Russian tanks are well-known for their firepower and durability. The T-34, for example, was one of the first and most important Russian tanks. Emerging in World War II, it was renowned for its armor, mobility, and formidable firepower. The T-34 was the Soviet Union’s main protection during the 1943 Battle of Kursk, one of the largest tank battles in history. (These are the countries with the most tanks.)
Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at Russian tanks and what they have to offer. To identify the most heavily armed Russian tanks ever built, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of tanks from Military Factory. We ranked each tank according to the caliber of the main gain and then secondary guns. We 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. (This is every Russian tank 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 its physical might and strategic deployment.
Here is a look at the most heavily armed Russian tanks:
30. 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
29. 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
28. 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
27. 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
26. 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
25. 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
24. 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
23. 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
22. 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
21. 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
20. 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
19. 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
18. 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
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. 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
14. 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
13. 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
12. 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
11. 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
10. 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
9. 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
8. 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
7. 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
6. 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
5. 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 dischargers
4. 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
3. 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
2. 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
1. 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
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