T-10

Infobox Weapon
name=T-10 Heavy Tank


caption=
type=Heavy tank
origin= Soviet Union
is_vehicle=yes
crew=4
length=hull 7.41 m, overall 9.87 m
width=3.56 m
height=2.43 m
weight=52 tonnes
armour=250 mm
primary_armament=122 mm D-25TA
secondary_armament=2×12.7 mm DShKM machine guns (coaxial, anti-aircraft)
engine=39 l 12-cyl. diesel model V-2-IS
engine_power=700 hp (522 kW)
suspension=torsion-bar
speed=42 km/h
pw_ratio=13 hp/tonne
vehicle_range=250 km

The T-10 (also known as Obiekt 730) was a Soviet heavy tank of the Cold War, the final development of the KV and IS tank series. It was accepted into production in 1952 as the IS-10 ("Iosif Stalin", Russian form of Joseph Stalin), but due to the political climate in the wake of Stalin's death in 1953, it was renamed T-10.

The biggest differences from its direct ancestor, the IS-3, were a longer hull, seven pairs of road wheels instead of six, a larger turret mounting a new gun with fume extractor, an improved diesel engine, and increased armour. General performance was similar, although the T-10 could carry more ammunition.

T-10s (like the IS tanks they replaced) were deployed in independent tank regiments belonging to armies, and independent tank battalions belonging to divisions. These independent tank units could be attached to mechanized units, to support infantry operations and perform breakthroughs.

Demise of Soviet heavy tanks

The mobile nature of armoured warfare in World War II had demonstrated the drawbacks of the slow heavy tanks. In the final push towards Berlin, mechanized divisions had become widely split up as heavy tanks lagged behind the mobile T-34s. The Soviets continued to produce heavy tanks for a few years as part of the Cold War arms race (compare the heavier U.S. M103 and British Conqueror), but the more flexible T-54 and T-62 medium tanks already had armour and armament comparable to the T-10's.

In the 1960s, the Soviets embraced the main battle tank (MBT) concept, by replacing heavy tanks with mobile medium tanks. In the late 1960s, the independent tank battalions with heavy tanks were re-equipped with the higher-technology T-64s, and later, the very fast T-80s, while regular tank and mechanized units fielded the more basic T-55s and T-72s. T-10 production was stopped in 1966, and heavy tank projects were cancelled, such as the auto-loaded, 130 mm-armed "Obiekt 770".

Antitank guided missiles (ATGMs) started to be deployed widely during this period, and would become an effective replacement for the heavy tanks' long-range firepower. The Soviets made use of them first on BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, and later on the T-64 and other MBTs. Eventually, light, sophisticated reactive armour was used to give the MBTs a further edge in protection without slowing them down.

According to Bryan Perret, "the engagements of the Six-Day War, especially that at Rafah, merely emphasised what the Soviet Army already knew, namely that the heavy tank had had its day".

Production history

The T-10 served with the Soviet Union and probably in Soviet forces stationed in other Warsaw Pact countries, but very unlikely in Egypt, North Vietnam, and Syria, as widely believed. Heavy tanks were withdrawn from Soviet front-line service by 1967, and completely removed from service in 1993. Many of the tank chassis were converted to missile vehicles.

It is estimated that some 6,000 Soviet heavy tanks were built after the end of WWII, including IS-2s, IS-3s, and T-10s.

Models

* T-10 - (1952) improvement of the IS-3.
* T-10A - (1956) modification, adding a single-plane gun stabilizer.
* T-10B - (1957) adding a 2-plane gun stabilizer.
* T-10M - (1957) improved version with longer M-62-T2 L/43 gun with five-baffle muzzle brake, 2-plane gun stabilizer, machine guns replaced with 14.5 mm KPVT (a better ballistic match for the new main gun), infrared night vision equipment, NBC protection. Overall length is 10.29 m.
** 1963 - T-10Ms are equipped with OPVT deep-wading snorkel.
** 1967 - T-10Ms are supplied with APDS and HEAT ammunition.

Combat history

* 1967 - Six Day War

References

* cite book
first = Bryan
last = Perret
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1987
month =
title = Soviet Armour Since 1945
chapter =
editor =
others =
edition =
pages =
publisher = Blandford Press
location = London
id = ISBN 0-7137-1735-1
url =

External links

* [http://www.battlefield.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=44 Last Heavy Tanks of the USSR] - Heavy tanks and prototypes from IS-4 through T-10, at battlefield.ru.