Countries With the Most Battle Tanks

Russia has over 15 thousand battle tanks.
Russia has over 15 thousand battle tanks.

Battle tanks are military vehicles used as ground force weapon in a country. An MBT (main battle tank) is a type of powerful tank that is not only highly mobile but heavily armored; the mobile tank is the backbone of a mechanized land force. Battle tanks combine fearsome fire-power with life-saving armor to try and overpower the forces of the enemy, they also aid in securing and holding ground as well as supporting infantry advances. Battle tanks are critical to the military of any country. Some countries pride themselves on being transparent while others prefer not to give details of their military weapons. Where matters of military vehicles are concerned some countries intimidate others, Russia, the People’s Republic of China, and the US top the list of countries possessing the most battle tanks.

Countries With the Most Battle Tanks

Russia

With 15,398 battle tanks, it is no surprise that Russia is the country with the most military battle tanks. It only makes sense that Russia which is the largest country in the world to build a massive military force since it has over 12,000 miles of border to protect. Even though the country’s MBT force is currently dormant, advanced T-90s, T-54s, T-64s, and T-72s are still in service. Russia is naming its future MBT as the Armata Universal Combat Platform which will have a gun turret that is remote controlled.

China

The People’s Republic of China has the second largest MBT force in the world with about 9,151 tanks. China is particularly passionate about the Type 96 MBT and the Type 59 MBT, but the country also has a large force of Type 99 MBTs; these are some of the incredibly advanced military vehicles. The Type 99 MBTs also have armor that incorporates laser defense systems which can zip around at a speed of 50 meters per hour while firing their 125 millimeters gun.

United States

With neighbors such as Mexico and Canada, the US does not have to concern itself with the threat of a possible ground invasion. Therefore, it is not practical for a country with such a massive navy and air force to maintain such a huge MBT. However, that does not mean that the country is not well equipped with military vehicles, the country still operates thousands of tanks all over the world. With 8,850, the US has the world’s third-largest MBT; the country incorporates the ubiquitous M1 Abrams and its variants. The future of the country’s MBTs lies on the M1A3 Abrams which is expected to possibly rival the current technology of South Korea’s most advanced MBT which is known as the K2 Black Panther.

Other Countries With Battle Tanks

Most countries understand that if they are to get involved in the ground war on the continent of Asia, they should possess a massive Main Battle Tank force. Four of the five top countries with the most battles tank in the world come from the continent of Asia. Of the 25 top countries in the world with the most MBTs, 15 of them have more than a thousand battle tanks while the remaining 10 have more than 500 but less than a thousand battle tanks. Some of these countries include India, Pakistan, Algeria, Turkey, Japan, Cuba, Iran, Vietnam, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea among others.

Countries With the Most Battle Tanks

RankCountryBattle Tanks
1 Russia15,398
2 People's Republic of China9,151
3 United States8,850
4 India6,464
5 Democratic People's Republic of Korea3,500
6 Pakistan3,010
7 Egypt2,540
8 Republic of Korea2,514
9 Turkey2,504
10 Vietnam1,800
11 Iran1,663
12 Israel1,560
13 Greece1,354
14 Jordan1,323
15 Algeria1,195
16 Poland926
17 Cuba900
18 Yemen880
19 Ukraine700
20 Japan688
21 Turkmenistan680
22 Saudi Arabia600
23 Republic of China566
24 Bangladesh534
25 Belarus515
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