This is the current top ten list 10-1:
No. 10. M-4 Sherman (US)
First produced in 1942. Top speed: 24 mph. Range: 100 miles. The tank's radial nine-cylinder engine gives a power-to-weight ratio of 15.8 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: 62 millimeters. Primary armament: 75-mm high-velocity gun.
The Sherman scored low on firepower and armor. Its Ford eight-cylinder engine was efficient and reliable, so the tank scored slightly better for mobility. But it is ease of manufacture that won the M-4 its place among the top 10 tanks: a staggering 48,000 of them were produced over just three years. Thus, the Sherman received a top production rating.
No. 9. Merkava (Israel)
First produced in 1977. Top speed: 34 mph. Range: 310 miles. The Teledyne turbo-charged diesel engine gives a power-to-weight ratio of 14.28 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: classified. Primary armament: 120-mm gun.
The Merkava's armor cannot be faulted, and it scored the maximum possible in the protection category. But the sheer amount of armor damages its speed and weight-to-power ratio, which gives this Israeli war weapon a below-average score in mobility. The Merkava is complex and expensive, thus it also receives a very low production rating. However, the tank has proved effective in battle, gaining solid firepower and fear factor scores, which ensure it a spot in ninth place.
No. 8: T-54/55 (USSR)
First produced in 1948. Top speed 30 mph. Range: 250 miles. The tank's V-12 water-cooled diesel engine gives a power-to-weight ratio of 14.44 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: 203 millimeters. Primary armament: 100-mm D10T gun.
The T-54/55 scored average marks for firepower, mobility and protection. In all 95,000 T-54/55s were made, so it scored top marks for production. However, it ranked just below average for fear factor - the only reason to be afraid of this tank was because of the vast numbers produced.
No. 7: Challenger (UK)
First produced in 1982. Top speed: 37 mph. Range: 340 miles. The Condor V-12 engine gives Challenger a power-to-weight ratio of 19.2 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: classified. Primary armament: 120-mm rifled gun.
The Challenger scores very good marks for its world-class armor, and the maximum on firepower - the rifled 120-mm gun is a record-breaker. Marks are down for mobility, and further down for production. This tank gets a low average for fear factor: it's an impressive machine, but there aren't enough of them to make an enemy truly fearful.
No. 6: Mk IV Panzer (Ger)
First produced in 1937. Top speed: 24.8 mph. Range: 130 miles. The Maybach V-12 gasoline engine gives a power-to-weight ratio of 10.6 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: 50 millimeters. Primary armament: 75-mm gun.
The Mk IV scores an average ranking for mobility, and gets good points for armor and firepower. But the Mk IV Panzer really disappoints in the ease-of-manufacture category. The Mk IV is a complex, heavily engineered machine, and like all German tanks, it was not easy to mass-produce. Its fear factor score is very high: in the early days of World War II this tank was unstoppable.
No.5 Centurion (UK)
First produced in 1945. Top speed: 22 mph. Range: 120 miles. The Meteor V-12 gasoline engine gives a power-to-weight ratio of 12.54 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: 17-152 millimeters. Primary armament: 105-mm gun.
The Centurion scores average in mobility, but high in firepower. Its armor has proved its value, so the British bulldog scores near to the maximum in this category. It was also awarded high marks for production, as it features a good simple design and has been produced in large numbers.
No. 4: WWI Tank (UK)
First produced in 1917. Top speed: 4 mph. Range: 22 miles. Its Daimler six-cylinder engine gives a power-to-weight ratio of 3.3 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: 6-12 millimeters. Primary armament: two 6-pounder guns. The WWI tank did have thin armor - but it was the only armored vehicle in existence, so it scores well in this category, as it does on mobility and firepower. But it was not an easy machine to manufacture, being very much a high-tech product in its day, so it scores below average in this category. However, its fear factor was massive - nothing like it had ever been seen before - earning it a respectable fourth place on the list.
No. 3: Tiger (Ger)
First produced in 1942. Top speed: 23 mph. Range: 121 miles. Its Maybach engine gives a weight-to-power ratio of 12.3 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: 100 millimeters. Primary armament: 88-mm gun.
The Tiger scores top marks for firepower; its 88-mm gun was a real monster for the time. For armor it scores close to the maximum. This was a heavy tank, but speed is still reasonable, so it achieves an acceptable score in this category. But it is the production rating that really lets the Tiger down - here it scores close to zero points. Its fear factor, however, is off the scale - even its name was an act of psychological warfare.
No. 2: M-1 Abrams (US)
First produced in 1983. Top speed: 42 mph. Range: 289 miles. The Textron AGT 1500 gas turbine engine gives Abrams a power-to-weight ratio of 26.64 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: classified. Primary armament: 120-mm M256 gun.
The M-1 scores medium marks for firepower and armor - it isn't quite a match for any of today's top tanks. The gas-guzzling engine loses points for mobility, though it still scores way above average. For its production rating, the score is low. This is a monstrously complex tank, expensive and difficult to engineer. Not the deadliest tank of all time, so it gets low marks for fear factor.
No. 1: T-34 (USSR) (US)
First produced in 1940. Top speed: 34 mph. Range: 268 miles. The four-stroke 12-cylinder diesel engine gives a power-to-weight ratio of 15.87 horsepower per ton. Armor thickness: 65 millimeters Primary armament: 76.2-mm gun. The T-34 scores near to full points for firepower, mobility and protection. It surpasses any other tank for ease of manufacture - gaining full points in the production category. The tank's fear factor would have been immense, and it was awarded just short of the maximum in that category.
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I disagree- I do like the way you included past tanks but it is proven that the Leopard 2 and Challenger 2 are vastly superior to any modern day tank- especially in firepower, accuracy, armour and offroad speed.
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We all know that the best modern day tank is the m1a1 Abrams. And in the past the T-34 was the best tank then.
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now? the M1A2 SEP. if no other tank comes out that gets ahead of the M1A2 SEP until 2017 - then itll be the M1A3.
even when it uses a German gun thats not even used by Germany any more, the US Army uses special modified Kinetic Energy ammunition for that L/44 120mm cannon. This round is able to penetrate any tank to date, but itself. Wile the US Marines use a different round that has less kinetic energy level then what the US Army uses. this is due to that the US Marines arnt fighting against modern tanks in the Middle East.
The M1A2 is also protected by some of the 'said' thinnest armor for a tank - this is do to the introduction of Depleted Uranium strike plating and Depleted Uranium woven blankets. this material is heavier then lead but much much denser. looking at the tank before and after the introduction of DU plating, the tank only lost 3MPH of speed do to heavier armor introduction to the tank.
The M1A2 also uses a backup mobility system that was introduced to all NEW M1A2s that come equipped with the TUSK II package. the back up mobility system is always on. this system is the use of 3 or 4 of its bottom track guider wheels that move along with the corner spokes that is the primary source to move the tracks that move the tank. the system is put in place encase the M1A2 looses its track, when this happens the tank is atleast able to limp out of crossfire to a safe area. the M1A3 is being developed with more track guider backup mobility system wheels to be used like this.
the M1A2 is battle proven and there are no reports, documents, or soldiers saying that a M1A2 has been lost due to enemy fire. the M1A1 on the other hand have reported to have loosing 3 or 4 do to very large IEDs. -some M1A1s and M1A2s would be disabled by taking heavy hits to its back from penetrating explosives such as RPG-7s to the engine. this would disable the tank. or some M1A1s or M1A2s would be disabled that dont come with TUSK equipped would loose a track, then the tank would be stuck some how and cant be rescued, so the crew or supporting infantry would have to plant Thermite and/or other plastic explosives into the hull and cab of the turret of the tank then blow the tank up from the inside out. they must do this with infantry, even when another tank is present because the round even the US Army uses cant penetrate the M1A2's armor, it is also a sure way to destroy all its components so they cant be scavenged or salvaged then sold to other countries.
The M1A2 came out with advanced fire control systems that require much less to use then what some other tanks use these days. the FCS in the M1A2 is very simple. all you do is flip a switch to what round type you want to use, then the commander finds the range of the target using the commander's observation device that comes with a built in rangefinder, that info is sent to the FCS calculator after the commander confirms the distance he wants by a press of a button, then the FCS calculator finishes and tells you what you need to do to hit that target. i.e. elevation of the gun (bullet sloping). -usually other FCS computers, you have to ether guess or find the range using non-built in range finders, then calculate wind, then input the round type, then the FCS will give the calculations you need to hit the target. even some other systems desire you to put in the charge for the round and the velocity of the round. -NOW because of the new SEP systems that are being installed, the M1A2 is now able to use the Israel LHAT tank fired missile.
the M60 Patton all the way to the M1A2 have had greater barrel elevation and depression limits then most of the other tanks.
the M1A1 and M1A2 use backup turret control systems and even if both those go out, there is still the manual crank control to turn the turret.
but even then. depends on the crew to make everything work to his needs. could have a crew that has poor skills in operating a tank. any tank can be penetrated and/or disabled from tanking a tank shell to the rear of the hull. a Leopard 2A7 or a Merkava could easily circle a M1A2 if the crew isnt too bright. there was 1 or 2 M1A2 crews where there tank used TUSK and the backup mobility system wasnt used - the crew would just let the tank sit there after loosing a track because they arnt thinking correctly. anything can happen. every tank has a week spot. but when it comes to a head first fight. The M1A2 is the tank to go with.
