T-62 Main Battle Tank

Key Highlights

The T-62 Main Battle Tank (MBT) stands as the culmination of Soviet tank engineering, tracing its lineage back to the iconic T-34 of the 1930s.

The T-62 MBT marked the global decline of heavy tanks. Combining heavy firepower with enhanced mobility, it established the dominance of the Main Battle Tank.

While the United States had been moving toward this trend since World War II, some factions still favored heavy tanks. The M-103, the final American heavy tank, saw limited production and was mainly utilized by the Marine Corps.

The T-62 was an upgraded version of the T-55 MBT, introduced in the late 1950s. It featured a stronger cannon, improved armor, and a more efficient engine, yet weighed just slightly more than its predecessor.

Production of the T-62 commenced in 1962, with approximately 20,000 units manufactured over the following eight years.

Despite its advancements, the T-62 fell short of Soviet expectations. Its main cannon struggled to target low-lying infantry, and its firing rate was hindered by an overly complex fire control mechanism.

During the 1982 Lebanon invasion, the T-62 was outclassed by the Israeli Merkava in terms of both firepower and armor strength.

The exterior of the T-62 closely resembles that of the T-55, making it challenging to distinguish between the two. While the T-62's turret is larger, it maintains a similar shape to the T-55's. Both tanks feature rails for crew and infantry to hold onto.

The T-62's main gun has a thicker barrel compared to the T-55. On the T-55, the bore evacuator is positioned near the muzzle, whereas on the T-62's 115mm gun, it is located one-third of the barrel length from the muzzle.

Neither tank includes return rollers, but the T-62 is equipped with six road wheels per side, unlike the T-55's five. The T-55 has a gap only between the first and second road wheels, while the T-62 has gaps between all its road wheels.

The T-62's hull design mirrors that of the T-55, featuring the traditional three sections: a front driver’s compartment, a central fighting area, and a rear engine bay.

The driver is positioned on the left side of the hull, while the commander and gunner occupy the left side of the turret, and the loader is stationed on the right. The commander has a cupola, and the loader’s hatch opens to the rear.

The turret is a single-piece casting, with a forward-facing armor thickness of 9.5 inches, compared to the T-55's 8 inches. The commander is equipped with four periscopes and the TKN-3 sight, which offers day/night and infrared functionality.

The gunner operates the TSh2B-41u telescope to aim the main gun, though the fire control system is somewhat unwieldy.

To explore more about the T-62 Main Battle Tank's features, proceed to the next page.

T-62 Main Battle Tank Equipment

Certain equipment on the T-62 Main Battle Tank was inherited from the T-55, including the torsion bar suspension and hydraulic shock absorbers. The fire suppression system can be manually triggered by the commander or driver, or automatically activated via heat sensors.

The T-62 is equipped with a nuclear radiation protection system that seals the tank automatically upon detecting preset radiation levels. A blower and filtration system eliminates radiation-contaminated dust and particles. However, it lacks biological or chemical protection, requiring the crew to wear contamination suits.

The T-62 employs the standard Soviet smoke screen mechanism, which involves spraying diesel fuel into the exhaust manifold. Without modifications, it can traverse rivers up to 4.6 feet deep. With a snorkel installed—an eight-hour process—it can navigate waters as deep as 15 feet.

The T-62 is armed with a 115mm U-5TS smoothbore cannon. Due to the shell's length, the gun elevates after each shot, and combined with its complex fire control system, the tank can fire only four to five rounds per minute.

Additionally, the turret cannot rotate during the loading process. These limitations made the T-62 especially susceptible to Israeli tanks during the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1982 Lebanon invasion.

The tank carries only 40 rounds for its main gun. It features a 7.62mm PKT machine gun mounted coaxially with the main cannon and a 12.7mm DShKM machine gun on the turret for anti-aircraft defense.

The T-62 and T-62A—featuring a larger turret, no loader's hatch, and an externally mounted 12.7mm DShKM machine gun—were upgraded with a laser rangefinder, a solid-state ballistic computer, infrared driving and searchlights, and an image intensifier for nighttime operations.

The T-62M variant was equipped with the same tracks as the T-72. Some T-62s were also fitted with appliqué and reactive armor for enhanced protection.

The T-62 remains in service in approximately 19 countries today. Both Iran and Iraq deployed it during their 1980-1988 conflict, though Iraq's T-62s have since been decommissioned.

The United States acquired T-62s from Israel and Egypt, utilizing them at the National Training Center. Israel also operates T-62s, which were captured from Arab adversaries.

For detailed specifications of the T-62 Main Battle Tank, proceed to the next page.

T-62 Main Battle Tank Specifications

The T-62 Main Battle Tank upheld the Soviet legacy of crafting exceptional tanks, introducing innovations like its smoothbore main cannon. Below are the detailed specifications for the T-62 Main Battle Tank.

Date of service: 1961

Country: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Type: Main Battle Tank

Dimensions: Length, 6.63 m (21.7 ft); width, 3.3 m (10.8 ft); height, 2.39 m (7.8 ft)

Combat weight: 40,000 kg (44 tons)

Engine: Model 55 V-12 diesel, 580 horsepower

Armament: One 115mm U-5TS smoothbore cannon; one 7.62mm PKT machine gun; one 12.7mm DShKm machine gun

Crew: 4

Speed: 50 km/h (31 mph)

Range: 450 km (279 mi)

Obstacle/grade performance: 0.8 m (2.6 ft)