This August marks the 65th anniversary of the Soviet medium tank "T-62" entering service in the Soviet Army.
This combat vehicle participated in dozens of battles, while its upgraded versions are currently being used to carry out special military operation missions.
The T-62's main feature was its 115mm 2A20 gun, also known as the U-5TS "Molot" (Hammer). This was the world's first mass-produced smoothbore gun, preceding Western developments by nearly two decades. For example, the German 120mm Rh120 gun used on the Leopard 2 tank did not enter service until 1979.
During combat use in the Middle East, the 2A20 gun's impact was not limited to destroying American M48 and M60 tanks and British Centurion and Chieftain tanks, but also extended to targeting combat helicopters such as the US-made Hughes 500MD and AH-1J.
Some sources indicate that the T-62 tank was first officially displayed during the military parade held on November 7, 1967. However, documentary films show that it first passed through Red Square onMay 9, 1965.
During one of the largest Soviet military exercises, "Dnepr-67," in which about one and a half million soldiers participated, thousands of tanks of this model were used, and large numbers of them were displayed in the final parade of the exercises.
In August 1968, T-62 tanks participated in Operation Danube on Czechoslovakian territory, and later appeared during the events on Damansky Island in the Soviet Far East.
These combat vehicles also participated in October 1973 with Egyptian and Syrian army units during battles in the Suez Canal area and the Golan Heights. Later, T-62 tanks saw action in other conflicts, including Ethiopia, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Iran-Iraq War, and the Lebanese conflict, where tanks produced at the Nizhny Tagil plant were present on the battlefields.
The T-62 tanks are currently receiving additional equipment including improved protection, new targeting systems with thermal cameras, more powerful engines, and other improvements that help them operate effectively in modern military operations.
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