While 100 mm high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) ammunition could have done the job, they were much less accurate than APDS shells, and the relatively low flight velocity resulted in poorer accuracy if used on moving targets. 8.1 Tanks of comparable role, performance and eraĭevelopment history The initial requirements īy the late 1950s, Soviet commanders realised that the T-55's 100 mm gun could not penetrate the frontal armour of newer Western tanks, such as the Centurion and M48 Patton, with standard armour-piercing shells.

Design features of the T-62 became standardised in subsequent Soviet and Russian mass-produced tanks. While the T-62 became the standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, it did not fully replace the T-55 in export markets due to its higher manufacturing costs and maintenance requirements compared to its predecessor.Īlthough it was replaced by later models in successor states of the Soviet Union, the T-62 remains in use by multiple other countries, and as reserve equipment in Russia. In contrast with previous tanks, which were armed with rifled tank guns, the T-62 was the first production tank armed with a smoothbore tank gun that could fire APFSDS rounds at higher velocities. As a further development of the T-55 series, the T-62 retained many similar design elements of its predecessor including low profile and thick turret armour. The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank that was first introduced in 1961. T-62 at the Russian Museum of Military History

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