Turkish troops during the Euphrates Shield operation, it must be admitted that it did not behave very well in a combat situation and generally received a negative assessment of experts. Again, a reservation must be made here, Turkish crews fought on these tanks in Syria, perhaps the Germans under the same conditions could rehabilitate their Leopard 2.

In fact, Germany is an unsurpassed leader in mechanical engineering. Let this project be over 40 years old, but in a modernized form, Leopard 2 looks very impressive. The weight of the vehicle in full combat gear reaches almost 70 tons, the armor is multi-component, additional protective screens are used, as well as dynamic protection systems. The tank is equipped with an automatic fire-fighting system. It has a MTU MB 873 Ka-501 12-cylinder V-twin turbocharged diesel engine with an output of 1,479 hp. or MTU MT883 with 1,650 hp. The maximum speed of this machine on prepared tracks is 68 km/h, on rough terrain 30 km/h. The maximum power reserve is 320 km. But in Russian off-road conditions, this monster can stand up tightly, especially in the severe cold of Russian winters.

MBT-2000 and AMX-56 Leclerc

Chinese tank MBT-2000

Currently, the PLA is receiving new tanks MBT-3000 (VT-4), however, this model is also oriented to the international market in the future. According to the declared technical characteristics, it is comparable to the T90AM, but one can only guess what this machine will be able to demonstrate on the battlefield. There is no complete certainty that the PLA command does not at all consider tanks as an effective force for modern and future wars. Unlike Russian and German tank builders, who produce all the components themselves, the Chinese supply many parts of combat vehicles from abroad, the main components are purchased in France.

The weight of the machine reaches 54.6 tons. Its 8-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine with a capacity of 1500 hp. allows the tank to accelerate to 71 km/h on a prepared track and up to 40 km/h on rough terrain and provides a cruising range of 550 km. I will immediately note that this tank was not tested in Russian conditions either, and I presume that it will not prove itself here, just like other foreign models.

French tank AMX-56 Leclerc

Merkava and Challenger 2

Israeli tank "Merkava-4"

"Merkava" is produced according to the principle from the world one by one: 28% of components are foreign-made. The Merkava-4 modification has a 1500-horsepower diesel engine, which allows it to accelerate on a prepared track up to 60 km/h, on rough terrain up to 30 km/h, and a cruising range of up to 500 km. The tank is armed with a 120 mm MG253 smoothbore gun and two 7.62 mm FN MAG machine guns, some models are armed with a 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun and a mortar.

The crew of the car is 4 people. The tank's ammunition includes the LAHAT ATGM. The SLA practically copies that of the Abrams tank, the gunner has a sight with a thermal imager and auto-tracking of the target, the commander has a panoramic sight with the same functions, in addition there are backup optical and IR sights.

Tank Challenger 2

The weapon control system is built around the on-board computer of the Canadian company CDC, which is a modernized computer of the M1A1 Abrams tank. The machine is equipped with a 12-cylinder V-shaped turbocharged diesel engine with a capacity of 1200 hp, develops a speed of 56 km/h on a prepared track, 25–30 km/h on slightly rugged terrain, and a cruising range of 400 km. 120 mm rifled gun L30E4 (L11A5); two 7.62 mm machine guns. The crew of the tank is 4 people. A total of 400 Challenger 2 tanks were produced. Even during the 1991 Iraqi war, these tanks showed their unreliability in battle.

World tank market

According to Forbes magazine, the undisputed commercial leader of the first two decades of the 21st century is the Russian T-90MS tank, which, by the way, occupies an important niche in the Russian arms exports.

Now the manufacturer of these tanks has two new contracts for delivery abroad: Iraq will receive the first batch of 73 vehicles, and Vietnam will put another 64 units of this type of equipment into service. In the near future, it is planned to sign a contract for the supply of 146 T-90MS tanks to Kuwait, as well as to launch an assembly plant in Egypt. In total, taking into account the supply of ammunition, consumables, spare parts and other things, sales will bring Russian tank builders at least $400-500 million in income. In total, more than 2,100 T-90 tanks of various modifications were produced, of which more than 1,500 were exported. Under existing contracts, more than 1,000 new tanks will be sold abroad in the coming years. The order book is expected to increase to more than 1600 tanks and more.

The cost of one M1A2 SEP Abarms is also very biting: it varies, but generally around $8.6 million, so buyers are not eager to purchase a new tank with a full technical package. Older models that are simpler in terms of equipment are exported, which are taken from storage, undergo major repairs, mainly engines, guns and FCS are subject to replacement. For example, Egypt has acquired more than 1,200 M1A1 Abrams tanks. This tank is in service with the armies of six countries (except the United States). In total, the American military industry sold 2217 M1 tanks abroad, of which about 750 were in the improved M1A2 configuration. This tank has no prospects for mastering the world market. In addition, only 12 machines of this type are currently produced in the United States per year.