Tanks are not meant to reach breakneck speeds. With heavy armament and thick armor, these giants are designed to navigate rough terrains while supporting troops on the ground. However, today’s tanks are speedsters when compared to the original tanks used during World War I. Tank Mk V, used by the U.S. and England during the war couldn’t reach five miles per hour. Today, the average combat tank typically reaches speeds between 25 and 45 mph, depending on the terrain.
24/7 Wall St. identified the fastest Russian tanks ever built by a catalog of tanks from Military Factory. We ranked each tank according to the caliber of the main gain and then secondary guns. We have also included supplemental information from Military Factory regarding the type of tank, year, manufacturer, top speed, and number manufactured. We excluded prototypes, projects, and tanks with limited production runs.
Here is a look at the fastest Russian tanks ever built:
Why Are We Covering This?
Russia’s historical and current tank developments reflect its status as a major military power. Russian tanks have not only been pivotal in wars but also a tool of diplomatic influence, shaping Russia’s standing on the world stage through both their physical might and strategic deployment.
30. T-26
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1931
- Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 174 / Stalingrad Tractor Factory
- Top speed: 17 mph
- Weight: 10.4 tons
- Armament: 45mm main gun, 7.62mm machine gun, 12.7mm machine gun
29. KV-1 (Klimenti Voroshilov)
- Type: Heavy tank
- Year introduced: 1939
- Manufacturer(s): Kirov Factory
- Top speed: 22 mph
- Weight: 49.6 tons
- Armament: 76.2mm main gun, 7.62mm machine guns
28. IS-2 / JS-2 (Josef Stalin)
- Type: Heavy tank
- Year introduced: 1943
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 23 mph
- Weight: 56.2 tons
- Armament: 122mm D25-T main gun, 12.7mm DShK heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine guns
27. IS-3 / JS-3 (Josef Stalin)
- Type: Heavy tank
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 25 mph
- Weight: 50.5 tons
- Armament: 122mm D-25T main gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine guns
26. T-38
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1937
- Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 37
- Top speed: 25 mph
- Weight: 4 tons
- Armament: 7.62mm machine gun
25. IS-10 / T-10 (Josef Stalin)
- Type: Heavy tank
- Year introduced: 1953
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 26 mph
- Weight: 57.3 tons
- Armament: 122mm D-74 main gun, 14.5mm KPV machine guns, 12.7mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun
24. T-27
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1931
- Manufacturer(s): Bolshevik Works / GAZ
- Top speed: 26 mph
- Weight: 3 tons
- Armament: 7.62mm machine gun
23. PT-76
- Type: Amphibious light tank
- Year introduced: 1952
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 27 mph
- Weight: 16.1 tons
- Armament: 76.2mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun
22. T-60
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1941
- Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 37 / Factory No. 38 / GAZ
- Top speed: 27 mph
- Weight: 6.4 tons
- Armament: 20mm TNSh L/82.4 main gun, 7.62mm machine gun
21. T-62
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1961
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 28 mph
- Weight: 45.7 tons
- Armament: 115mm smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm DShKM anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun
20. T-70
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 28 mph
- Weight: 14 tons
- Armament: 45mm 20K main gun, 7.62mm machine gun
19. T-54
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1949
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 30 mph
- Weight: 39.7 tons
- Armament: 100mm D-10TG main gun, 7.62mm SG MT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm bow-mounted machine gun
18. T-55
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1958
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 31 mph
- Weight: 44.6 tons
- Armament: 100mm D-10 rifled main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun
17. T-44
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer(s): Factory No. 75
- Top speed: 32 mph
- Weight: 35.2 tons
- Armament: 85mm D-5T main gun, 7.62mm machine guns
16. T-34
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1940
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 32 mph
- Weight: 30.9 tons
- Armament: 85mm D-5T / ZiS-S-53 main gun, 7.62mm DT MG coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm DT machine gun
15. BT-7 (Bystrochodnij Tankov)
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1934
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 32 mph
- Weight: 15 tons
- Armament: 45mm main gun, 7.62mm machine gun
14. T-90
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1995
- Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Weight: 51.3 tons
- Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade discharges
13. BMP-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1982
- Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Weight: 16.1 tons
- Armament: 30mm 2A42 main gun, 7.62 PKTM coaxial machine gun, 9M113 Konkurs mssile launcher, smoke dischargers
12. BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1966
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Weight: 13.8 tons
- Armament: 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
11. T-72 (Ural)
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1972
- Manufacturer(s): State Factories
- Top speed: 42 mph
- Weight: 50.7 tons
- Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
10. 2S25 (Sprut-SD)
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 2007
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 43 mph
- Weight: 19.8 tons
- Armament: 125mm 2A75 main gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
9. BMD-4 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
- Type: Light infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 2005
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 43 mph
- Weight: 15 tons
- Armament: 100mm main gun, 30mm cannon, AT-5 Spandrel anti-tank guided missile launcher, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 40mm automatic grenade launcher, 5.45mm general purpose machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
8. BMP-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1987
- Manufacturer(s): Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
- Top speed: 43 mph
- Weight: 20.6 tons
- Armament: 100mm 2A70 rifled main gun, 30mm 2A72 coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
7. T-80 (MBT)
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1976
- Manufacturer(s): Omsk Transmash / Malyshev / LKZ
- Top speed: 43 mph
- Weight: 50.7 tons
- Armament: 125mm main gun, 12.7mm air defense machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
6. T-64
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1966
- Manufacturer(s): Malyshev Factory
- Top speed: 43 mph
- Weight: 43 tons
- Armament: 125mm D-81 smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun
5. BMD-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
- Type: Amphibious light tank
- Year introduced: 1990
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 44 mph
- Weight: 14.6 tons
- Armament: 30mm cannon, 7.62 machine gun, AT-4 ATGW launcher, 5.45mm machine gun, 40mm grenade launcher, smoke dischargers
4. BMD-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
- Type: Amphibious light tank
- Year introduced: 1985
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Weight: 12.7 tons
- Armament: 30mm 2A42 cannon, ATGM missile launcher, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
3. BMD-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)
- Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1966
- Manufacturer(s): Volgograd Tractor Plant
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Weight: 8.3 tons
- Armament: 73mm 2A28 smoothbore cannon, 9M14M anti-tank guided missiles
2. T-14 (Armata)
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 2016
- Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Weight: 48 tons
- Armament: 125mm 2A82 smoothbore main gun, 30mm autocannon, 12.7mm heavy machine gun, 7.62mm machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
1. T-99 Armata
- Type: Multirole tracked armored vehicle
- Year introduced: 2013
- Manufacturer(s): Uralvagonzavod
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Weight: 55.1 tons
- Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm coaxial machine gun, 57mm automatic grenade launcher
Want to Retire Early? Start Here (Sponsor)
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
The post Russia’s Fastest Tanks Can Reach Speeds of 50 Miles Per Hour appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: Jennifer Geer
This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://247wallst.com and its author. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu.
