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 Formations6 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)
Formations4 Tank Divisions6 Mechanized Divisions4 Infantry Divisions1 Airborne Division (incl. 1 Tank Battalion)1 independent Tank Brigade4 independent Infantry Brigades3 Cavalry Regiments (Reconnaissance)3 Tank Battalions Marines ? Tank Battalions National Guard (Reserve)Number of tanks1,825 M48A5 MBT1,555 M60 MBT5,775 M60A1 MBT540 M60A2 MBT1,500 M60A3 MBT150 M1 Abrams MBT400 M551 Sheridan AR/AAV (330 for training purposes)575 M60A1 MBT with the MarinesTotal: 12,320 tanks (min. 330 for training only)
Formations6 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, 14th2 Mechanised Infantry Divisions – the 8th and 15thTotal: 1,868 tanks
Formations3 Armoured divisions (1st, 3rd and 4th) as part of the BAORTotal: 1,901 tanks and armored cars
Before the 1980sEarlier 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:
Formations1 Tank Division2 Mechanised Infantry Divisions14 Infantry Divisions (some with tank battalions attached)Total: 3,570 Tanks
As of 1981/82:
Formations4 Tank Brigades (three tank battalion each)9 Mechanised Brigades (one tank battalion each)5 Motorised Brigades (one mixed tank-mechanized battalion each)Number of tanks920 MBT Leopard 1300 MBT M60A1550 MBT M47 Patton (remaining of original 1,500)Total: 1,620 tanks
Netherlands
As of 1981/82:
Formations1 armoured division2 mechanised divisions (1 of which reserve)Number of Tanks468 MBT Leopard 1343 MBT Centurion tank113 light tank AMX 13/105Total: 924 tanks
As of 1983:
Formations1 Mechanised Division (Jutland)1 Light Battlegroup (Jutland)2 Independent Mechanised Brigades (Zealand)4 Light Battlegroups (Zealand)1 Battlegroup (Bornholm)Number of TanksJutland
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 gun18 Centurion tank MK.V with 84 mm gunTotal: 388 tanks
As of 1981/82:
Formations2 Armoured Brigades2 Mechanised Brigades1 Reserve Mechanised BrigadeNumber of tanks334 MBT Leopard 162 MBT M47 Patton (reserve)136 light tank FV101 Scorpion154 light tank FV107 Scimitarlight tank AMX-1380 light tank KanonenjagdpanzerTotal: 766+ tanks
As of 1981/82:
Formations1 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 1195 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:
FormationsIndependent Armoured SquadronsNumber of tanks78 MBT Leopard 138 MBT M48 Patton70 light tank NM-116 (upgraded M24 Chaffee)Total: 186 tanks
As of 1981/82:
Formations1 Tank Regiment2 Cavalry RegimentsNumber of tanks34 MBT M47 Patton30 MBT M48 Pattonlight tank M24 ChaffeeTotal: 64+ tanks
As of 1981/82:
Formations1 Armoured Division2 Independent Armoured BrigadesTotal: 1,310 tanks
Members of NATO from 30 May 1982:
Formations1 Armoured Division1 Mechanised Division3 Armoured Cavalry Brigades1 Light Cavalry RegimentNumber of tanks340 MBT M47 Patton110 MBT M48 Patton200 MBT AMX-30180 light tank M41 Walker BulldogTotal: 830 tanks
Grand Total: 71,700+ Tanks
FormationsAs of 1981/82 the Soviet Ground Forces had:
46 Tank Divisions, including six Tank Armies with four tank divisions each.119 Mechanised Infantry Divisions6 Airborne Divisions1 Naval Infantry Division3 Naval Infantry BrigadesTank strength45,000 MBT JS-2 and JS-3 (Reserve) T-10 / T-10M / T-54 / T-55 / T-6210,000 MBT T-64 / T-72 / T-80870 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:
Formations2 Tank Division4 Mechanised Infantry DivisionsNumber of tanks1,500 MBT T-54 / T-55 / T-72 (further 1600 tanks stored)120 Reconnaissance tanks PT-76Total: 1,620+ tanks
Poland
As of 1981/82:
Formations5 Tank Divisions8 Mechanised Infantry Divisions1 Amphibious Assault Division1 Airborne DivisionNumber of Tanks3,400 T-54 / T-55 MBT30 T-72 MBT130 PT-76 Armored Reconnaissance tanksTotal: 4,010 tanks
As of 1980
Formations7 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 198031 T-721,960 T-551,804 T-54428 T-34Total in 1980: 4,223 tanks
As of 1981/82
Formations5 Tank Brigades (in Sofia, Kazanlak, Karlovo, Sliven and Aytos)8 Motor Rifle DivisionsNumber of Tanks1,800 MBT T-54 / T-55250 MBT T-62100 med. tank T-34250 light tank PT-76Total: 2,400 tanks
As of 1981/82
Formations1 Tank Division5 Motor Rifle DivisionsNumber of Tanks1,000 MBT T-54 / T-55100 light tank PT-76Total: 1,100 tanks
As of 1981/82
Formations2 Tank Divisions8 Motor Rifle DivisionsNumber of Tanks1,300 MBT T-54 / T-55200 med. tank T-34Total: 1,500 tanks
