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The T-62 was originally con ceived as a companion weapon to the T-55, being essentially a T-55 up-gunned with the 2A20 115mm cannon . Both the T-55and the T-62 used the same wheels, track,engine, transmission, hatches and other fittings. The primary differencesbetween the two vehicles were the T-62s leng thened hull and new turret design. The new UT-5 cannon could fire its BR-5 APFSDSsteel round through approximately 300mm of armor at a range of 1000 metres. This was adequate todeal with the then perceived threat of such NATO tanks as the American M48 and later models of the British Centurion . The T-62 was meant to add long range firing capability to Soviet tank regimentsbeing placed alongside T-55s, but in the later years of its deployment it fulfilledmuch the same role as the T-55. Despitebeing introduced in 1960, the improved performance of its successor, the T-72, the T-62 still sees service todayin many of the worlds armies, the Arab nation sbeing the largest consumers outside the Warsaw Pact.Egypt, Iraq, and Syria have been notable users of the T-62. Israel has acquired a quantity ofT-62s in clashes with its neighbours and hasrebuilt them to IDF stand ards.
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