People in different countries are very competitive when it comes to deciding the best tank in the world. However a poll which we have surveyed since 2008 has shown that the Leopard 2A6 is the peoples most favourite tank out of nearly 600 people who voted; they voted 160 times for the Leopard 2A6 in a poll which included the M1A2, Challenger 2, T-90 and Leclerc. Mainly the people who voted in the poll came from the United States; so there can’t be any claims of bias since the Leopard 2A6 is a European/German tank.
Though this doesn’t in any way suggest the best tank in the world, just users who believe their favourite tank is the Leopard 2A6. (As the poll suggests when voting: Which is your favourite Main Battle Tank?) So what tank really is the best in the world? Well first you need to look at multiple variables and factors which play into a situation. i.e. What tank would be better suited for this situation as opposed to this situation then come to a conclusion. That is just the way warfare works, as there are no certain battle situations, but we can define the best tank, by evaluating and working out which tank would perform best for multiple situations.
How well does the tank perform in certain situations? Which tank has the best armor?
Take for example the Mervaka, it would be suggested that the vehicle is a heavily armored transport tank which can go into urban areas since it can take a lot of punishment. Since it can carry a full squad of infantry, unlike no other tank, the purpose of this tank is suited for urban combat among being able to engage other tanks as well. Sure other tanks can go into urban environments, but they’d need support in the likes of lighter armored personnel carriers, carrying the infantry up with them. At least with the Merkava you can transport them and the tanks can work independently.
Though the disadvantages of moving a 120 mm gun into an urban area will also mean a lot of civilian casualties but then again if enemy fighters are fighting in buildings, the 120 mm will blow a hole straight into the building, minimising any casualties for friendly troops on the ground. So of course it depends on how you’d deploy such a tank and you’d have to of course like in most situations consider the environment they’ll be operating in. – Just an example.
Most modern tanks today are built for engaging other tanks, hard targets and from firing far away at targets which other vehicles cannot penetrate or see. To determine the best tank, you really need to ask what you will be using the tank for. Are you going to be engaging other tanks, armored vehicles, infantry or targets which most modern day ammunition or guns cannot target?
For example the K2 Black Panther has an ammunition piece called the Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition (KSTAM) which essentially targets the top of a tanks turret (Where it is most vulnerable in most modern tanks and older generation tanks), essentially it is a projectile which falls onto the top-side of the tank which deploys a parachute to guide it on top.
As you can see or the get the idea that this type of ammunition would be rather useful in certain situations where no other tanks have this capability. This is a unique capability only seen in the South Korean K2 Black Panther.
Individually, which tank is the best based on specification?
The top three best tanks in the world.
Number one spot (1):
The K2 “Black Panther”
The South Korean made K2 Black Panther. The South Koreans have built a beautiful tank which has unique features unlike no other tank in the world. It also one of the most expensive tanks in the world costing an estimated $8.8 million per vehicle; however, this is not without reason. The tank earns the top ranking since is is a very modern tank armed with the latest generation of guns from Rheinmetall, the L/55 120 mm smooth bore gun. With this said as stated before in this article the K2 main battle tank (MBT) can fire Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition (KSTAM) which gives this vehicle the ability to kill the latest in generation of tanks where top-side armor is not that well protected. Given to this fact it has the ability to “kill” most modern tanks especially with its high velocity L/55 which is said to be able to penetrate all types of armor currently out there. The K2 also doesn’t require a fourth crewman like the M1A2 or Challenger 2, as it has an auto loader which automatically loads the main gun. There is debate whether to which is more efficient at pumping out the ammunition the fastest. However, the advantages are that there is more room inside the tank as there is one less crewman taking up space.
The vehicles armor has layers of soft and hard anti-missile system. It includes explosive reactive armor (ERA) and Non-explosive and non-energetic reactive armor (NERA). It also has modular armor which can be added onto the vehicle for extra enhanced protection while also having composite armor.
The vehicles engine is powered by a MTU MB-883 Ka500 diesel, which provides 1,500 horse power (HP), an additional 400 horse power is gained through a gas turbine power unit. The vehicle in its generic state has a power to weight ratio of 27.3 hp/tonne. – This is further increased with the optional use of the gas turbine power unit. It is one of the fastest tanks in the world, being able to travel 44 mph over roads in comparison to the M1A2’s 42 mph. The Leopard, however, does out perform it as it can travel 45 mph over road in generic state. The K2 Black Panther also features an advanced hydro-pneumatic suspension system like no other tank in the world. What this means is that it can go to difference stances, depress, elevate in different directions which if in a hull-down position is very useful for aiming the gun in directions which otherwise would not be achievable with standard torsion bar suspension. Other features not found on many tanks are deep wading abilities, the vehicle is semi-amphibious and can be fully submerged into water as deep as 4 meters with the help of a snorkel system which is attached to the turrets opening. – The snorkel system gives the tank optics above to see where it is going and also feeds in air in the modern armored vehicle. The vehicle maybe one of the most expensive; however, the specification of this vehicle is what ranks it top. Previous lessons were learned from the K1 and K1A1 which has led to an even more advanced tank with lessons learned. Having large amounts of advanced electronic systems and advanced weaponry, we can say for sure that the K2 Black Panther is the best tank in the world.
Second spot (2):
Leopard 2A6
Leopard 2. Undoubtedly the Leopard versions and variants are very modern and the German’s have always been able to create technically very good tanks. As it started as a series of tanks from the Leopard 1 to the Leopard 2 then extended onto improved versions to which it is currently at the Leopard 2A6 from the 2A5; the tank has only got better. With improved digital awareness systems which allow the tank to communicate with other friendly vehicles in the area the tank is ranked second since it has the latest gun from Rheinmetall, just like the K2 Black Panther; the L/55 120 mm high velocity smooth bore gun. The fire control system (FCS) is also very advanced while also utilizing other digital systems such as thermal imaging, a laser range finder and fully stabilised gun armed with a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun. However these features can be found in most tanks.
What makes the Leopard 2A6 unique and gives it its standing in second place is that it has a new generation of composite armor and external modular armor. It can also be fitted with additional add on armor to further protect the vehicle from heavy weaponry; which include explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks. The vehicle also has a system which prevents spalling or breaking essentially if it is hit in certain hard points. Its heavy protection along with advanced digital systems is what gives the Leopard 2A6 its standing in second place. With a cost of only $5.5 million ($USD) per tank the vehicle is undoubtedly very cheap in comparison to other tanks which make this vehicle very attractive to the export market.
The Leopard 2 is very modular in design being able to incorporate significant design upgrades as it has graduated into 6 steps of different upgraded variants which are in use around the world today. The 7th update or the Leopard 2A7 incorporates new armor package updates to protect the vehicle from anti-tank mines and explosives. The 2A7 heavily involves new surveillance systems which incredibly improves the tanks situational awareness. However it is not in service yet and is only readily available in low numbers. Though the Leopard 2A6 ranks very closely next to the K2 Black Panther in terms of technical specification.
Third spot (3):
Challenger 2
Challenger 2. Having served in the first and second gulf war the Challenger tank has combat experience to which most other modern tanks do not have. Which is why it makes it in the third spot on this list. The tank is armed with a 120 mm rifled (L30A1) main gun. Combat experience include a range of experiences where for example the Challenger 2 was said to have been hit 70 times by rocket propelled-grenades (RPG) including a MILAN anti-tank missile (According to sources from the BBC) to which it survived and returned to base for repairs in Basra, Iraq. It is said that the vehicles highly classified Chobham armor to which it uses the Dorchester variant is the reasoning behind its successes in wars involving its engagements overseas. The Challenger 1, the previous to the Challenger 2 tank is an older version of a near complete redesign and improvement of which came the Challenger 2. However it is the Challenger 1 which is credited for the longest tank-on-tank kill in history with the now older L11A5 rifled 120 mm gun which was then superseded in the Challenger 2 by the L30A1 120 mm rifled gun.
The Challenger 2 has seen successes in the invasion of Iraq in 2003. However in March 2003 the first Challenger 2 tank was destroyed in a blue-on-blue incident where another Challenger 2 had shot another. It was not the vehicle that was penetrated,as sources cite that the HESH round had hit the commanders hatch and had poured hot metal into the tank igniting the stowed ammunition then destroying the tank killing two crew members. Though there have been penetrations where in August 2006 an RPG-29 penetrated the frontal lower hull of a Challenger 2 and a driver lost three of his toes in an engagement which took place in Al-Amarah, Iraq.
In April 2007 a shaped charge had penetrated the underside of the Challenger 2 which blew off one of the drivers legs and caused minor injury to other crewman in the tank. The British response to this was the Theatre Entry Standard (TES) which improved enhancements to the tanks armor. Even though problems have occurred during battle, it is the fact the Challenger 2 is fully battle tested whereas tanks such as the Leopard 2A6 and especially the K2 Black Panther score low on being battle tested. It is based on theory and specification that these tanks are ranked in this order.
In comparison to other tanks the Challenger 2 doesn’t particularly have a high power to weight ratio as it is powered by Perkins CV-12 Diesel 1,200 hp (890 kW) and due to the fact that it weighs considerably more than most other tanks. It has a power to weight ratio of 19.2 hp/tonne, most other tanks have 1500 hp (Horse Power) engines and since it only has a 1200 hp (Horse Power) engine while also weighing in at 62.5 tonnes the vehicles weight doesn’t help in this regard. Which is why the tank on-road is only able to go at 35 mph on road and 25 mph off-road. However it is on this list, since it is the most battle tested tank in the list. We could have mentioned the M1A1-2 however we fill that the Challenger 2 in theaters such as Iraq overall did better in urban environments and suffered the least casualties. – While only one Challenger 2 tank has been destroyed and that was by friendly fire from another tank to whereby in incidents casualties were made as a result.
The important thing to note
We have chosen these tanks based on specification and how effectively they would be vs other tanks in a one on one situation. However in most situations it would account to who shot first or who sighted the first person since tank guns can almost penetrate any type of armor; no matter how thick, or cause a mobility kill. Which essentially means it comes also down to crew training and experience. This can be accounted to several countries such as the US and UK however technology also comes down when considering things and the Germans and South Koreans currently have the latest and most technologically advanced tanks in the world. We have came to the conclusion based on the specification of these tanks especially with further research done extensively on their sensors, optics and the power penetration of the tanks gun.
Though the best tank for a country also has to be mentioned. Not all tanks are suited for all types of combat. Like originally started in the first three paragraphs of this article, the Merkava (MBT) is suited mostly for urban environments where other tanks are only set to kill other tanks or take out hard targets. However this is not a list for the best tank for a particular country, but more over the attitude or sentiment toward being, what is the best tank in the world, which could counter other modern tanks in head-to-head hunting type combat.
Honourable mention
The M1A2 (MBT) derived from the United States is a tank which has been fully battle tested in wars in theaters such as Iraq in the First and Second Gulf Wars. The M1 Abram series continues to provide support for troops around the world and very recently in Afghanistan where 16 M1 Abrams were sent to support marines on the ground.
The Challenger 2 has advanced hydrogas suspension, which means that despite its comparatively low power-to-weight ratio it is one of the fastest tanks in the world off-road (faster than an Abrams at least, probably fairly comparable to a Leopard 2).
Also, it’s top speed is electronically governed – it is capable of about 70 km/h unrestricted.
Finally, regarding the Leopard 2’s new modular/add-on armour, deployed Challenger 2s have a lot of additional armour fitted (a mixture of Dorchester armour and ERA blocks, and ‘cage armour’), so their protection levels are probably a lot higher than people realise
sorry, guys! How many of you ever sitted inside a tank and fire a gun or coaxial maschine gun??
All the modern tanks are designed with abrams in mind. So please stop writing down such noncense about Leopard or russian tanks or chinese tanks. merkava is in its own class.
corporal M.Lorger gunner 45th tank battalion of Slovenian army M-84A tank
@Matjaz:
“All modern tanks are designed with the Abrams in mind”
I believe Chinese tanks, which are modern, are based on Russian tanks. As well as the T-90 also being based on previous tanks.
The T-90 is also able to fire out missiles, through its tube, can the Abram’s do that? No, it cant.
So you being in an M-84A tank, suddenly makes you expert on MODERN tanks. Haha.
I am also weapon designer and armored tactics ekspert. belive me i know much more about tanks then any of you. i also fired a chalenger gun, the abrams, all russian series up to T-90. but it is true that every tank is good if it is in the right place at right time. but in real war the abrams is tank to be in. but if you have a good tank with poor trained crew, any tank can defeat the best tank in the world. but i would realy like to see T-90
in real war, with good crews and all the support included abrams had in wars.
The K2 is hardly the best tank. Autoloaders are NOT an advantage. It is well proven than an autoloader on a good day has a lot of trouble beating a well trained loader. Autoloaders also preclude the use of ammunition blow off panels that are CRITICAL to crew safety. The Abrams is the ONLY tank in the world that has all ammunition stored under blow-off panels to prevent ammunition cook-off. This cook-off is by far the number one reason entire tank crews are wiped out and tanks are destroyed beyond repair. The L55 gun on the K2 is not an advantage. The M829A3 is by far the best kinetic energy penetrator in the world. Other countries refuse to use it because depleted uranium is controversial. The L55 gun was created because the Germans recognized that the M829A2 in the 90s significantly outperformed their tungsten ammunition and increased velocity was needed to make it more competitive. The M829A3 still outperforms the DM-53 round by a considerable margin even with the L55 gun. As for top-attack munitions, the Abrams is very close to getting the MRM-CE round. A successful test a few years back knocked out a T-72 fired from an enfilade position with no sight on target 5.2km away. The glacis of the K2 also appears to have a near 0 degree angle and many of the turret face angles also are 0 degrees. This significantly hinders armor protection. Sloped armor is critical, and armor surfaces on every modern tank are heavily sloped, even in the old T-55. Armor surfaces on the Abrams turret and glacis are sloped on two axises. Furthermore, combat testing is what actually determines whether a tank is good or not. Many designs look very good in the marketing and technical specs on paper, and then completely fail to perform in actual combat. No modern MBT has been tested as rigorously in combat as the Abrams. The K2 has never seen a single day of combat and to put it at the very top of your list makes your credibility questionable. Most objective ratings put the M1A2SEP with TUSK in the number 1 position with the Merkava Mk4 close behind and the Leopard 2 next. As for the Challenger 2, its myth of invincibility was solved when the front glacis was penetrated by an RPG-29. You even state the HESH incident that clearly shows one of its greatest faults – the lack of blow off panels. The tank and possibly the crew as well would have been saved if blow-off panels prevented the ammo cook off. The Challenger 2 is also underpowered. It weighs the same as its contemporaries the Leo 2A6, Merkava, and Abrams; but the engine has 300hp less. It may not be sluggish but it simply lacks the mobility that its competitors have. The rifled gun is also a liability – it should have been scrapped for the NATO standard years ago. The range of the gun was an advantage in 1991, but it is no longer a realistic advantage due to the introduction of the MRM-CE, LAHAT, etc.
The Leo 2 is often credited as the best tank when taking into account the costs and economics.
When purely looking at combat performance the Abrams is credided number 1.
The Abrams is the F-22 and the Leo 2 the F-35 (or Typhoon). Cheaper so affordable to countries with smaller defence budget.
The K2 is interesting but I think it is more conventional and doesn’t appear to have much all-round armor. Current version also uses ERA, which is obsolete but that will be replaced with passive armor in the PIP update
I personally think that armor is the most important factor, second firepower and then mobility.
1. M1A2 SEP Abrams TUSK
2. Challenger 2 Streetfighter
3. Leopard 2 A7
4. Merkava 4
5. K2 Black Panther
6. Type 10
7. Leclerc
8. Type 90 (Japan)
9. K1A1
10. Ariete
I rated the Abrams, Chal, Leo2 and Merk above the K2 because they appear to have better all-round protection.
The K2 might be as good in tank-fighting but definetly not in urban warfare. In consider a tank to be an all-round vehicle.
From what I’ve heard the armor of the K2 is comparable to the Abrams but with less weight. It could become as good if they replace the ERA with passive (which is done in the PIP update) and when they add an urban warfare kit.
When more info is available on the Type 10 it might also go higher in my list.
Its not fair to place Challenger over Abrams because Abrams had more losses. There simply were more Abrams in theater so that means the chances of one taken out being much greater.
The Abrams did very well during Thunder Run in Bagdad. That was before the TUSK urban warfare kit.
It might be interesting to mention the combat experience of the Canadian Leopard 2 A6 and Danish Leopard 2 A5 in Afghanistan.
BTW I am Dutch so putting Abrams on top has nothing to do with nationality.
We used the Leopard 2 A6 but they have been phased out without replacement. This is the result of the most devastating defence cuts ever. So we no longer have an army but just a glorified police force. 🙁
An army without tanks is not an army.
I think the Leo 2 is the ideal choise for European nations because its a very good tank for its price. Which is also why many nations use F-16 and not the better F-15.
Europe is slowly disarming itself, being naive to think there are no treaths. Its like the 1930s. Then when something happens we will beg the US to help us (again). I would understand if the US would one day refuse because it is our own fault that we keep on cutting on defence.
@Marcel:
TUSK (Tank Urban Survival Kit) including further ERA armour upgrades, so it would perform better in urban environments. (Hence the name)However the K2 is suited to tank on tank combat, it has a munitions which can counter other armoured hiding behind terrain and it can elevate to different angles without having to move from its position.
@Marcel:
“Canadian Leopard 2 A6 and Danish Leopard 2 A5 in Afghanistan.”
Afghanistan did not have considerable threats toward tanks. Other than the fact that large IEDs could throw the tracks off the largely heavily armoured vehicle. Which is why I don’t think they put it in this article, since they were comparing tank-vs-tank combat.
I personally would list the new Leopard 2A7. Now that tank is impressive.
@Marcel: @Winning:
“Europe is slowly disarming itself, being naive to think there are no treaths. Its like the 1930s. Then when something happens we will beg the US to help us (again). I would understand if the US would one day refuse because it is our own fault that we keep on cutting on defence”
The UK is especially cutting on its defense.
But one thing I have to note is that the UK has nuclear weapons as a deterrent. It is apart of NATO. The threat of today has changed from foreign to domestic trouble. Such as terrorism or cyber warfare.
You can cite such wars like Iraq and Afghanistan, however I think the tide of things has changed to WMD to where I bring up the MAD doctrine.
But I believe in a few years time, when we are out of Afghanistan (Already pulling out of Iraq), we will see a change in the type of warfare for the future.
@Matthew Bennet: In fact it has already changed. (Warfare) But we are still involved in wars of the previous warfare type still.
@Marcel:
you r right. every thing has changed and now “cultural attack” is in the run.
gradually no need to weapon because there is no one to stand against them.
and that is mind control in new world order.
I like your assessment and the K2 does seem to be a very capable tank. But as you said, it has not been battle tested, which in my opinion is a downfall as we don’t really know how it performs on the field. Though impressive the tanks capabilities are.
@James Rogers: Thanks. Though seeing the tanks capabilities would be to easy as the M1 Abrams variants are likely the most battle tested. – But this doesn’t mean other engineers from other countries and companies haven’t learned from America’s actions in Iraq.