Today, main battle tanks (MBT) are considered a key component of modern armies.
Modern MBTs seldom operate alone, as they are organized into armoured units which involve
the support of infantry, who may accompany the MBTs in infantry fighting vehicles.
They are also often supported by surveillance or ground-attack aircraft.
The top ten main battle tanks in the world are listed below in terms of weaponry, mobility,
and protection.
Number 1.
Leopard 2A7 The Leopard 2A7 is designed to operate both
in low intensity and high intensity conflicts.
The tank's protection has been increased by modular armour; the frontal protection has
been improved with a dual-kit on the turret and hull front, while 360° protection against
RPGs and mine protection increase the survivability of the tank in urban operations.
The modular armour's system components were first used by Canada in Afghanistan.
The mobility, sustainability and situational awareness have also been improved.
The Leopard 2A7 is armed with a 120mm L55 smoothbore cannon capable of firing both conventional
NATO ammunition and innovative programmed 120mm HE-rounds.
The tank is outfitted with a FLW 200 remotely operated light weapon station, which is capable
of mounting a 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine gun or a 40mm grenade launcher.
Number 2.
K2 Black Panther The K2 Black Panther is currently the most
expensive and advanced main battle tank ever built in the world.
The K2 Black Panther's primary weapon is a CN08 120 mm 55 caliber smoothbore gun that
can fire improved kinetic energy ammunition and is equipped with an autoloader for on-the-fly
ammo loading even in rough terrain, this enables the tank to fire up to 10 rounds per minute.
As backup armament, 7.62mm and 12.7mm caliber K6 Heavy Machine machine guns are used.
The K2 can travel at speeds of up to 70 km/h on road surfaces, accelerate from 0 to 32
km/h within 8.7 seconds, and maintain speeds of up to 52 km/h in off-road conditions.
It can also climb 60% slopes (31 degrees) and vertical obstacles 1.8 meters in height.
Number 3.
M1A2 SEP The M1A2 SEP is the M1A2 Abrams' successor.
This tank has incredible armor and technology.
It has also seen combat.
It is regarded as one of the most dangerous MBTs.
The M1A2 SEP provides significant resistance to all well-known anti-tank weapons.
This main battle tank is outfitted with advanced armor that is reinforced with depleted uranium
layers.
This standard was applied to a number of older M1, M1A1, and M1A2 tanks.
The tank can also be equipped with a Tank Urban Survival Kit (TUSK), which improves
survivability in urban areas.
Only a few Abrams tanks have been destroyed in combat to date.
The M1A2 SEP is used by the United States Army (at least 900).
This tank is expected to remain in service until 2050.
Number 4.
Challenger 2 The Challenger 2 is outfitted with the most
recent Chobham armor and is one of the world's most secure MBTs.
It provides excellent protection against direct fire weapons.
The Challenger 2 is an extensive redesign of the Challenger 1.
Although the hull and automotive components seem similar, they are of a newer design than
for the Challenger 1 and only around 3% of components are interchangeable.
The Challenger 2 is equipped with a 120-millimetre 55-calibre long L30A1 tank gun, the tank has
a 550 km range and maximum road speed of 59 km/h.
Number 5.
T-14 Armata The Armata is a new generation Russian main
battle tank.
The first pre-production tanks were made public in 2015.
The Russian Ministry of Defense ordered the first batch of these new tanks in 2018.
The main armament of the tank is a 125mm smoothbore cannon fed by an automated loader.
A Kord 12.7mm machine gun and a PKTM 7.62mm machine gun serve as secondary armament.
The tank is capable of launching laser-guided missiles and carrying 45 rounds of ammunition.
Armata has a new basic steel armor and a system that reduces the chances of being hit by an
anti-tank missile.
Armata is also the first Russian tank with a turret that can operate without the need
for an operator.
Number 6.
Merkava Mk. 4 It is the first contemporary tank without
a loader's hatch in the turret roof, because any aperture in the turret roof increases
risk of penetration by ATGMs.
Some features, such as hull shaping, exterior non-reflective paints (radar cross-section
reduction), and shielding for engine heat plumes mixing with air particles (reduced
infrared signature) to confuse enemy thermal imagers, were carried over from the IAI Lavi
program of the Israeli Air Force to make the tank harder to spot by heat sensors and radar.
The Mark IV includes the larger 120 mm main gun of the previous versions, but can fire
a wider variety of ammunition.
The Merkava Mk.4 also equipped with a new fire control system with some very advanced
features.
One of them is a high hit probability using conventional munitions against low-flying
helicopters.
Number 7.
Type 90 The Type 90 tank is a main battle tank of
the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).
It was designed and built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in cooperation with German Krauss-Maffei
and MaK tank manufacturers.
The Type 90 mounts a Rheinmetall L44 120 mm smoothbore cannon, this is the same gun that
is mounted on the German Leopard 2, the American Abrams, and the South Korean K1A1 tank.
The profile of the Type 90 is similar to the German Leopard 2A4 and it uses modular ceramic
and steel composite armor, common in contemporary tank designs.
The adoption of modular composite armor design facilitates the upgrading and exchange of
the armor.
Number 8.
Leclrec Leclerc is one of the most significant military
products developed and manufactured in France.
The main battle tank entered service in 1992 and has seen extensive use on the battlefield
since then.
The Leclerc is armed with a 120 mm modèle F1 smoothbore gun.
Its barrel is 52 calibres long instead of the 44 calibres common on most main battle
tanks of its generation, giving the projectile a higher muzzle velocity.
It has a high chance of hitting both stationary and moving targets.
It can also engage in hunter-killer combat.
It is claimed that the Leclerc can engage 6 targets 1.5 - 2 km away in one minute with
a 95% hit probability.
That's an impressive outcome.
Number 9.
Oplot-M This latest Ukrainian tank is not as accurate
as its Western counterparts against long-range targets.
They have a maximum range of 5 kilometers.
The Oplot is armed with a 125 mm smoothbore KBA-3 cannon, a KT-7.62 Coaxial machine gun
and a KT-12.7 anti-aircraft machine gun.
The main gun is fed by a loading system equipped with conveyor, automatic loader and control
system.
The ammunition includes high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG), armour-piercing fin-stabilised
discarding-sabot (APFSDS) and high explosive anti tank (HEAT).
Oplot-M has next-generation reactive armor and thermal vision, and it can launch anti-tank
missiles.
However, the Ukrainian tank, like the previous T-90M, stores its ammunition in the main compartment
and is ineffective at long-range shots.
Number 10.
T-90M The T-90 is currently Russia's only mass-produced
tank.
It is not as sophisticated as its Western competitors, but it uses proven technology
and is less expensive.
The T-90 is a third-generation Russian main battle tank.
It uses a 125 mm 2A46 smoothbore main gun, the 1A45T fire-control system, an upgraded
engine, and gunner's thermal sight.
Standard protective measures include a blend of steel and composite armour, smoke grenade
dischargers, Kontakt-5 explosive-reactive armour and the Shtora infrared ATGM jamming
system.
The latest T-90M has a much better fire control system than the original T-90.
It has advanced sights with thermal vision and a panoramic commander's sight, allowing
it to detect and engage targets more quickly.