The gigantic vehicles you see on the battlefield are called MBTs, short forms of main battle tanks. They are designed to attack the enemy and survive the encounter. Current designs led by the Western countries as well as Russia, China, South Korea, and Japan, main battle tanks have changed a lot since WW2. The modern tanks are all upgraded to fourth-generation standards with updated technology to keep them functional and relevant on the battlefield of today’s military.
Some, like these seven of the best tanks, are simply outstanding than the rest.
1) Abrams M1A2
Designed by General Dynamics Land Systems in the USA, this tank has improved armor protection and upgraded its systems from older variants. The killer machine is 12 feet wide and can reach 42 miles per hour. It has been proven to be useful in several wars. Included in this tank are a 120 millimeter xm256 cannon, two 7. 62 millimeter m240 machine guns, and 32 grenades. Protected with strong uranium armor plating, this machine is definitely impenetrable.
2) Merkava Mark 4
One of the toughest and hardest battle tanks to defeat in the world, the Merkava Mark IV is Israeli-built. It comes with an active protection system that can intercept incoming threats. It can go up to 40 miles per hour and features a powerful 120-millimeter Israeli cannon that fires anti-tank missiles. Other than that, it also has a 60-millimeter grenade launcher.
3) Type 10
Developed by the famous automotive company, Mitsubishi, the Type 10 tank is a fourth-generation battle tank! The mobility is exceptionally reaching 43.3 miles per hour despite the huge design with modular ceramic armor that provides protection against any attacks. First produced in 2012, now there are only 104 tanks around making this tank one of the rarest tanks on this list.
4) K2 Black Panther
One of the most recent new tank designs today, South Korea’s tank is manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. It will replace South Korea’s old Cold War-era American M48 Patton Tanks. Going fast, the K2 Black Panther has a top speed of 43 miles per hour and weighs around 55 tonnes. With a price tag of over $8.5 million per tank, they are some of the most expensive main battle tanks in service anywhere in the world today.
5) Leclerc
Designed and built by the former GIAT Industries in French, this tank has been in various theatres of war around the world. Today, it is in use by the French and United Arab Emirates armies and it cost around 9.3 million Euros for one machine. It replaced the former AMX30 MBTs of the French army with 400 machines active for service now. Protected by modular armor, the tank comes with a powerful 120-mm main gun.
6) T-90MS
This Russian main battle tank is technically a post-Cold War tank as it was produced in 1993. It is basically a modernized version of the T-72 – a mainstay of Soviet tank production. Russia has always been famous for its huge emphasis on tank production. The Soviet Union had the most tanks before WW2 and produced even more during the war. They even produced more tanks than America during the Cold War!
7) VT4 (MBT-3000)
Formerly known as MBT-3000, the VT4 is the most lethal tank across China! It is a third-generation battle tank designed by China North Industries Corporation. Bigger than any other tank, the main weapon for VT4 is a 125MM cannon. It even has a 12.7 MM anti-aircraft machine gun and a 7.62 MM coaxial machine gun. This destructive machine is known to reach about 43.4 miles per hour. Bought by Thailand, they are valued at 150 million dollars for 28 pieces.
Sources: YouTube Trend Max