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.
Grand Total: 30,711+ Tanks
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)
Total: 3,787 tanks
(Total: 4,907 including Jagdpanzer)
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)
Formations
6 Tank divisions (divisions blindées – the 2nd, 7th, 10th in France, the 1st, 3rd and 5th in West Germany)
4 Light Armoured Divisions – the 6th, 9th, 12th, 14th
2 Mechanised Infantry Divisions – the 8th and 15th
Total: 1,868 tanks
Formations
3 Armoured divisions (1st, 3rd and 4th) as part of the BAOR
Total: 1,901 tanks and armored cars
Before the 1980s
Earlier units included the Conqueror tank (1955–1966) and FV4101 Charioteer (TA 1950s). Initially containing 3 armoured divisions, the BAOR was reformed by 1960 into 3 mixed divisions and additional brigade groups. Then in the 1970s, as 4 smaller armoured divisions before reorganization as 3 armoured divisions in 1981–83.
As of 1981/83:
Formations
1 Tank Division
2 Mechanised Infantry Divisions
14 Infantry Divisions (some with tank battalions attached)
Total: 3,570 Tanks
As of 1981/82:
Formations
4 Tank Brigades (three tank battalion each)
9 Mechanised Brigades (one tank battalion each)
5 Motorised Brigades (one mixed tank-mechanized battalion each)
Number of tanks
920 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
1 armoured division
2 mechanised divisions (1 of which reserve)
Number of Tanks
468 MBT Leopard 1
343 MBT Centurion tank
113 light tank AMX 13/105
Total: 924 tanks
As of 1983:
Formations
1 Mechanised Division (Jutland)
1 Light Battlegroup (Jutland)
2 Independent Mechanised Brigades (Zealand)
4 Light Battlegroups (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)
48 Centurion tank Mk.V with 84 mm gun (6x Anti-tank Squadrons in reserve(in four regions and one Light-Battlegroupe)
Zealand
80 MBT Centurion tank MK.V2 with 105 mm L7A1 gun (40 in each Brigade x2)
32 Centurion tank MK.V with 84 mm gun (4x Anti-tank Squadrons in Light-Battlegroups)
18 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog (Recon Battalion)
Bornholm
16 light tank M41 Walker Bulldog (1 Light Tank Squadron and 1 Recon Squadron)
12 Centurion tank MK.V with 84 mm gun (Anti-tank Squadron in reserve)
Storage
26 MBTCenturion tank MK.V2 with 105 mm L7A1 gun
18 Centurion tank MK.V with 84 mm gun
Total: 388 tanks
As of 1981/82:
Formations
2 Armoured Brigades
2 Mechanised Brigades
1 Reserve Mechanised Brigade
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
As of 1981/82:
Formations
1 Mechanized Brigade (4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, based in Germany)
2 Motorized Brigades (1 Canadian Brigade Group and 5e Groupe-brigade du Canada, both based in Canada with NATO taskings to Europe. 1CBG provided personnel for REFORGER and 5GBC as the CAST Canadian Air-Sea Transportable Brigade Group earmarked for service in Norway).
114 MBT Leopard 1
195 AVGP Cougar (amphibious, direct Fire Support Vehicle (Wheeled) FSV(W) variant of the Canadian built Armoured Vehicle General Purpose AVGP based on the Swiss MOWAG 6X6 Piranaha hull with 76 mm gun in British FV101 Scorpion Tank Turret).
The Leopards and Cougars came into service in the late 1970s and replaced 274 Centurion Tanks used by Royal Canadian Armoured Corps units (The Canadian Centurion tanks served in Germany for 25 years, from January 1952 to January 1977).
Total: 114 MBT (+195 FSV) = 309 tanks
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
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
As of 1981/82:
Formations
1 Armoured Division
2 Independent Armoured Brigades
Total: 1,310 tanks
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
Grand Total: 71,700+ Tanks
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)
1,800 med. tank T-34 (At the Chinese border – most used for driver training; withdrawn in 1979)
Total: 57,670 tanks
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
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
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
1,960 T-55
1,804 T-54
428 T-34
Total in 1980: 4,223 tanks
As of 1981/82
Formations
5 Tank Brigades (in Sofia, Kazanlak, Karlovo, Sliven and Aytos)
8 Motor Rifle Divisions
Number of Tanks
1,800 MBT T-54 / T-55
250 MBT T-62
100 med. tank T-34
250 light tank PT-76
Total: 2,400 tanks
As of 1981/82
Formations
1 Tank Division
5 Motor Rifle Divisions
Number of Tanks
1,000 MBT T-54 / T-55
100 light tank PT-76
Total: 1,100 tanks
As of 1981/82
Formations
2 Tank Divisions
8 Motor Rifle Divisions
Number of Tanks
1,300 MBT T-54 / T-55
200 med. tank T-34
Total: 1,500 tanks
