Cold War tank formations
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NATO and the Warsaw Pact
During the Cold War, NATO and the Warsaw Pact both had large tank formations present in Europe.
The following gives the number of armoured formations and tank strength as of 1981/1982 for Warsaw Pact and NATO member countries. These include formations and vehicles deployed outside Europe, such as in North America or the Asiatic USSR.
NATO
Grand Total: 30,711+ Tanks
West Germany
Leopard 1 during REFORGER- Exercise 1983
Leopard 2A4
M48 A2C
- German Army Formations
- 6 Tank Divisions (Panzerdivisionen)
- 4 Armored Infantry Divisions (Panzergrenadierdivisionen)
- 1 Mountain Division (Gebirgsdivision)
- 6 Home Defense Tank Brigades (Heimatschutz – Panzerbrigaden)
- 6 Home Defense Armored Infantry Brigades (Heimatschutz – Panzergrenadierbrigaden (not complete)
| MBTs | In reserve | On order | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,200 M48 A2C/A2GA2 2,437 Leopard 1 A2/A3/A4 150 Leopard 2 770 Kanonenjagdpanzer 350 Raketenjagdpanzer |
- | - | - |
Total: 3,787 tanks [2]
(Total: 4,907 including Jagdpanzer)
USA
A M60A3 in Langgöns, Germany
M1A1
- Formations
- 4 Tank Divisions
- 6 Mechanized Divisions
- 4 Infantry Divisions
- 1 Airborne Division (incl. 1 Tank Battalion)
- 1 independent Tank Brigade
- 4 independent Infantry Brigades
- 3 Cavalry Regiments (Reconnaissance)
- 3 Tank Battalions Marines
- ? Tank Battalions National Guard (Reserve)
- Number of tanks
- 1,825 M48A5 MBT
- 1,555 M60 MBT
- 5,775 M60A1 MBT
- 540 M60A2 MBT
- 1,500 M60A3 MBT
- 150 M1 Abrams MBT
- 400 M551 Sheridan AR/AAV (330 for training purposes)
- 575 M60A1 MBT with the Marines
Total: 12,320 tanks (min. 330 for training only)[3]
France
AMX-30
- Formations
- 6 Tank divisions (divisions blindées – the 2nd, 7th, 10th in France, the 1st, 3rd and 5th in West Germany)
- 4 Light Armoured Divisions – the 6th, 9th, 12th, 14th
- 2 Mechanised Infantry Divisions – the 8th and 15th
| MBTs | In reserve | On order | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,259 AMX 30 | - | 145 AMX 30 | 340 AMX 13 light tanks |
Total: 1,868 tanks[5]
United Kingdom
FV4201 Chieftain
- Formations
| Tanks | In reserve | On order | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 900 FV4201 Chieftain MBT (60 in Reserve) |
300 Centurion MBT stored | 240 FV4030/4 Challenger MBT | 271 tracked armoured reconnaissance vehicles (FV101 Scorpion and Scimitar) |
Total: 1,901 tanks and armored cars[7]
- Before the 1980s
Earlier units included the Conqueror tank (1955–1966) and FV4101 Charioteer (TA 1950s). Initially containing 3 armoured divisions, the BAOR was reformed by 1960 into 3 mixed divisions and additional brigade groups. Then in the 1970s, as 4 smaller armoured divisions before reorganization as 3 armoured divisions in 1981–83.
Turkey
As of 1981/83:
- Formations
- 1 Tank Division
- 2 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
- 14 Infantry Divisions (some with tank battalions attached)
| MBT | In reserve | On order | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 M48 Patton 500 M47 Patton |
- | 70 Leopard 1A3 MBT | - |
Total: 3,570 Tanks[9]
Italy
Leopard 1
M-47 Patton I
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 4 Tank Brigades[10] (three tank battalion each)
- 9 Mechanised Brigades[11] (one tank battalion each)
- 5 Motorised Brigades[12] (one mixed tank-mechanized battalion each)
- Number of tanks
- 920 MBT Leopard 1
- 300 MBT M60A1
- 550 MBT M47 Patton (remaining of original 1,500)
Total: 1,620 tanks[13]
Netherlands
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 1 armoured division
- 2 mechanised divisions (1 of which reserve)
- Number of Tanks
- 468 MBT Leopard 1
- 343 MBT Centurion tank
- 113 light tank AMX 13/105
Total: 924 tanks
Denmark
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 1 Mechanised Division (Jutland)
- 2 Independent Mechanised Brigades (Zealand)
- 1 Battlegroup (Bornholm)
- Number of Tanks
- 120 MBT Leopard 1A3 (40 in each Brigade x3)
- 18 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog (Recon Battalion)
- 70 Centurion tank MK.III with 84 mm gun (Anti-tank Squadrons in reserve)
- 106 MBT Centurion tank MK.V & MK.V2 with 105 mm L7A1 gun (40 in each Brigade x2 and 26 in Reserve units)
- 40 Centurion tank MK.III with 84 mm gun (Anti-tank Squadrons in Light-Battlegroups x4)
- 18 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog (Recon Battalion)
- 16 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog (1 Light Tank Squadron and 1 Recon Squadron)
Total: 388 tanks
Belgium
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 2 Armoured Brigades
- 2 Mechanised Brigades
- 1 Reserve Mechanised Brigade
- Number of tanks
- 334 MBT Leopard 1
- 62 MBT M47 Patton (reserve)
- 136 light tank FV101 Scorpion
- 154 light tank FV107 Scimitar
- light tank AMX-13
- 80 light tank Kanonenjagdpanzer
Total: 766+ tanks
Canada
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 1 Mechanized Brigade (4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, based in Germany)
- 2 Motorized Brigades (1 Canadian Brigade Group and 5e Groupe-brigade du Canada, both based in Canada with NATO taskings to Europe. 1CBG provided personnel for REFORGER and 5GBC as the CAST Canadian Air-Sea Transportable Brigade Group earmarked for service in Norway).
- 114 MBT Leopard 1
- 195 AVGP Cougar (amphibious, direct Fire Support Vehicle (Wheeled) FSV(W) variant of the Canadian built Armoured Vehicle General Purpose AVGP based on the Swiss MOWAG 6X6 Piranaha hull with 76 mm gun in British FV101 Scorpion Tank Turret).
The Leopards and Cougars came into service in the late 1970s and replaced 274 Centurion Tanks used by Royal Canadian Armoured Corps units (The Canadian Centurion tanks served in Germany for 25 years, from January 1952 to January 1977).
Total: 114 MBT (+195 FSV) = 309 tanks
Norway
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- Independent Armoured Squadrons
- Number of tanks
- 78 MBT Leopard 1
- 38 MBT M48 Patton
- 70 light tank NM-116 (upgraded M24 Chaffee)
Total: 186 tanks
Portugal
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 1 Tank Regiment
- 2 Cavalry Regiments
- Number of tanks
- 34 MBT M47 Patton
- 30 MBT M48 Patton
- light tank M24 Chaffee
Total: 64+ tanks
Greece
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 1 Armoured Division
- 2 Independent Armoured Brigades
| MBT | In reserve | On order | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 170 AMX 30 800 M48 Patton 150 M47 Patton 190 M24 Chaffee |
- | - |
Total: 1,310 tanks
Spain
An M48 Patton tank of the Spanish Army on display at the El Goloso Museum of Armored Vehicles
Members of NATO from 30 May 1982:
- Formations
- 1 Armoured Division
- 1 Mechanised Division
- 3 Armoured Cavalry Brigades
- 1 Light Cavalry Regiment
- Number of tanks
- 340 MBT M47 Patton
- 110 MBT M48 Patton
- 200 MBT AMX-30
- 180 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog
Total: 830 tanks
Warsaw Pact
Grand Total: 71,700+ Tanks
USSR
T-64A
T-72
- Formations
As of 1981/82 the Soviet Ground Forces had:
- 46 Tank Divisions, including six Tank Armies with four tank divisions each.
- 119 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
- 6 Airborne Divisions
- 1 Naval Infantry Division
- 3 Naval Infantry Brigades
- Tank strength
- 45,000 MBT JS-2 and JS-3 (Reserve) T-10 / T-10M / T-54 / T-55 / T-62
- 10,000 MBT T-64 / T-72 / T-80
- 870 amphibious Reconnaissance Tanks PT-76 (Plavayushchiy Tank)
- 1,800 med. tank T-34 (At the Chinese border – most used for driver training; withdrawn in 1979)
Total: 57,670 tanks[15]
East Germany
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 2 Tank Division
- 4 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
- Number of tanks
Total: 1,620+ tanks[16]
Poland
Polish T-55
PT-76 amphibious tank
As of 1981/82:
- Formations
- 5 Tank Divisions
- 8 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
- 1 Amphibious Assault Division
- 1 Airborne Division
- Number of Tanks
Total: 4,010 tanks[17]
Czechoslovakia
As of 1980
- Formations
- 7 Tank Divisions (2 on full numbers, 3 on reduced numbers, 2 created by mobilization)
- 8 Motor-Rifle Divisions (3 on full numbers, 2 on reduced numbers, 3 created by mobilization)
- Number of Tanks as of year 1980
Total in 1980: 4,223 tanks[18]
Bulgaria
As of 1981/82
- Formations
- 5 Tank Brigades (in Sofia, Kazanlak, Karlovo, Sliven and Aytos)
- 8 Motor Rifle Divisions
- Number of Tanks
Total: 2,400 tanks
Hungary
As of 1981/82
- Formations
- 1 Tank Division
- 5 Motor Rifle Divisions
- Number of Tanks
Total: 1,100 tanks
Romania
As of 1981/82
- Formations
- 2 Tank Divisions
- 8 Motor Rifle Divisions
- Number of Tanks
Total: 1,500 tanks
Footnotes
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 73
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 73
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82. Page 20
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 76
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 76
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 84
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 84
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 102
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82. Page 102
- ↑ Centauro, Ariete, Mameli, Pozzuolo del Friuli
- ↑ Goito, Legnano, Brescia, Trieste, Manin, Vittorio Veneto, Gorizia, Granatieri di Sardegna, Pinerolo
- ↑ Cremona, Friuli, Aosta, Sassari, Acqui
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 90
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 102
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 54
- ↑ Armed Forces 1981/82 Page 57
- ↑ Francev, Vladimir."Ceskoslovenske tankove sily 1945-1992". page 135. Grada Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-80-247-4029-4
References
- Armed Forces 1981/82 In: The Military Balance of the International Institute for Strategic Studies London (Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Munich 1982.)
- Ferdinand von Senger und Etterlin (1983). Tanks of the World. London: Arms and Armour Press.
- John Weeks (1981). Armies of the World. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd.
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