America has a long history of producing some of the world's most successful tanks.
While it was late in the game of producing tanks in World War One, by the Second World
War it was exporting thousands of tanks to all of its allies including Britain and the
Soviet Union.
During the Cold War America produced many of the world's most capable and numerous tanks
designed to face off against their advanced and more numerous Soviet counterparts.
Today the US just operates the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, but many countries around the
world continue to operate the older American tanks.
Here are some of the most successful tanks in American history.
1.
M1 Abrams - 12,288
The M1 Abrams tank is the tank in service in the US military today.
It is a very successful main battle tank and has seen numerous upgrades over its life to
keep it at the cutting edge of technology.
Today some of the most advanced M1 Abrams tanks are of the M1A2 sepv2 variant.
However, as a third-generation tank being upgraded to a fourth-generation standard,
it does have its share of issues and problems, not least that the constant upgrades are adding
more and more weight to the vehicle and reducing its mobility.
The US is now exploring a replacement program for the legendary M1 Abrams.
In summary, the US has a long and proud history of tank production that is set to continue
for as long as tanks remain relevant on the modern battlefield.
2.
M60 Patton - 15,000
The M60 Patton was a second-generation main battle tank and one of the most numerous ever
produced by the United States.
While they have been retired from service in the US service and replaced by the much
more capable M1 Abrams, they are likely to remain in service around the world for many
more years to come.
The M60 Patton was first introduced in 1959 and has seen extensive combat in the Arab-Israeli
Wars and the Iran-Iraq war.
3.
M48 Patton - 12,000
The M48 Patton was a medium tank that saw significant action in the US military and
other militaries during the Cold War.
The M48 Patton was designed to replace the increasingly obsolete M4 Sherman, the M26
Pershing and the M46 Patton tanks as well as to be the successor to the M47 Patton.
The M48 Patton remains in service in a range of militaries around the world having been
upgraded to various variants but long since retired from US military service.
Today Turkey, Greece, and Taiwan continue to use many hundreds of modernized M48s in
their militaries.
4.
M47 Patton - 8,500
The M47 Patton was a main battle tank that replaced the M26 Pershing in the 1950s and
saw combat in a whole range of engagements and wars — including the Korean War.
While the name and appearance of the M47 Patton appear similar to the M48 and M60 Patton tanks,
it is in fact a completely different tank.
Many M47 Patton tanks remain in service around the world today.
5.
M26 Pershing - 2,200
The M26 Pershing was a medium/heavy tank produced at the end of World War 2.
It had a relatively short run being sandwiched between the M4 Sherman and the M47 Patton
tanks.
By the end of the war, the medium Sherman tanks were struggling against the German heavy
tanks like the Tiger I and Tiger II - although these were only ever produced in low numbers.
Additionally, the Allied logistics were improving making it easier to ship and field heavy tanks
in Europe.
This all created a need for the M26 Pershing, a heavy tank in the US Army.
6.
M24 Chaffee - 4,700
The M24 Chaffee as an American light tank produced more toward the end of the Second
World War but continued to see action in a range of conflicts long after the war including
the Korean War and by the French in Algeria and the French First Indochina War.
Most NATO countries removed them from service by the 1960s.
They were used in 29 militaries around the world.
7.
M4 Sherman - 50,000
The M4 Sherman is one of the most recognizable vehicles of World War 2.
With some 50,000 tanks produced during the world, it was the second most-produced tank
of the war after the Soviet's T-34 medium tank.
Additionally, it claims the spot as America's most mass-produced tank of all time.
The M4 Sherman was a medium tank that served the Allies well in North Africa, Italy, and
the Invasion of France and Germany.
It saw numerous upgrades during the war and was only beginning to be replaced by the M26
Pershing heavy tank at the war's end.
8.
M3 Stuart - 22,700
The M3 Stuart or officially known as "Light Tank, M3" was a mass-produced light tank of
the Second World War that is often forgotten and overshadowed by the more famous M4 Sherman.
The M3 Stuart was produced throughout America's involvement in the war and continued to serve
in foreign armies long after the war (even found in limited service in poor countries
today).
The first time the M3 Stuart saw active combat was with the British in North Africa during
Operation Crusader as part of the Lend-Lease program.
Being vulnerable as a light tank, they were mostly used for scouting and reconnaissance
later in the war.