An American-made M4 Sherman tank drives across a field, circa early 2026. The M4 Sherman is the most-produced US tank in history, and the third-most produced of any nation. (Shutterstock/Krysek)

These Are the Five Most Common Tanks in the History of Warfare

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The apex of global tank production took place during and immediately after World War II, when American and Soviet designs dominated the world.

Military history has repeatedly demonstrated the importance of industrial production, logistical support, and replacement capacity over the ability to merely win battles. The Iran war has been a reminder of this lesson in the modern era; despite America’s clear battlefield superiority over the Iranians, the US reliance on a small number of expensive and attritable platforms without the ability to quickly replace them has hampered its long-term battlefield effectiveness.

In a sense, America’s struggles against Iran mirror Nazi Germany’s experience in World War II, at the height of global tank production. Nazi Germany’s Tiger tanks were remarkable pieces of engineering, but were produced in relatively small numbers—and were no match for the hordes of Soviet and American models produced in the tens of thousands. Quantity has a quality of its own—or, as a German tank commander apocryphally remarked, “One of our Tiger tanks is worth four of their Shermans, but the Americans always bring five.”

In the modern era, tank production is done on a much smaller scale, and tanks are far larger and more sophisticated than they were during World War II and the early Cold War. This means that no modern tank’s production line is ever likely to match the gargantuan totals of that era. In history, five tank families in particular stand out........

© The National Interest