Tank formations during the Cold War

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Tank formations and number of tanks of the most important countries in Europe during the Cold War.

List of units:

Contents 1 West Germany 2 USA 3 France 4 United Kingdom 5 Turkey 6 USSR 7 East Germany 8 Poland 9 Italy 10 Sources

[edit] West Germany

As of 1981/82:

• 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)

Number of tanks:

• 1200 MBT M48 A2 / A2GA2
• 2437 MBT Leopard 1 A2 / A3 / A4
• 150 MBT Leopard 2
• 770 Tank Destroyer, Gun 90 mm - Kanonenjagdpanzer 4-5
• 200 Tank Destroyer, Missile - Raketenjagdpanzer HOT (Haut-subsonique Optiquement Téléguide d' un tube)

Total: 4757 Battle Tanks

[edit] USA

As of 1981/82:

• 4 Tank Divisions
• 6 Mechanised 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 Battailons Marines
•  ? Tank Battalions National Guard (Reserve)

Number of battle tanks:

• 1825 MBT M48A5
• 1555 MBT M60
• 5775 MBT M60A1
• 540 MBT M60A2
• 1500 MBT M60A3
• 150 MBT M1 Abrams

• 400 AR/AAV M551 Sheridan (330 for training purposes)
• 575 MBT M60A1 with the Marines
• Total: 11780 tanks (min. 330 for training only)

[edit] France

As of 1981/82:

• 8 Tank Divisions
• 4 Mechanised Infantry Divisions

Number of tanks:

• 1259 MBT AMX 30 (add. 145 ordered)
• 340 LBT AMX 13
• 39 6x6 Reconnaissance ARC AMX 10RC
• 230 8x8 Reconnaissance ARC Panhard EBR-75 (Hussars)
• Total: 1868 Tanks

[edit] United Kingdom

As of 1981/82:

• 11 Tank Regiments
• 8 Tank Reconnaissance Regiments
• 1 Tank Destroyer Regiment

Number of Tanks:

• 900 MBT „Chieftain“ (incl. 60 in Reserve)
• 240 MBT „Challenger“ (ordered)
• 200 light tanks „Fox (Tank)“ 6x6
• 271 light tanks FV 101 „Scorpion“
• 290 Reconnaissance tanks FV 107 „Scimitar“
• Total: 1901 Tanks and armored cars

[edit] Turkey

As of 1981/82:

• 1 Tank Division
• 2 mechanised Infantry Divisions
• 14 Infantry Divisions

Number of tanks:

• 3000 MBT M47
• 500 MBT M48
• 70 MBT Leopard 1A3 (ordered)
• Total: 3570 Tanks

[edit] USSR

As of 1981/82:

• 46 Tank Divisions
• 119 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
•  ? Independent Tank Regiments
•  ? Independent Tank Destroyer Brigades

Number of tanks:

• 45000 MBT JS-2 / JS-3 / T-10 / T-10M / T-54 / T-55 / T-62
• 10000 MBT T-64 / T-72
• 2100 Tank Destroyer ASU-57 und ASU-85 (Aviadesantnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka)
• 870 Reconnaissance Tanks PT-76 (Plavayushchiy Tank) amphibious
• 1800 MBT T-34 (At the Chinese border and in central Russia - an unknown number for training purposes only?)
• Total: 59770 Tanks

Remark:
The total number of 59770 tanks is far of any reality. The JS-2, JS-3, T-10, ASU-57 and T-34 were completely out-of-date.

[edit] East Germany

As of 1981/82:

• 2 Tank Division
• 4 Mechanised Infantry Divisions

Number of tanks:

• 1500 MBT T-54 / T-55 / T-72 (further 1600 tanks stored)
•  ? Reconnaissance tanks PT-76
•  ? Tank Destroyer ASU-85

[edit] Poland

As of 1981/82:

• 5 Tank Divisions
• 8 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
• 1 Amph. Assault Division
• 3 independent Tank Destroyer Regiments

Number of Tanks:

• 3400 MBT T-54 / T-55
• 30 MBT T-72
• 130 Armored Reconnaissance tanks PT-76
• 450 Tank Destroyer ASU-85
• Total: 4010 tanks

[edit] Italy

As of 1981/82:

• 1 Tank Division
• 3 mechanised Divisions
• 6 independet mechanised Brigades

Number of tanks:

• 900 MBT Leopard 1
• 300 MBT M60A1
• 550 MBT M47 (remained of originally 1.500)
• Total: 1.620

[edit] Sources

• Armed Forces 1981/82 In: The Military Balance of the International Institut for Strategic Studies / London (Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Munich 1982.)
• Ferdinand von Senger und Etterlin: Tanks of the World. Arms and Armor Press, London 1983.