T-62
In service 1961 - 2011 in Russian reserve; still in use elsewhere
The tank that introduced the smoothbore gun and fin-stabilised ammunition to the world's armies, and the Soviet mainstay between the T-55 and the T-72.
Built byUralvagonzavod
Development history
Western tanks of the late 1950s were growing armour faster than the T-55's 100 mm rifled gun could handle, so Uralvagonzavod lengthened the hull and fitted a new turret with the 115 mm U-5TS - the first smoothbore gun mounted in a production tank, firing fin-stabilised APFSDS rounds at very high velocity. Around 22,700 were built. The trade-offs were real: a slow, awkward automatic shell-ejection system, a low rate of fire and an unchanged cramped fighting compartment. T-62s fought in the Middle East in 1973, in Afghanistan, in Angola, in Iran-Iraq, in Chechnya and again in Ukraine after 2022. Israeli forces captured large numbers in 1973 and used them as the Ti-67.
Photo gallery
Period photographs with source and licence details.
Variants
One canonical record, 4 recorded variants.
T-62 (1961)
1961Base version with the 115 mm U-5TS smoothbore and shell ejection system.
T-62 Obr. 1972
1972Roof-mounted 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun added.
T-62M
1983Appliqué turret armour, belly armour, Volna fire control and guided projectile capability.
T-62D
1983Drozd active protection system fitted to a limited number of vehicles.
Notable actions
- Yom Kippur War
- Soviet-Afghan War
- Iran-Iraq War
- First Chechen War
- Russian invasion of Ukraine