Tank Encyclopedia's Archives
A sub of Tank Encyclopedia. This is the new archive section, with all former entries, and a search engine. ➀ All single vehicles are accessible by nations and eras in a more consistent and logical way than previously. ADS are needed due to finance better server performances as audience grows. But you can support also it through merchandise here.
➁ New posts weekly. These are mere "entry into matter", for vehicles scheduled on tank-encyclopedia.com, that will be seen in the latter in much more detail. A link from the archive entry will point to the new article when up. There are still circa 2,000 serial armored vehicles to be treated over the years excluding prototypes and paper projects, so tank-afv.com will continue to run until all are treated, and follow the news of armoured vehicles around the world.
☄ About the site name: If a "Tank" is obvious to anyone in this context, "AFV" is an acronym which stands for "Armoured Fighting Vehicle". It is a catch-all definition for all military vehicles armoured (and armed), tracked or wheeled. For soft-skinned vehicles please visit truck-encyclopedia.com. See also The 2015 archive.
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♆ 28/11/2024
MBT-70/KpfPz-70 (1965-70)
Two of the world's most iconic main battle tanks today, the Abrams and Leopard 2, originated in a 1960s joint US-West German program, known either as the MBT-70 and the Kpz-70. It was developed to counter the latest generation of Soviet main battle tanks among other reasons brought by Robert McNamara in 1961. It was technically ambitious, a true departure from the M48 and M60, with advanced features: Hydropneumatic suspensions, full crew in turret, 152mm XM150 gun/ATGM launcher, autoloader and combustible cases, 20mm remote autocannon, new advanced armour and NBC protection, amazing performances... But this program met many challenges from the start with communication and coordination issues, diverging requirements and practices left unresolved until the project advanced too far to be revised, and spiralling costs. West Germany withdrew in 1969 but the US persevered with the austere XM-803, cancelled also in 1971.
♆ 20/11/2024
MAR-290 MLRS (1973)
The MAR-290 is an Israeli 290 mm (11.4 in) single-stage, ground-to-ground, multiple launch rocket system manufactured by Israel Military Industries, introduced in 1973. It was based on the Soviet-made 240 mm (9.4 in) BM-24 MLRS which many were captured in 1967. Its maximum range is 42 km (26.1 mi) either HE "Eivri" or cluster "Chaviv" warhead. Three vehicles were used as base successfuly, the first being M4 Sherman chassis updated by IMI. The Centurion was created later in 1982 and another base on the M548. The launcher is called "Episkopi". both being tested by the Israeli Defence Force in the late 1970s. They saw combat in Lebanon in 1982 and afterwards.
♆ 11/11/2024
Serge CDS
The vehicle possibly called "Serge" is a coastal defence system (CDS) operating the KN-01 (Kumsong-1) antiship cruise missile. The vehicle had been seen in regular yearly parade always showing between 9 and 12 vehicles and is firing a missile derived from the Chinese HY-2 Silkworm, itself based on the early Soviet P-15 Termit (SSN-2 Styx), now long reformed. The coastal mobile missile defence system is well developed by North Korea betwen at least two main vehicle, as a conventional deterrent towards the ROKS (South Korean Navy). The missile has indeed a comfortable range of 300 up to 450 km depending on estimates.
WW1 Tanks & Armored Cars
Born in the Trenches, when the front became static, the idea of the tank was a resurgence of ...science fiction, when some looked at HG Wells' "land battleships" novel. In UK, development was stirred by Wintson Churchill and the Navy. In France, by an artillery officer, J.B. Estienne. And soon the world took notice. Tanks were rare and few in between still, with grand plans in 1918 that never were realized. When the front was not static, armored cars reigned supreme.
WW2 Tanks & Armored Cars
In 1939, thanks had nearly two decades to evolve at peacetime rate, though the boiling of new ideas of tactics and combined arms, with some armies more acute of these than any others. Ground combat proved absolute masters of these new ideas, the Wehrmacht, with luck and opposite incompetence. After moving to USSR, the fight moved to Africa, then to Italy and back to Western Europe at large, driving fast-paced innovation in a deadly food chain contest.
Cold War Armoured Fighting Vehicles
The atomic age started with the opposition of two superpowers, which developed deterrence but at the same time, always considered conventional warfare. Far from peaceful, this second half century, until 1991, saw gradual improvement, with a gap of twenty years before generations, towards 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation main battle tanks and a cohort of armoured personal carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and many specialized variants, wheeled and tracked.
Modern Armoured Fighting Vehicles
As the recent conflict in Ukraine shows us, the tank is still useful in the frame of a conventional war. However drones unexpectedly showed deadlier as well as artillery. Between 1991 and 2024are we really seeing a radical transformation of ground warfare ? One thing is sure through for all generals: The main battle tank is still king of the battlefield, when well used and accompanied. From city scapes to desert, steppe, rolly hills and mountains, even coming from the sea, the tank adapted and is there to stay.
Upcoming:
South Africa: Bosvark, MRAP Samil-50 Kwevoel RV, Ribbok, Hippo
Israel: Merkava II, III, IV, M109A5 Doher/Rochev, Magach 5 Golan, M113 Golan/Zelda Toga (IDF service), MAR 290/90, M3 HT in IDF service, M50 AGM launcher, Haviv MLR, Eshel HaYarden , M2310 shilem
Britain: FV 433/438 swingfire, Lloyd carrier, Vickers Mk.I MBT, Centurion AVRE, Light Mk.IV Colonial Pattern, Light Tank Mk.II, Wasp Carrier, Bren Carrier (update), FV430 Bulldog, FV105 Sultan, FV103 Spartan
USA: M548, M728 CRV, M40 155mm HMC, T12E1 CGMC, M15 Combination GMC, M13 MGMC, M12 155mm SPG, M14 MGMC, M17 MGMC, M39 Carrier, T1 Cunningham, M22 Locust, M3 HMC-75mm, M4 sherman flail, Marmon CTLS, Sherman-MkV-Crocodile, M136 VADS, M108 SPG, LAV-300, M113 FIST, M106 MortarCarrier, M577 Command, M730 MIM-72 Chaparral, M103, M110 howitzer
USSR/Russia: 2S7M Malka, 9M317 BUK-M2, 9K330 Tor, 1S91-kvardat, 9K37M1 buk-M (SA-17-Grizzly), 2S35 Koalitsiya, Kamaz Typhoon, 9P148, BTT-1, MT-55, 9P157-2_Khrizantema-S, 9P163M-1-Kornet, 2S23-Nona-SVK, 9P148-Konkurs, 9K31-Strela-10, BMO-T, BMP-2M, BPM-97-Vystrel, BTR-T, Ural Typhoon, VPK7829 Bumerang, R-381T-Taran, R-145BM, PTS-II, STZ-5 tractor/BM-13-16(Ni tank), Pioneer(Komomolets), T26T/BNSP reco vehicle/TP26, Ya12 tractor(T60/70), GT-MU soviet airborne APC, GAZ-2330 Tigr
China: Type 63G mod. light tank, VT4, Yitian-SPAAML, PLZ-07, PLZ-52, PGZ-07, PTL-02, Type 63C APC amphib Ukraine ready: BMP-1U, Varta MRAP, BTR-60M Khorunzhy APC , BTR4 MV1, 2S22 Bohdana
And also: TAB-77, LAV-6, GAZ-3937 'Vodnik', M120 Rak (base Rosomak), ShKH vz. 77 DANA, RCH-155, AHS Krab, ShKH Zuzana, Archer, T-155 Fırtına RODEF-4, Pereh-tank-destroyer, T34-D30-SPH, Iranian Rakhsh-APC, Patria II AMV, Light Tank Mark II, Mark III, Spanish AFVs interwar, TAB 77+ B33 Zimbru, Ford Lynx, Rhodesian Crocodile, Serge CDS, Jordan Khalid MBT, Jordan Al Hussein, Leonardo-M60 , wasserwerfer-SK2, BTR-152 vz53 SPAAG, MT-55, BTS-4A, BTS-2, M47M_AVLB, Renault FT command, 370-Recoiless-GunsSPG, TC5000XYB
2024 Announcement
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Centennial.
Hundreds of pages, for free
The full catalog: All AFVs of the world by country and eras, 2017 Edition.
Armored Trains.
The New section in development
The same database as for tanks: Railroad networks developed in the XIXth soon found a military use. Before even WWI, train attacks led to armed and armored trains. This had going on for more than a century now. This will cover all WW1, WW2, but also cold war and even recent armoured trains on the long run.
23/11/2024 
Littorina Blindata (Libli) M42/43 (1942)
The Littorina Blindata or "LiBli" M42 was an armored railcar used in Italy and the Balkans from late 1942. It was based on the diesel-powered ALn.56, completely modified Ansaldo-Fossati workshops in Genoa. Shortened and armoured, the first eight of the M42 sported two M13/40 tank turrets, six MGs, two mortars and two flamethrowers, whereas the M43 (eight built) had two M15/42 turrets, a 20 mm Breda 35 AA, and four MGs. Their crew could reach 15 men, and they were deployed in independent units mostly for anti-partisan warfare in Yugoslavia. Two were destroyed in combat before the 1943 armistice, and the rest were used by the Wehrmacht until 1945.
Trucks.
Military Trucks and staff cars.
A dedicated section for softskin vehicles, from WWI to this day: Trucks, staff cars, reconnaissance vehicles, and artillery tractors: Truck-Encyclopedia.com.
KrAZ-6322
24.11.2024 The KrAZ-6322 is a Ukrainian off-road six-wheel drive medium truck intended for extreme conditions. It has been produced since 1994 and is manufactured at the KrAZ factory in Kremenchuk. It was first presented at the 1994 defence industry trade show in Kyiv. It is the most common recent truck in service with the Ukrainian army, declined into 12 variants and notably the 2S22 Bohdana self propelled gun.
Older Entries:
BM-30 Smerch * Isuzu Type 97 * FSC Lublin 51 (1951) * Ford G8T (1942) * SU-12 * Mercedes Benz 250 GD & G class (1978) *
M119 Howitzer