M60 Patton

The M60 Patton is an American main battle tank introduced into United States Army service in 1960, developed from the earlier M48 Patton by fitting a more powerful 105mm main gun, improved armor and a diesel engine for better range, and it became the primary American and NATO main battle tank of the 1960s and 1970s before gradual replacement by the M1 Abrams. It saw extensive combat and export service with American allies, most notably with Israeli forces in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where it fought Egyptian and Syrian armor including Soviet-supplied T-62s in some of the largest tank engagements since the Second World War, and it remained in front-line or reserve service with numerous countries' militaries for decades afterward. Though eventually eclipsed by more advanced designs, the M60's long production run and wide export use made it one of the most numerous Western tanks of the Cold War, and upgraded versions continued in active service with some countries into the twenty-first century.