Medium tank

Short description: Classification of tank

A Soviet T-34-85 medium tank

Template:History of the tank

A medium tank is a classification of tanks, particularly prevalent during World War II, which represented a compromise between the mobility oriented light tanks and the armour and armament oriented heavy tanks. A medium tank's classification is not actually based on weight, but on tactical usage and intended purpose; for instance the German Panzerkampfwagen V Panther medium tank has a mass similar to contemporary Allied heavy tanks. The most widely produced, cost effective and successful tanks of World War II (the German Panzer IV, the Soviet T-34, and the American M4 Sherman) were all medium tank designs. Many of the medium tank lines became what are called main battle tanks in most countries.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 1.1 Cold War
* 2 Role
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## History

The first tanks to carry the name "Medium" appeared in the First World War with the British Medium Mark A Whippet. It was smaller, lighter and faster than the British heavy tanks of the time and only carried machine guns.

The medium tank doctrine came into use in the interwar period. Its existence outlasted the super-heavy tank and the heavy tank and gradually transitioned into the main battle tank.

Medium tanks of the interwar period included the British Vickers Medium Mark II and the Soviet multi-turreted T-28. In the period leading up to World War II, the British stopped using the term Medium for their tanks as the new philosophy of 'Cruiser tank' and 'Infantry tank' which defined tanks by role rather than size came into use.

The German Panzer IV medium tank proved to be an adaptable design which was progressively upgraded during the Second World War with extra armour and better guns fitted

There were medium tanks that focused on anti-infantry capabilities (such as in World War II: the initial short-barrel gun Panzer IV, and the initial 75 mm gun M4 Sherman), and medium tanks which were more focused on the anti-tank role, mounting high-velocity tank guns. The French cavalry tanks (Chars de Cavalerie) such as the SOMUA S35 focused on speed in addition to power and protection of the other designs. They were similar to what other countries called medium tanks.

When Soviet tank designers were preparing a successor to the BT tank series, they combined its excellent mobility with thick, sloped armour and the unprecedented firepower of a 76.2 mm high-velocity gun. The result was the T-34 medium tank, whose superb capabilities shocked the German Wehrmacht when it invaded the Soviet Union. The lessons of Blitzkrieg, first employed by the Germans and eventually adopted by other nations, found their best expression in formations of mutually-supporting medium tanks and motorised infantry. The traditional view of infantry and cavalry tank roles was rendered obsolete.{{citation needed|date=April 2021

Sherman medium tank from World War II, the workhorse of U.S. armoured forces

Both the Soviet Union and the United States benefited from their industrial capacity to manufacture a well-balanced medium tank in very large numbers — around 57,000 T-34 and 49,234 M4 Sherman tanks were built during the war.

### Cold War

American M46 Patton medium tank in the Korean War.

During and after World War II, the roles of light tanks were gradually taken over by less-expensive armoured cars and specialised reconnaissance vehicles. Heavy tanks, having shown their limitations in combat, experienced a limited post-war arms race of progressively more heavily armed and armoured designs. With the rise of more sophisticated anti-tank missile weapons, to which heavy tanks had demonstrated high vulnerability, these too were eventually phased out. With advances in technology, aspects such as mobility, armour and weaponry pushed the medium tank to form the core of a country's armoured fighting capability, eventually merging into the main battle tank. Simpler and more economical self-propelled guns, and later anti-tank guided missiles, came to fulfill some fire-support and anti-tank roles, thus shifting the tactical approach how tanks were used.

Although the term "medium tank" classification has largely fallen out of use after World War II, the term is informally used to describe some first and second-generation main battle tanks which fall between 20 and 50 tons, such as the Leopard 1 and T-72 each of which weigh around 40 short tons, while third and subsequent generations have increased markedly in weight and have included some of the heaviest main battle tanks such as the M1 Abrams which is over 60 short tons. In the 1990s the "medium" main battle tanks still proved useful, such as the Canadian Leopard 1 tanks deployed to Kosovo in 1999 which were much better suited to the poor roads and soft ground than the French armoured cars there, but were still able to move along narrow streets and over lighter bridge classifications than the much heavier M1 Abrams tanks used by the Americans.[1][2]

## Role

The Harimau or Kaplan MT is a modern medium tank made in Indonesia and Türkiye.

The role of medium tanks started with a prioritisation of speed. Medium tanks could travel faster, but needed help to cross trenches, where heavy tanks were large enough to cross unaided. In British use, this evolved into the Cruiser tank class, while other tank doctrines formed around the medium tank making the main advance.

In this later use, medium tanks represent the designer's intent of producing a successful balance of firepower, mobility, and protection. Medium tanks aim to be suitable to the widest variety of roles, with less reliance on other types of tank during normal operations.

## See also

* Light tank
* Heavy tank
* Super-heavy tank
* Main battle tank

## References

1. ↑ "Leopard 1 Tank | the Canadian Encyclopedia". https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/leopard-1.
2. ↑ "M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank - Tanks Encyclopedia". 31 December 2014. https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/us/m1_abrams.php.

## External links

* v
* t
* e

Tanks of the First World War

Light|

* M1918 Ford 3-ton tank
* M1917 light tank
* Renault FT

Medium|

* Medium Mark A Whippet
* Medium Mark B
* Medium Mark C

Heavy|

* A7V
* Mark I
* Mark II
* Mark III
* Mark IV
* Mark V
* Mark V*
* Mark V**
* Mark VIII
* Saint-Chamond
* Schneider CA1

Prototypes,
experimentals|

* CLB 75 Tank
* FCM 1A
* Fiat 2000
* Holt gas–electric tank
* K-Wagen
* Little Willie
* LK I
* LK II
* Mark VII
* Skeleton tank
* Steam tank
* Steam Wheel Tank
* Sturmpanzerwagen Oberschlesien
* Tsar Tank
* Vezdekhod

* World War I tanks
* List of combat vehicles of World War I

Background: History of the tank, Tank classification, Tanks in World War I

* v
* t
* e

Tanks of the interwar period

Tankettes|

* AH-IV
* Carden Loyd
* L3/33
* L3/35
* R-1
* T-27
* T-32 (Š-I-D)
* Tančík vz. 33
* TKS
* Type 92
* Type 94
* Type 97 Te-Ke

Light|

* 7TP
* 9TP
* 38M Toldi I
* Char D1
* Disston Tractor Tank
* Fiat 3000
* H35
* L-60
* Light tanks Mk I–V
* Light tank Mk VI
* Light tank Mk VII
* LT vz. 34
* LT vz. 35
* LT vz. 38
* M1 combat car
* M2 light tank
* Panzer I
* Panzer II
* R35
* T-18
* T-26
* T-37
* T-38
* Type 95 Ha-Go
* Vickers 6-ton
* Vickers-Carden-Loyd light amphibious tank
* Vickers T-15

Medium|

* Char D2
* T-24
* T-28
* Type 89 I-Go
* Type 97 Chi-Ha
* Vickers medium Mk I
* Vickers medium Mk II

Cavalry, cruiser, fast|

* AMC 34
* AMC 35
* AMR 33
* AMR 35
* BT tank
* Cruiser Mk I
* Cruiser Mk II
* Cruiser Mk III
* SOMUA S35

Infantry|

* FCM 36
* Hotchkiss H35
* Matilda I
* T-26

Heavy, super-heavy|

* Char 2C
* Char B1
* T-35

Prototypes,
experimentals|

* 10TP
* FCM F1
* Grosstraktor
* Kolohousenka
* Landsverk L-120
* Leichttraktor
* Medium Mark III
* Medium Mark D
* Medium tank A7
* Morris-Martel
* Neubaufahrzeug
* PZInż 130
* Škoda MU-4
* SMK
* Straussler V-4
* Stridsvagn m/31
* ST vz. 39
* T1 light tank
* T2 medium
* T7 combat car
* T-19
* T-42
* T-100
* Type 87 Chi-I
* Type 91 heavy
* Type 95 heavy
* Type 97 Chi-Ni
* Type 98 Chi-Ho
* Verdeja
* Vickers A1E1 Independent

* Interwar period tanks
* List of interwar armoured fighting vehicles

Background: History of the tank, Tank classification, interwar period

* v
* t
* e

Tanks of the Second World War

Light|

* Toldi tanks
* KhTZ-16
* L6/40
* Light tank Mk VIII
* M3/M5 Stuart
* M22 Locust
* M24 Chaffee
* Marmon–Herrington CTLS
* Renault R40
* NI tank
* T-26
* T-40
* T-60
* T-70
* Tetrarch
* Panzer I
* Panzer II
* Panzer 35(t)
* 7TP
* Type 98 Ke-Ni
* Type 2 Ke-To
* Type 2 Ka-Mi
* Type 4 Ke-Nu

Medium|

* Turán I and II
* 43M Turán III
* M11/39
* M13/40
* M14/41
* M15/42
* M2 medium
* M3 Lee/Grant
* M4 Sherman
* Sherman Firefly
* M26 Pershing
* P26/40
* Panzer III
* Panzer IV
* Panzer V Panther
* Stridsvagn m/41
* Stridsvagn m/42
* T-34
* T-44
* Type 97 ShinHōtō Chi-Ha
* Type 1 Chi-He
* Type 3 Ka-Chi
* Type 3 Chi-Nu

Cruiser|

* AC1 Sentinel
* Cruiser Mk IV
* Covenanter
* Crusader
* Cavalier
* Cromwell (and Centaur)
* Mk VIII Challenger
* Comet
* Grizzly
* Ram

Infantry|

* Churchill
* Matilda II
* Valentine
* T-50
* Type 2 Ho-I

Heavy|

* IS tank
* IS-1
* IS-2
* IS-3
* KV tank
* Tiger I
* Tiger II

Prototypes,
experimentals|

* 44M Tas
* AC3 Thunderbolt
* AC4
* AELT
* AMX 40
* Black Prince
* Bob Semple tank
* Excelsior
* M6 heavy tank
* M7 medium tank
* Nahuel DL 43
* O-I
* Panzer VIII Maus
* Panzerkampfwagen E-100
* PPG
* Sahariano
* Schofield
* Special number 3 Ku-Ro
* T14 heavy
* T20 medium
* T28
* T29 heavy
* T30 heavy
* T32 heavy
* T34 heavy
* T-43
* TOG1
* TOG2
* Type 98 Chi-Ho
* Type 4 Chi-To
* Type 5 Chi-Ri
* Type 5 Ke-Ho
* Type 5 To-Ku
* Valiant
* Verdeja

* World War II tanks
* List of armoured fighting vehicles of World War II
* Background: History of the tank, Tank classification

* v
* t
* e

Tanks of the Cold War

Main battle|

* AMX-30
* AMX-30E
* Centurion
* Sho't
* Challenger 1
* Chieftain
* Chonma-ho
* CM-11 Brave Tiger
* K1 88
* Leopard 1
* Leopard 2
* M1 Abrams
* M48 Patton
* CM-12
* M60 tank
* Magach
* Merkava
* OF-40
* Panzer 68
* Stridsvagn 103
* T-55
* T-62
* T-64
* T-72
* M-84
* Lion of Babylon
* T-80
* TR-85
* Type 59
* Type 61
* Type 69/79
* Type 74
* Type 80/85/88
* Type 90
* Vickers MBT Mk 1
* Vijayanta
* Vickers MBT Mk 3

Light|

* AMX-13
* HSTV(L)
* M41 Walker Bulldog
* M551 Sheridan
* PT-76
* PT-85
* SK-105 Kürassier
* Stingray
* Type 62
* Type 63
* Type 64
* X1A

Medium|

* Charioteer
* M46 Patton
* M47 Patton
* Panzer 58
* Panzer 61
* Stridsvagn 74
* Super Sherman
* TAM
* T-54

Heavy|

* ARL 44
* Conqueror
* IS-4
* M103
* T-10

Prototypes,
experimentals|

* AMX-32
* AMX-40
* AMX-50
* Char 25T
* EE-T1 Osório
* Emil
* Expeditionary Tank
* HSTV(L)
* IS-7
* Lorraine 40t
* M8 armored gun system
* MB-3 Tamoyo
* MBT-70
* MBT-80
* Object 187
* Object 279
* Object 292
* Object 490A
* Object 770
* Object 785
* Spähpanzer Ru 251
* Spähpanzer SP I.C.
* T92 light tank
* T95 medium tank
* TR-125
* Vickers MBT Mk 4 Valiant
* Vickers MBT Mk 7
* WZ-111 heavy tank
* WZ-132 light tank
* WZ-122

* Cold War tanks
* List of modern armoured fighting vehicles

Background: History of the tank, Tank classification, Tanks in the Cold War

* v
* t
* e

Tanks of the post–Cold War era

Main battle|

* Al-Khalid tank
* Al-Zarrar
* Altay
* Ariete
* Arjun
* Challenger 2
* Durjoy
* Haider
* K2 Black Panther
* Karrar
* Leclerc (Leclerc XLR, Leclerc Evolution)
* Leopard 2 (Leopard 2E, Leopard 2PL)
* M1 Abrams
* Merkava IV
* Pokpung-ho
* PT-91 Twardy
* Ramses II
* Sabra
* Stridsvagn 122
* T-72M4CZ
* T-84
* T-90
* Type 10
* Type 72Z
* Type 96
* Type 99
* VT-4
* Zulfiqar
* Type 100

Light / medium|

* Kaplan MT / Harimau
* Sabrah
* Sabre CVRT
* 2S25 Sprut-SD
* Tosan
* Type 15 / VT-5
* Type 63A
* ZTD-05 / ZLT-05

Prototypes,
experimentals|

* AbramsX
* Black EagleX
* Challenger 3
* Cheonma-2
* CV90105 / CV90120
* K21-105
* Leopard 3
* M8 armored gun systemX
* M10 BookerX
* M60-2000X
* M-84AS
* M-84AS1
* M-84D
* M-95 DegmanX
* Main Ground Combat System
* Marder medium tank
* Panther KF51
* PatagónX
* PL-01X
* Tiam
* T-14 Armata
* T-55AGM
* T-95X
* Tank EXX
* Zorawar

Cancelled or derelict projectX

* Post–Cold War tanks
* List of modern armoured fighting vehicles

Background: History of the tank, Tank classification

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