Main Battle Tanks

Ariete
The Ariete main battle tank is in service with the Italian Army. 200 tanks have been ordered.	The Ariete main battle tank has a top speed of more than 65km/h and is able to engage maximum gradients of 60%. It can also ford 4m with preparation and 1.25m without preparation.	Oto Melara has carried out the development of the turret and weapons systems. The main gun is a 44-calibre 120mm auto-frettaged smooth bore gun.
The hull and turret are made up of steel and composite armour. The tank also has NBC protection. Firefighting and protection systems are installed in the engine and crew compartments, laser warning is fitted as standard.	A three-dimensional schematic of the Ariete main battle tank.	Line drawings of the Ariete main battle tank showing measurements and dimensions.

Challenger 2
Challenger 2 deployed in the Gulf.	Challenger 2 during trials for the Greek Army.	Challenger 2 on night exercise.
Challenger 2 on the firing range.	The Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank entered service with the British Army in June 1998.	Challenger 1.
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards on exercise with Challenger 2s.	Challenger 2 is equipped with an L30, 120mm rifled tank gun from BAE Systems RO Defence.	Challenger 2 on exercise

K1A1
The K1 main battle tank has been in service with the Republic of Korea Army since 1986.	The vehicles are built at Hyundai's automated production facility at Changwong.	The K1A1 main battle tank is the new tank for the Republic of Korea Army
The main gun is a 105mm rifled high velocity cannon.	The Commander and Gunner stations on the K1.	The K1 tank can ford rivers up to 1.2m deep, and up to 2.2m with additional kit.
A maximum gradient of 60% can be tackled by the K1.	The Kl Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge.

Leclerc Main Battle Tank
Leclerc mk2 tanks with improved software and engine control system entered production in 1998.	The Leclerc has a range of more than 500km without refuelling.	The Leclerc mk2 fitted with snorkels to enable fording at up to 4m depth.
The Leclerc main battle tank is operational with the French Army and the Armed Forces of the UAE.	The Leclerc main battle tank.	The commander's station with the FINDERS battle management system.
The gun has a firing rate of 12 rounds a minute.	Leclerc on exercise in Qatar.	The Leclerc can re-fire at different moving targets whilst on the move.
The Leclerc's weight of 56t make for easy transportation and allow the crossing of a wider range of bridges.	The Leclerc main battle tank demonstrates it's manoeuverability in Europe.	The tropicalised Leclerc main battle tank demonstrates the fire power of its 120mm main armament.

Leopard 2
The latest version of the Leopard MBT is the Leopard 2 A6 EX.	The Leopard 2 A5 main battle tank, as in use in Germany and in the Netherlands.	Leopard 2A4's shooting at night on a practice range in Germany.
Leopard on exercise.	Hybrid inertial system with GPS support enables the commander to navigate in any operational environment.	A Leopard 2 with mobile camouflage system.
Two Leopard 2A5's of the German Army.	The Leopard 2 main battle tank is fully capable of acquiring targets and engaging them at night or in bad weather.	A German Leopard 2A5, part of KFOR.
A Leopard 2A4 equipped with AGDUS (Ausbildungs Gerät Duell Simulator) duel simulator training system.	MBT Leopard 2 Strv 122 Sweden.	Leopard 2 tanks on exercise.
Sweden's Leopard 2(S) is the most advanced version of the Leopard MBT family.	The Leopard 2 A6 EX main battle tank.

M1A1 / M1A2 Abrams
Abrams M1A1 Main Battle Tanks deployed in the Gulf.	2 Abrams M1A2s of the 315 exported to Saudi Arabia. These tanks have the export armour package.	The M1A2 firing its main armament the 120mm smoothbore gun, US designation code M256, developed by Rheinmetall GmbH of Germany.
The gunners station in an Abrams M1A1.	M1A2 the upgraded version of M1-A1.	Abrams tanks on exercise in the field.
The M1A1 tank incorporates steel encased depleted uranium armour.	An Abrams M1A1 advancing across the Kuwaiti desert.	An Abrams M1A1 on the firing range at Yakima.

M60A3
Over 15,000 M60 main battle tanks have been produced for the armies of 22 countries.	The fully stabilised main gun is the 105 mm M68 rifled gun with 63 rounds of ammunition.	The ballistic fire control computer allows accurate engagement against moving targets while the tank is on the move.
The M60A3 achieves a maximum cross-country speed of 10mph to 12mph and up to 30mph roadspeed.	The M60A3 main battle tank.	Two six-barrelled smoke grenade launchers are fitted on ether side of the turret.
M60 tanks have been fitted with mine clearance systems for use in wartime and in post war periods for the reclamation of land for safe use.

Merkava 4 Main Battle Tank
The first battalion of Merkava Mk 4 tanks entered service with the Israel Defence Forces in 2004.	The Merkava 4 has been extensively improved, in particular with new ballistic armour protection and new gun and electronics systems.	The new fire control system has advanced features including the capability to acquire and lock onto moving targets, even airborne helicopters, while the tank itself is on the move.
The Merkava 4 is slightly larger than the Merkava 3 Baz (shown here) which has been in service with the IDF since 1990.	The Merkava 4 is powered by a 1,500hp diesel engine which represents a 25% increase in power compared to powerpack on the Merkava 3 shown here.	Merkava 4 has a new 120mm gun, a development of the gun on the Merkava 3. Improvements include a new compressed gas recoil system and thermal sleeve.

Merkava Mk3 Baz
The Merkava mk3 has a higher-power main gun than previous variants.	The Merkava is amongst the best protected tanks in the world.	A Merkava 2B main battle tank negotiating a steep gradient.
The Merkava mk3 benefits from a new modular armour system.	The advanced fire control system of the Merkava mk3 provides the tank with the ability to engage moving targets while it is on the move.	A skirt of chains with ball weights is installed on the lower half of the turret bustle.
The Merkava mk3 entered service with the IDF at the beginning of 1990.	A Merkava mk3 with fourth-generation sloped armour packs fitted to the turret sides.

Olifant Mk1B
The Olifant Mk 1B main battle tank is in service with the South African Army.	The upgraded Olifant Mk 1B entered service in 1991.	The Olifant is armed with a 105mm L7 rifled cannon main gun.
The tank has a maximum road speed of 58 km/hour and maximum range on internal fuel of 350 km.	The Olifant Mk 1B main battle tank.	The South African Army has 172 Olifant Mk 1A/B tanks in service.

Sabra
The Sabra main battle tank is a modernised upgraded M60A3, developed by Israel Military Industries Slavin heavy weapons plant at Ramat Hasharon.	The Sabra provides a maximum road speed of 48km/h and accelerates from zero to 32km/h in 9.6 seconds.	The hybrid turret and gun control system consists of a hydraulic elevation drive and an electric traverse drive.
As with all upgrade programs the scope of a Sabra upgrade package is customised to meet a particular country's operational requirements.	Approximately 1,000 M60A3 main battle tanks, originally manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems, were supplied to Israel.	Line drawing of the original M60A3 main battle tank.

T-72S
The T-72 was produced at the Malyshev HMB Plant and at UKBM Nizhny Tagil.	KBP offer a T-72 upgrade which includes an automated fire control system enabling 2 different uses of the barrel-fired Svir round.	The T-72 main battle tank can ford to a depth of 5m when fitted with snorkels.
The 12.7mm air defence machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola.	The export version of the T-72B, the T-72S, is a highly upgraded variant with a new engine, a new suspension system and configured for mounting explosive reactive armour.	The Slovakian T-72M1 Moderna turret incorporating the Sabca Vega thermal sight and the Sfim VS580 commanders sight as well as two 20mm Oerlikon Contraves KAA-001 cannon.
The T-72S is an export version of the T-72B and has an upgraded engine as well as an improved fire control system.

T-80U
The T-80U carries the 9M119 Refleks (NATO designation AT-11 Sniper) anti-tank guided missile system.	The T-80U's gas turbine engine is the GTD-1250 which produces 920kW (1,250hp).	The T-80UK tank is designed to provide command and control capability for field commanders.
T-80UK Command Tank.	The T-80UD variant.	T-84 Gunners station.
The latest version of the T-80U being developed is the T-80UM2, shown is the T-80UM1.	T-80U tanks on exercise.	The T-84 variant.

T-90S
T-90S during demonstrations.	The T-90S main armament is a 125mm 2A46M smoothbore gun.	The T-90S a derivative of the T-72.
The constituent parts of the 9M119M laser-guided missile of the Refleks guided weapon system.	T-90S on exercise.	T-90S on mobility demonstrations.
The turret of the T-90S showing Shtora-1 countermeasures system.

ZTZ99
Manufactured for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) by China Northern Industries Corporation (CNGC) or Norinco, the ZTZ99 MBT is considered one of the 12 best tanks in the world.	ZTZ99 is a successor to Type 98 G, which in turn was a successor to Type 98 (pictured).	ZTZ99 was made to compete with western tanks, while its technology is used to improvise the more economical ZTZ 96.

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