Cold War tank formations

NATO and the Warsaw Pact

During the Cold War, NATO and the Warsaw Pact both had large tank formations present in Europe. The following gives the number of armoured formations and tank strength as of 1981/1982 for Warsaw Pact and NATO member countries. These include formations and vehicles deployed outside Europe, such as in North America or the Asiatic USSR.

Leopard 2A4

NATO

Grand Total: 30,711+ Tanks

West Germany

Leopard 1 during REFORGER- Exercise 1983

M48 A2C

German Army Formations

• 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)
• 1 Airborne Division (Luftlandedivision)

Number of tanks

MBTs	In reserve	On order	Other
1,200 M48 A2C/A2GA2 2,437 Leopard 1 A2/A3/A4 150 Leopard 2 770 Kanonenjagdpanzer 350 Raketenjagdpanzer	-	-	-

Total: 3,787 tanks

(Total: 4,907 including Jagdpanzer)

USA

A M60A3 in Langgöns, Germany

M1A1

Formations

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

Number of tanks

• 1,825 M48A5 MBT
• 1,555 M60 MBT
• 5,775 M60A1 MBT
• 540 M60A2 MBT
• 1,500 M60A3 MBT
• 150 M1 Abrams MBT
• 400 M551 Sheridan AR/AAV (330 for training purposes)
• 575 M60A1 MBT with the Marines

Total: 12,320 tanks (min. 330 for training only)

France

AMX-30

Formations

• 4 Tank divisions (divisions blindées - the 7th in France, the 1st, 3rd and 5th in West Germany)
• 4 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
• 1 Airborne Division
• 1 Alpine Division

Number of tanks

MBTs	In reserve	On order	Other
1,259 AMX 30	-	145 AMX 30	340 AMX 13 light tanks

Total: 1,868 tanks

United Kingdom

FV4201 Chieftain

Formations

• 3 Armoured divisions (1st, 3rd and 4th) as part of the BAOR

Number of tanks

Tanks	In reserve	On order	Other
900 FV4201 Chieftain MBT (60 in Reserve)	300 Centurion MBT stored	240 FV4030/4 Challenger MBT	271 tracked armoured reconnaissance vehicles (FV101 Scorpion and Scimitar)

Total: 1,901 tanks and armored cars

Before 1980s.

Earlier units included the Conqueror tank (1955-1966) and FV401 Charioteer (TA 1950s) Initially containing 3 armoured divisions, the BAOR was reformed by 1960 into 3 mixed divisions and additional brigade groups. Then in 1970s, as 4 smaller Armoured divisions before reorganization as 3 Armoured divisions in 1981-83.

Turkey

As of 1981/83:

Formations

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

Number of tanks

MBT	In reserve	On order	Other
3,000 M47 Patton 500 M48 Patton	-	70 Leopard 1A3 MBT	-

Total: 3,570 Tanks

Italy

Leopard 1

M-47 Patton I

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 1 Tank Division
• 3 mechanised Divisions
• 6 independent mechanised Brigade
• 5 Alpini Brigades
• 1 Airborne Brigade

Number of tanks

• 900 MBT Leopard 1
• 300 MBT M60A1
• 550 MBT M47 Patton (remaining of original 1,500)

Total: 1,620 tanks

Netherlands

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 3 mechanised Divisions (1 of which reserve)

Number of Tanks

• 468 MBT Leopard 1
• 330 MBT Centurion tank
• 120 light tank AMX-13

Total: 918 tanks

Denmark

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 1 Mechanised Division (Jutland)
• 2 Independent Mechanised Brigades (Zealand)
• 1 Battlegroup (Bornholm)

Number of Tanks

Jutland

• 120 MBT Leopard 1A3 (40 in each Brigade x3)
• 18 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog (Recon Battalion)
• 70 Centurion tank MK.III with 84mm gun (Anti-tank Squadrons in reserve)

Zealand

• 106 MBT Centurion tank MK.V & MK.V2 with 105mm L7A1 gun (40 in each Brigade x2 and 26 in Reserve units)
• 40 Centurion tank MK.III with 84mm gun (Anti-tank Squadrons in Light-Battlegroups x4)
• 18 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog (Recon Battalion)

Bornholm

• 16 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog (1 Tank Squadron and 1 Recon Squadron)

Total: 388 tanks

Belgium

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 2 Armoured Brigades
• 2 Mechanised Brigades
• 1 Reserve Mechanised Brigade
• 1 Para-Commando Regiment

Number of tanks

• 334 MBT Leopard 1
• 62 MBT M47 Patton (reserve)
• 136 light tank FV101 Scorpion
• 154 light tank FV107 Scimitar
• light tank AMX-13
• 80 light tank Kanonenjagdpanzer

Total: 766+ tanks

Canada

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 2 Mechanized Brigades
• 2 Motorized Brigades
• 1 Airborne Regiment

Number of tanks

• 114 MBT Leopard 1

Total: 114 tanks

Norway

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• Independent Armoured Squadrons

Number of tanks

• 78 MBT Leopard 1
• 38 MBT M48 Patton
• 70 light tank NM-116 (upgraded M24 Chaffee)

Total: 186 tanks

Portugal

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 1 Tank Regiment
• 2 Cavalry Regiments

Number of tanks

• 34 MBT M47 Patton
• 30 MBT M48 Patton
• light tank M24 Chaffee

Total: 64+ tanks

Greece

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 1 Armoured Division
• 2 Independent Armoured Brigades

Number of tanks

MBT	In reserve	On order	Other
170 AMX 30 800 M48 Patton 150 M47 Patton 190 M24 Chaffee	-		-

Total: 1,310 tanks

Spain

Members of NATO from 30 May 1982:

Formations

• 1 Armoured Division
• 1 Mechanised Division
• 3 Armoured Cavalry Brigades
• 1 Light Cavalry Regiment

Number of tanks

• 340 MBT M47 Patton
• 110 MBT M48 Patton
• 200 MBT AMX-30
• 180 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog

Total: 830 tanks

Warsaw Pact

Grand Total: 71,700+ Tanks

USSR

T-64A

T-72

Formations

As of 1981/82 the Soviet Ground Forces had:

• 46 Tank Divisions, including six Tank Armies with four tank divisions each.
• 119 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
• 6 Airborne Divisions
• 1 Naval Infantry Division
• 3 Naval Infantry Brigades

Tank strength

• 45,000 MBT JS-2 and JS-3 (Reserve) T-10 / T-10M / T-54 / T-55 / T-62
• 10,000 MBT T-64 / T-72 / T-80
• 870 amphibious Reconnaissance Tanks PT-76 (Plavayushchiy Tank)
• 1800 med. tank T-34 (At the Chinese border - most used for driver training; withdrawn in 1979)

Total: 57,670 tanks

East Germany

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 2 Tank Division
• 4 Mechanised Infantry Divisions

Number of tanks

• 1,500 MBT T-54 / T-55 / T-72 (further 1600 tanks stored)
• 120 Reconnaissance tanks PT-76

Total: 1,620+ tanks

Poland

Polish T-55

As of 1981/82:

Formations

• 5 Tank Divisions
• 8 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
• 1 Amphibious Assault Division
• 1 Airborne Division

Number of Tanks

• 3,400 T-54 / T-55 MBT
• 30 T-72 MBT
• 130 PT-76 Armored Reconnaissance tanks

Total: 4,010 tanks

Czechoslovakia

As of 1980

Formations

• 7 Tank Divisions (2 on full numbers, 3 on reduced numbers, 2 created by mobilization)
• 8 Motor-Rifle Divisions (3 on full numbers, 2 on reduced numbers, 3 created by mobilization)

Number of Tanks as of year 1980

• 31 T-72
• 1960 T-55
• 1804 T-54
• 428 T-34

Total in 1980: 4,223 tanks

Bulgaria

As of 1981/82

Formations

• 5 Tank Brigades (in Sofia, Kazanlak, Karlovo, Sliven and Aytos)
• 8 Motor Rifle Divisions

Number of Tanks

• 1800 MBT T-54 / T-55
• 250 MBT T-62
• 100 med. tank T-34
• 250 light tank PT-76

Total: 2,400 tanks

Hungary

As of 1981/82

Formations

• 1 Tank Division
• 5 Motor Rifle Divisions

Number of Tanks

• 1000 MBT T-54 / T-55
• 100 light tank PT-76

Total: 1,100 tanks

Romania

As of 1981/82

Formations

• 2 Tank Divisions
• 8 Motor Rifle Divisions

Number of Tanks

• 1300 MBT T-54 / T-55
• 200 med. tank T-34

Total: 1,500 tanks

References

• Armed Forces 1981/82 In: The Military Balance of the International Institute for Strategic Studies London (Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Munich 1982.)
• Ferdinand von Senger und Etterlin (1983). Tanks of the World. London: Arms and Armour Press. 
• John Weeks (1981). Armies of the World. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd.