Tanks And Combat Vehicles Of The Warsaw Pact

When East and West survived on a knife-edge between peace and war, both sides were busy preparing themselves for military action. But what exactly would NATO's troops have faced if the Cold War had suddenly turned hot? Tanks and Combat Vehicles of the Warsaw Pact is a fascinating reference book looking at the wide variety of combat vehicles which were poised and ready for action throughout the long years of military stand-off. Led by the Soviet Union, the nations which formed the Warsaw Pact were as innovative as they were prepared and these deadly war machines had the potential to change the course of world history forever. Find out more about these combat vehicles from how they worked to what they would have been capable of if they had been used in military action against NATO. Tanks and Combat Vehicles of the Warsaw Pact details more than 100 military vehicles from the 2P26 "Baby Carriage" - a compact Soviet off-road vehicle mounted with anti-tank missiles – to the T-80U main battle tank, in service from 1985 onwards.

When East and West survived on a knife-edge between peace and war, both sides were busy preparing themselves for military action. But what exactly would NATO's troops have faced if the Cold War had suddenly turned hot? This ebook box set contains the first three books of the Weapons and Equipment of the Warsaw Pact series: Tanks and Combat Vehicles of the Warsaw Pact, Combat Engineering Equipment of the Warsaw Pact, and Artillery of the Warsaw Pact.

This compendium edition brings together the contents of the first three books of the Weapons and Equipment of the Warsaw Pact series: Tanks and Combat Vehicles of the Warsaw Pact, Combat Engineering Equipment of the Warsaw Pact, and Artillery of the Warsaw Pact.

The T-54, T-62 and T-72 main battle tanks along with the personnel carriers, assault guns, self-propelled guns and anti-tank missiles that are illustrated in this photographic history represent the high point in the design and manufacture of armoured vehicles by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Although the superpowers never came to blows, the 'Cold War' was far from cold, as numerous 'hot' proxy wars were fought in Africa and the Middle East, and these conflicts employed the Soviet weaponry that is shown in action in the colour and black-and-white photographs selected for this book.Between the 1950s and 1980s Soviet and Warsaw Pact countries produced thousands of tanks and armoured vehicles ready for the Third World War. They embarked on a technological arms race with the NATO allies in an attempt to counter each new piece of equipment as it appeared in service. Much of this Soviet weaponry has achieved almost iconic status and, despite its age, remains in service with armies, guerrilla forces and terrorist organizations around the world today. It is also of enduring interest to collectors, re-enactors and modellers who are fascinated by the military equipment of the late twentieth century.

Led by the USA with Western European partners, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in 1949 to counter the Soviet threat. In response the Soviet Union assembled and dominated the Warsaw Pact in 1954. The mainstay of both alliances’ groundforces were their main battle tanks (MBTs). Initially both sides relied on Second World War MBTs; in NATO’s case the Sherman medium tank and its successor the M26 Pershing together with the British Centurion and the heavy Conqueror. The Soviets originally fielded the T-34-85 medium tank and the IS-2 and IS-3 heavy tank replaced by the T-10. Next came the T-54 followed by the T-55 and 155mm armed T-63 (1965). The final WP Cold War MBTs were the T-64, T-72 and T-80 all with 122mm main armament. By contrast, NATO nations increasingly deployed a range of MBTs; the widely used American Patton series (M46 through M48), British Chieftain (1963) and Challenger (1982), French AMX-13 (1950) and AMX-30. From 1963 the Bundeswehr was equipped with the homegrown Leopard 1 and 2. The US M60 series and M1 Abrams came into service from 1980. These and more MBTs and variants are covered in expert detail in this superbly illustrated book.

While tanks were the most recognized armored vehicles during the Cold War, NATO and Warsaw Pact (WP) armies fielded a wide array of armored fighting vehicles (AFVs). These included armored cars, armored personnel carriers (APCs), anti-aircraft vehicles and self propelled artillery. Over the Cold War years nations both progressively developed series of AFVs and introduced entirely new ranges. APCs, vital to all frontline units, evolved from machine gun-armed battlefield taxis such as the US M113 and Soviet BTR-60 series into sophisticated infantry fighting vehicles. The Soviet BMP-1, US Bradley M2/M3, West German Marder and British Warrior and CVR series were classic examples of the latter, with numerous variants. The Soviet BRDM-2 series was the most numerous armored car. The British Army fielded the Saladin, Ferret and Fox and the German Army introduced the eight-wheeled Luchs and tracked SPZ11-2 Kurz. Early anti-aircraft vehicles, such as the American M42 with two 40mm Bofors, were superseded by the formidable Soviet ZSU-23-4 Shilka and the West German Geopard with radar-guided guns. This authoritative and superbly illustrated book covers the full range of AFVs in service with NATO and WP armies over the four decades of the Cold War. It will be an invaluable addition to the libraries of the expert and layman alike.