A tank is a heavily armored fighting vehicle that carries guns and moves on a continuous articulated metal track, primarily used in front-line ground combat. Although a tank is an enormous machine and made up of four main components and they are a body which is also known as the “hull”, a turret where weapons are located, a track that allows move and maneuver easily and a large gun barrel which is attached to the turret.
Most tanks are designed with heavy firepower, strong armor and a powerful engine. First appeared on WW1 battlefield and since then military tanks have changed world war course and conflicts.
How Much Do Tanks Weigh?
The first tanks used on the battlefield in 1916 weighed 26 tons or 26000 kg. It was a very basic machine and look very much different from what you see today.
Currently the American M1A2 tank is the most heaviest tank in operation which weighs a massive 63 tons or 63000 kg or 138900 pounds. It can be equipped with a 120 mm gun and can go 68 km/h or 42mph.
In WWII during the 1940s more powerful tanks than the first one was used by US, Germany, Uk, Russia and other nations.
Weights Of The World’s 10 Main Battle Tanks:
1. Leopard 2A7 (Germany) – The Leopard 2A7 is in the service since 2014. It weighs 67500 kg or almost 74 tons.
2. Abrams M1A2(USA) – 68.7 tons or 62323 kg
3. T-14 Armata(Russia) – 55 tons or 49895.2 kg
4. Challenger 2(UK) – 75 tons(combat ready) or 68038.9 kg
5. K2 Black Panther(South Korea) – 55 tons or 49895.2 kg
6. Merkava Mk.4(Israel) – 65 tons or 58967 kg
7. Type 10 (TK-X)(Japan – 44 tons or 39916.1 kg
8.Leclerc(France) – 60 tons or 54431.1 kg
9. VT4 (MBT-3000)(China) – 57 tons or 52000 kg
10.T-90MS(Russia)- 52 tons or 47173.6 kg
How Much Does A Tank Cost?
The world most latest tank M1A2 costs $6.21 million per tank. The US Department of States sold 108 M1A2 tanks and other military equipment to Taiwan for $2 billion in 2018. Although the sales price of an individual tank can be much less. On average each new tank will cost around $6 million or more.
Why Are Main Battle Tanks So Expensive?
The production cost of a single tank has increased due to new features of technological advancements. That’s why the high price can have a negative impact on the growth of tank markets.
How Fast Can A Tank Go?
You may be thinking that tanks move slowly. But believe it or not, a modern-day tank can move on the roads about 45 mph or 72 km/hr and about 25 mph or 40 km/hr on flat terrain. Even some tanks can run as fast as 60 to 70 mph for a short distance.
What Is The Fastest Tank In The World?
T-14 ARMATA is the fastest tank in the world now. Powered by an 85 3 a turbocharged diesel engine with 1200 horsepower. It can go a maximum of 56 mph on the road and 37 mph on cross-country pathways.
What Is The Fastest Tank In The United States?
M1A2 Abrams is the fastest tank in the USA. It can go 42 mph on a flat highway and 25 mph on rugged terrain.
Fun Facts:
>>The word tank came from British attempts to secret the new weapons under the water tank!
>>Tanks are not slow machines as you see in old war movies The M1 tank can cruise down the road at 60 mph.
>>During the German invasion of the Soviet Union a single Russian tank delayed the advance of the whole German division for one day!
