The tank was designed at the Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) in 1946 to meet a requirement for an air-portable vehicle to support paratroopers.

Including prototypes and export versions, over a hundred variants exist, including self-propelled guns, anti-aircraft systems, APCs, and ATGM versions. Named after its initial weight of 13 tonnes, and featuring a tough and reliable chassis, it was fitted with an oscillating turret built by GIAT Industries (now Nexter) with revolver type magazines, which were also used on the Austrian SK-105 Kürassier. It served with the French Army, as the Char 13t-75 Modèle 51, and was exported to more than 26 other nations. The modern battlefield shows no signs of this changing soon, with the development of tanks continuing to adapt to it.The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1952 to 1987. Modern Era – Are Tanks Still Relevant?: Despite numerous prophets heralding the demise of the tank, armor is still an important part of all the world’s militaries. Although the USA and USSR never fought each other directly, almost all proxy wars of the period saw extensive usage of their tanks.

World War Two would change these perceptions, and see tanks used in unprecedented numbers across all theaters of war.Ĭold War – East vs West: In a period dominated by nuclear weapons, two opposing superpowers led to the splitting of the world into East and West. Even so, many were unconvinced by this new weapon of war. WW2 – The Tank Goes Global: The Interwar period saw the tank go on a worldwide tour, from Bolivia to China, every corner of the globe and all seven continents felt the tread of heavy armor. Soon after its introduction, the tank quickly became a killing machine integrated into combined arms operations. However, many pioneers had envisioned the use of armored vehicles in the decades prior to the Great War.

WW1 – Mud, Barbed Wire, and Trenches: The United Kingdom and France started development of tanks in order to break through enemy lines. If you feel something is missing, please add it to our Public Suggestion List. If you spot something wrong, please let us know. As a reader, you can help to improve our site. Tank Encyclopedia continues to be a work-in-progress largely carried out by volunteers.

Japanese modern light tanks