This Tank Is Tiny, but It’s Still Heavier Than an African Elephant

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• We used data from a catalog of tanks from the Military Factory.
• While heavy tanks are intimidating and full of fighting power, there are lighter versions that serve a slightly different purpose.
• Also, 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever

Modern tanks provide the protection needed against small arms, display increased firepower with a wider variety of ammunition, including armor-piercing and anti-tank rounds, and are agile and adaptable. Lighter tanks perform better in urban warfare and are capable of rapid deployment, serving a slightly different purpose than heavier tank varieties. Modern tanks are frightening machines capable of dominating a battlefield. Since their invention, these armored combat vehicles have been used in various ways, from breaking up enemy lines to making it easier to drop allies into the middle of battle.

To identify the lightest tanks of the modern era, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of tanks from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries around the world. We ranked them according to their weight, excluding any that weighed more than 45 tons. Supplemental information about the type, country of origin, manufacturer, top speed, and armament also came from the Military Factory. We excluded tanks that did not make it out of the prototype or proposal stage.

Why We Are Covering Tank Sizes

Billions of dollars go towards militaries in pretty much every country. If you’re someone curious about state spending and where your hard-earned income goes when it’s taxed, you need to understand how the government spends the money. Tanks are one way that military organizations use their funding for the year. They are useful for crossing rough ground and keeping the soldiers inside protected while also acting as a powerful fighting force.

Here is a look at some of the lightest tanks of the modern era.

32. TR-580 (Tanc Romanesc Model 580)

• Weight: 44.8 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 100mm A308 rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun
• Country of origin Romania
• Manufacturer: State Factories
• Year introduced: 1977
• Top speed: 31 mph

31. T-55

• Weight: 44.6 tons
• Type: Medium tank
• Armament: 100mm D-10 rifled main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: State Factories
• Year introduced: 1958
• Top speed: 31 mph

30. Type 10 MBT

• Weight: 44.1 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 120mm L44 smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm Browning M2HB anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm type 74 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Japan
• Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
• Year introduced: 2012
• Top speed: 43 mph

29. HIT Al-Zarrar

• Weight: 44.1 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Pakistan
• Manufacturer: Heavy Industries Taxila
• Year introduced: 2004
• Top speed: 40 mph

28. Chonma-ho (Pegasus)

• Weight: 44.1 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 125mm 2A46 main gun, 14.5mm KPV anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial general purpose machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin North Korea
• Manufacturer: Second Machine Industry Bureau
• Year introduced: 1981
• Top speed: 31 mph

27. T-64

• Weight: 43 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 125mm D-81 smoothbore main gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Malyshev Factory
• Year introduced: 1966
• Top speed: 43 mph

26. Vickers MBT (VMBT)

• Weight: 42.7 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 105mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin United Kingdom
• Manufacturer: BAe Systems / Avadi Company
• Year introduced: 1965
• Top speed: 31 mph

25. NORINCO ZTZ-88 (Type 80/85/88)

• Weight: 41.9 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 105mm rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, smoke dischargers
• Country of origin China
• Manufacturer: China North Industries Corporation
• Year introduced: 1985
• Top speed: 40 mph

24. Type 74 (Nana-yon)

• Weight: 41.9 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 105mm rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun
• Country of origin Japan
• Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
• Year introduced: 1975
• Top speed: 37 mph

23. DIO Zulfiqar

• Weight: 41.7 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 125mm smoothbore main gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Iran
• Manufacturer: Defense Industries Organization (DIO)
• Year introduced: 1996
• Top speed: 43 mph

22. DIO T-72Z (T-55)

• Weight: 39.7 tons
• Type: Main battle tank
• Armament: 105mm M68 rifled main gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Iran
• Manufacturer: Defense Industries Organization (DIO)
• Year introduced: 1996
• Top speed: 40 mph

21. T-54

• Weight: 39.7 tons
• Type: Medium tank
• Armament: 100mm D-10TG main gun, 7.62mm SG MT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm bow-mounted machine gun
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: State Factories
• Year introduced: 1949
• Top speed: 30 mph

20. TAMSE TAM (Tanque Argentino Mediano)

• Weight: 33.1 tons
• Type: Medium tank
• Armament: 105mm rifled main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Argentina
• Manufacturer: Thyssen-Henschel / TAMSE
• Year introduced: 1983
• Top speed: 47 mph

19. T-34

• Weight: 30.9 tons
• Type: Medium tank
• Armament: 85mm D-5T / ZiS-S-53 main gun, 7.62mm DT MG coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm DT machine gun
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: State Factories
• Year introduced: 1940
• Top speed: 32 mph

18. Stridsfordon 90 (CV90 / Strf 90)

• Weight: 29.8 tons
• Type: Infantry fighting vehicle / light tank
• Armament: 40mm Bofors autocannon, 7.62mm Browning coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Sweden
• Manufacturer: Hagglunds / BAe Systems
• Year introduced: 1993
• Top speed: 43 mph

17. NORINCO ZBD2000 (Z-Series)

• Weight: 28.7 tons
• Type: Amphibious ARV / IFV / Light Tank
• Armament: 105mm rifled main gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin China
• Manufacturer: China North Industries Corporation
• Year introduced: 2006
• Top speed: 40 mph

16. NORINCO ZTQ-15 (Type 15 / VT-5)

• Weight: 27.6 tons
• Type: Light tank
• Armament: 105mm turret gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun, 40mm automatic grenade launcher, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin China
• Manufacturer: China North Industries Corporation
• Year introduced: 2021
• Top speed: 43 mph

15. M41 Walker Bulldog

• Weight: 25.9 tons
• Type: Light tank
• Armament: 76mm M32 main gun, 12.7mm M2 Browning anti-aircraft machine gun, 7.62mm Browning M1914A4 coaxial machine gun
• Country of origin United States
• Manufacturer: Cadillac Gage
• Year introduced: 1951
• Top speed: 45 mph

14. NORINCO Type 62 (WZ131)

• Weight: 23.1 tons
• Type: Light tank
• Armament: 85mm type 62-85TC rifled main gun, 7.62mm type 59T coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm type 59T bow-mounted machine gun, 12.7mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun
• Country of origin China
• Manufacturer: China North Industries Corporation
• Year introduced: 1963
• Top speed: 37 mph

13. Type 85 (YW531H)

• Weight: 22 tons
• Type: Amphibious light tank
• Armament: 85mm main gun, 14.5mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 7.62mm general purpose machine gun
• Country of origin North Korea
• Manufacturer: State Factories
• Year introduced: 1985
• Top speed: 37 mph

12. Cadillac Gage Stingray

• Weight: 21 tons
• Type: Light tank
• Armament: 105mm L7A3 rifled main gun, 12.7mm Browning anti-aircraft heavy maching gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin United States
• Manufacturer: Cadillac Gage / Textron Systems
• Year introduced: 1988
• Top speed: 43 mph

11. BMP-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)

• Weight: 20.6 tons
• Type: Light tank
• Armament: 100mm 2A70 rifled main gun, 30mm 2A72 coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
• Year introduced: 1987
• Top speed: 43 mph

10. NORINCO Type 63 (WZ211)

• Weight: 20.3 tons
• Type: Amphibious light tank
• Armament: smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin China
• Manufacturer: China North Industries Corporation
• Year introduced: 1963
• Top speed: 40 mph

9. 2S25 (Sprut-SD)

• Weight: 19.8 tons
• Type: Light tank
• Armament: 125mm 2A75 main gun, 7.62 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Russia
• Manufacturer: Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Year introduced: 2007
• Top speed: 43 mph

8. Jagdpanzer SK 105 Kurassier

• Weight: 19.5 tons
• Type: Light tank
• Armament: 105mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin Austria
• Manufacturer: Saurer-Werk / Steyr-Daimler-Puch
• Year introduced: 1971
• Top speed: 43 mph

7. BMP-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)

• Weight: 16.1 tons
• Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
• Armament: 30mm 2A42 main gun, 7.62 PKTM coaxial machine gun, 9M113 Konkurs mssile launcher, smoke dischargers
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Kurgan Machine Construction Plant
• Year introduced: 1982
• Top speed: 40 mph

6. BMD-4 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

• Weight: 15 tons
• Type: Light infantry fighting vehicle
• 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
• Country of origin Russia
• Manufacturer: Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Year introduced: 2005
• Top speed: 43 mph

5. BMD-3 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

• Weight: 14.6 tons
• Type: Amphibious light tank
• Armament: 30mm cannon, 7.62 machine gun, AT-4 ATGW launcher, 5.45mm machine gun, 40mm grenade launcher, smoke dischargers
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Year introduced: 1990
• Top speed: 44 mph

4. BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty)

• Weight: 13.8 tons
• Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
• Armament: 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: State Factories
• Year introduced: 1966
• Top speed: 40 mph

3. BMD-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

• Weight: 12.7 tons
• Type: Amphibious light tank
• Armament: 30mm 2A42 cannon, ATGM missile launcher, 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm PKT bow-mounted machine gun
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Year introduced: 1985
• Top speed: 50 mph

2. Alvis FV107 Scimitar

• Weight: 8.9 tons
• Type: Armed reconnaissance vehicle
• Armament: 30mm L21 RARDEN cannon, 7.62mm L37A1 coaxial machine gun, smoke grenade dischargers
• Country of origin United Kingdom
• Manufacturer: Alvis
• Year introduced: 1971
• Top speed: 50 mph

1. BMD-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Desanta)

• Weight: 8.3 tons
• Type: Infantry fighting vehicle
• Armament: 73mm 2A28 smoothbore cannon, 9M14M anti-tank guided missiles
• Country of origin Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Volgograd Tractor Plant
• Year introduced: 1966
• Top speed: 50 mph

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