T-54/55 (USSR)

T-54/55

Weight 36 tons

Length 6.45 m

Height 2.40 m

Wide 3.37 m

Crew 4

Armor 99-203 mm

Weapon Cannon 100 mm D-10T rifled gun[1] heavy machine gun 12.7 mm DShK [1]

Speed 55 km/h

"T-54" redirects here. For an American tank prototype from the same era see T54 (American tank), and for other uses, see T54.

"T55" redirects here. For the American utility carrier prototype, see M50 Ontos.

The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just as the Second World War ended. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of the Warsaw Pact countries, and others. T-54s and T-55s were involved in many of the world's armed conflicts during the late 20th and early 21st century.

The T-54/55 series eventually became the most-produced tank in history. Estimated production numbers for the series range from 86,000 to 100,000. They were replaced by the T-62, T-64, T-72, T-80, and T-90 in the Soviet and Russian Armies, but remain in use by up to 50 other armies worldwide, some having received sophisticated retrofitting.

Soviet tanks never directly faced their NATO Cold War adversaries in Europe. However, the T-54/55's first appearance in the west in 1960 spurred the United States to develop the M60 Patton.