page_title: T-62
section_title: Soviet–Afghan War
hierarchical_section_title: T-62 / Service history / Soviet Union / Soviet–Afghan War
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Основной танк Т-62М, из состава 371-го гвардейского Берлинского орденов Кутузова и Богдана Хмельницкого мотострелкового полка 5-й гвардейской мотострелковой дивизии, покинувший Афганистан в рамках объявленного Горбачевым, во Владивостоке, публичного вывода войск.English: An up-armoured Soviet T-62M main battle tank, of the "Berlin" tank regiment, 5th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, leaving Afghanistan as part of the publicized withdrawal announced by Gorbachev in Vladivostok.
context_page_description: The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank that was first introduced in 1961. As a further development of the T-55 series, the T-62 retained many similar design elements of its predecessor including low profile and thick turret armour. In contrast with previous tanks, which were armed with rifled tank guns, the T-62 was the first tank armed with a smoothbore tank gun that could fire APFSDS rounds at higher velocities. While the T-62 became the standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, it did not fully replace the T-55 in export markets due to its higher manufacturing costs and maintenance requirements compared to its predecessor. Although the T-62 was replaced in Russia and the successor states of the Soviet Union, it is still used in some countries and its design features became standardised in subsequent Soviet and Russian mass-produced tanks.
context_section_description: During the Soviet–Afghan War, the T-62 was a primary tank used by the Soviet army. The Soviets used tanks in several ways, with the use of many in fire support bases, while other were employed for convoy protection or as infantry support. Towards the end of the war T-62Ms, using the BDD appliqué armour, appeared in large numbers. According to US sources, nearly 325 T-62s fell victim to Mujahideen attacks, especially from anti-tank land mines and RPGs. Others fell into the hands of the Afghan Mujahideen after they were left behind by withdrawing Soviet forces.
  The USSR officially confirmed the loss of 147 T-62 and T-55 tanks during the war.
caption: Soviet T-62M of the "Berlin" tank regiment which was a part of the 5th Guards Motor Rifle Division, leaving Afghanistan, 1 January 1987
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