Key Points and Summary – Despite Ukraine’s drone-saturated battlefield, the tank isn’t dead—it’s evolving.
Our 2025 NATO Top 5 shows why: #5 Challenger 2 couples Dorchester armor with sniper-like accuracy; #4 Leclerc brings an autoloader, speed and improved counter-drone defenses; #3 Poland’s K2 adds advanced sensors, rapid fire and deep-water fording; #2 Leopard 2A7V fields modular armor, L/55A1 gun, 3rd-gen FLIR and Trophy APS; #1 M1A2 SEPv3 integrates tougher protection, anti-drone measures, data-linked rounds and superior thermals.
-Active protection, EW and updated tactics—plus infantry-drone teaming—are keeping armor relevant, lethal, and central to modern combined-arms warfare.
Top 5 NATO Tanks in 2025: Why Armor Isn’t Dead Yet
The ongoing war in Ukraine has created misconceptions about tanks, with many stating that the age of the tank is over. While the tank’s usage and tactics associated with it will change, it is not ready for the retirement list just yet.
Yes, the overwhelming plethora of drones in Ukraine has made anything surrounded by steel a target right now, but the anti-drone technology is also increasing by leaps and bounds. The tank still has a future.
Ukrainians have used several tanks thus far in the three and a half years of warfare against the Russians (including Russian-made tanks), and several of which are NATO tanks.
So, we put together a list, everyone loves lists of Top 5 this or that, of NATO tanks in 2025.
#5 The British Challenger II
The Challenger II is among the best-protected main battle tanks operated by the 32 NATO member allies, thanks to its Dorchester armor.
The armor, itself an evolution of the United Kingdom’s Chobham armor, used on M-1 Abrams, is a multi-layered composite material, thought to be made of several kinds of metals, ceramics, and possibly other types of materials that are a tightly guarded British secret.
Challenger 2 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
One example of how tough the armor is was when a Ukrainian tank crew survived a direct hit from a high-explosive round during a rocket attack by Russian helicopters.
“The damage was 720 mm deep, but the crew inside survived. The tank could still move and complete its mission,” according to the tank commander.
Works “Like A Sniper”
The tank crew relayed that one of Challenger II’s key strengths is its accuracy. The tank features a rifled 120mm gun and a sophisticated firing system that compensates for factors such as wind speed and humidity.
The brigade has changed its usage, and they are using the Challenger IIs to support the infantry rather than the other way around. Other tankers said they fight their tank from Ukrainian-controlled treelines, firing at Russian-controlled treelines up to 1.8 miles away while drones correct their shots.
The targets were the Russians’ “full-concrete, dug-in positions.” But “no vehicles yet,” one tanker added.
The Challenger II Is Heavy
Ukrainian forces didn’t use them in attacks for which it was designed. The Challenger II was intended as a break-out, defensive line-penetrating platform during the counteroffensive. In Ukraine, the tanks were primarily used as mobile assault guns rather than in their traditional tank roles.
The crew in the Forbes article explained why. “Cross-country mobility is difficult,” one tanker said. “For our ground, the 71-ton British tank is heavy.”
Challenger 2 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Like its American counterpart, the M1 Abrams main battle tank, the British Challenger II’s mobility and range are compromised by an effective but heavy armor protection package.
Drawbacks of the Challenger II include the need for special ammunition, the heavy tank’s tendency to get bogged down in Ukraine’s soft soil, and its underpowered nature.
#4 The French-built Leclerc Tank
This third-generation, French-built MBT “oozes with firepower,” as National Interest describes it. Designed to replace the French Army’s aging fleet of AMX-30 tanks, the tank was initially conceived in the 1980s and first deployed in 1991.
It is a widely respected MBT in armor circles, despite not being as well-known as some other NATO designs.
Meet The Leclerc Main Battle Tank
The Leclerc is equipped with an automatic loading system for the main armament. Remote-controlled machine guns allow for a crew of just three: a commander, driver, and gunner.
The third-generation tank is armed with a 120mm smoothbore main gun. It is longer than the guns on the Leopard 2 or the M1 Abrams, but it fires essentially the same ammunition.
The 120mm gun is fully stabilized to allow for firing on the move, even across open country, very accurately. With its autoloader, the Leclerc can sustain a rate of fire of 12 rounds per minute.
Leclerc Main Battle Tank in Parade. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The 57-ton MBT is powered by a SACM V8 high-pressure diesel engine, which delivers 1,500 horsepower. It can also be equipped with additional fuel tanks to increase its range. It can reach a top speed of 44 mph on roads and 34 mph cross country.
An improved version to improve its defenses against IEDs and drone attacks began reaching units about a year ago.
#3 The Polish (South Korean-Built) K2 Black Panther Tank
The South Korean K2 Black Panther main battle tank (MBT) is one of the most advanced armored vehicles in the world, rivaling Western counterparts like the M1 Abrams, Leopard 2, and Challenger 2. Some experts have even called this tank the best in the world.
Poland received delivery of 110 tanks in March of this year. As Poland plans to expand its military, the K2 is envisioned as the new backbone of the Polish tank forces.
The K2 Black Panther was launched in the early 2010s by Hyundai Rotem to integrate a fourth-generation main battle tank into the South Korean Army.
The K2 has a 120-millimeter smoothbore cannon, a 12.7-millimeter (.50 caliber) heavy machine gun, and a 7.62-millimeter NATO-standard secondary machine gun.
The main 120mm gun can reportedly fire roughly 10-15 rounds per minute and can be used with a wide range of munitions, including all the standard NATO tank rounds. As detailed by Military Watch Magazine, this system can instantaneously detect, select, and load the necessary type and amount of ammunition.
The platform’s sensors are also extremely powerful, with its fire control system linked to a high-frequency radar deployed on the frontal arc of its turret, which complements its crosswind sensors and laser rangefinders.
K2 Black-Panther. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
A tank crew operating a K2 Black Panther tank cross a newly constructed Improved Ribbon Bridge during a wet gap crossing training for Freedom Shield 24, March 14, 2024, in South Korea. An annual event, FS24, provides a rigorous environment to enhance readiness, interoperability, and response capabilities in realistic scenarios. (Texas Army National Guard photo by Spc. Joe Cantu, 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
The tanks’ armor consists of steel and silicon carbide ceramic plates. It measures 36 feet in length, weighs 55 tons (121,254 pounds), and is operated by a three-person crew with a commander, gunner, and driver.
The K2 is powered by a 1,500-horsepower engine and a six-speed transmission, capable of reaching a speed of 43 miles per hour and a range of 280 miles. While it is one of the most advanced main battle tanks (MBTs) in the world, it is also the most expensive, costing around $8.5 million per unit.
The Korean K2 Black Panther is equipped with an elaborate “snorkel” system, allowing it to cross rivers as deep as 4.1 meters. This seems to be an amphibious quality, given that the US Army’s M1 Abrams can reportedly travel through only about 2 meters of water.
The K2 snorkel system is quite elaborate, as it utilizes a “conning tower” to extend above the tank out of the water and funnel air down into a sealed, air- and water-tight crew compartment, which operates with an air circulation system.
According to data from the K2’s manufacturer, Hyundai Rotem, the tank’s snorkel system can be prepared in 20 to 30 minutes and is fully combat-ready upon exiting the water.
#2 The German Leopard
The Leopard 2A7V is Germany’s most advanced version of the Leopard 2 main battle tank, featuring enhanced protection through a new modular armor package, improved lethality with a more powerful L/55A1 cannon and advanced ammunition, and better situational awareness with new sensors and electronics.
This version entered service with the German Bundeswehr in September 2021, weighing around 66.5 tons and utilizing an MTU 1500 HP engine for improved mobility, including an adaptive transmission.
The frontal protection has been improved with a dual kit on the turret and hull front. In contrast, 360° protection against RPGs and the lower hull has been reinforced against mine protection, increasing the survivability of the tank in urban operations.
Canada first used the modular armor system’s components in Afghanistan. It can fire programmable High Explosive munitions. The turret-mounted MG3 has been replaced with a stabilized FLW 200 remotely controlled weapon station.
Leopard 2. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
A Canadian Army Leopard 2A4M tank fires a round while taking part in the Canadian Army Trophy tank competition at Ādaži in Latvia. The Canadian Army Trophy tank competition, held in May 2024, allowed participating nations to show off their gunnery skills while building camaraderie. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The improved Leopard features cameras for situational awareness, an enhanced gun-barrel for increased lifespan and foreseeable ammunition improvements, third-generation FLIR for TC and GNR, a BMS (battlefield management system), belly and lower glacis armor, and possibly APS (active protection systems). The external armor package is more conventional than the 7+.
On February 22, 2021, Germany signed a contract with Israel to purchase the Trophy active protection system (APS) for its Leopard 2A7V Main Battle Tanks (MBTs). The Israeli Trophy APS is now in service with three countries, including Israel on the Merkava 4, the United States on the M1A2 SEPV V3, and the Leopard.
The difference between this tank and #1 was very slim, and many armor analysts and enthusiasts believe this version of the Leopard to be the best tank in the world. It may just be.
#1 The US M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams
The US and our allies know that tanks aren’t obsolete; only the current ones are. Meanwhile, the US has taken the best tank in the world and made it even better. However, too many experts have examined Ukraine, misinterpreted the findings, and drawn incorrect conclusions.
General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has significantly upgraded the M1A2 Abrams, an outstanding tank. The SEP stands for the System Enhancement Program. The newest iteration of the Abrams is already a popular model with our allies, as both Australia and Poland have ordered more tanks to beef up their armored forces. Ukraine is clamoring for more tanks.
The M1A2 SEPv3 has been adapted to counter the threat posed by anti-tank missiles and drones. The SEPv3 has better explosive reactive armor, and the Israeli-built Trophy Active Protection System protects NATO tanks in a 360-degree perimeter against the threat of anti-tank missiles.
A M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 Main Battle Tank navigates a range during a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX) at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Nov. 8th 2023. Tank crews honed their skills to ensure proficiency of eliminating targets while coordinating with other tank crews. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Luciano Alcala)
A tank crew with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, fires the main cannon of an M1A2 SEPv3 Main Battle Tank for the Live-fire Accuracy Screening Test (LFAST) of a tank gunnery training event at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 18, 2024. During LFAST crews ensure that their weapons are sighted and are accurate before continuing with the rest of the gunnery. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Luciano Alcala)
The SEPv3 defends itself against drone attacks through a combination of its existing armor, newly added anti-drone screens, and improved electronic warfare capabilities to jam drone signals, which allows it to lessen the threat from small, fast-moving drones, particularly when facing drone swarms.
The improved third-generation Forward Looking Infrared targeting system allows the crew to fire from stand-off distances where the enemy can’t see it.
Better Lethality/Firepower
The SEPv3’s main gun is the M256 120mm smoothbore cannon. It can fire M829A4 advanced kinetic energy and advanced multi-purpose rounds launched through an ammunition data link. This round is an Armor-Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot – Tracer (APFSDS-T), cartridge consisting of a depleted uranium long-rod penetrator with a three-petal composite sabo
These rounds will defeat third-generation explosive reactive armor (ERA) at extended ranges. ERA is designed for maximum penetration power against heavily armored targets and has a maximum effective range of 4,000 meters.
The crew compartment remains the same, with the driver in the middle of the hull and the commander, loader, and gunner in the well-armored turret. In addition to the main gun, the SEPv3 will have a .50 caliber M2 machine gun and a 7.62mm M240B coaxial machine gun.
Engine and Power Generation
The M1A2 SEPv3 is powered by a Honeywell AGT1500 gas turbine engine, which produces 1,500hp.
The auxiliary power unit, which is located under the armor, enables the tank to operate onboard systems with a reduced probability of detection during silent watch operations.
FORT MOORE , Ga. Maneuver Center of Excellence hosts the 2024 Armor Week media day on Harmony Church Mar. 14, 2024. The event featured live-fire demonstrations with the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, and an opportunity to get up close and hands-on with M1 Abrams and M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Armor Week, April 29 to May 3, and the 2024 Sullivan Cup competition requires mastery of individual tasks, technical and tactical competence, and the ability to demonstrate an array of maneuver, sustainment, and gunnery skills. The competition focuses primarily on the performance of the Soldiers functioning as a crew. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick A. Albright)
The generator allows the turret to operate without power from the main engine when the vehicle is stationary, resulting in improved fuel efficiency and stealth.
The US Army has made superb improvements with the M1A2 SEPv3. This may allow the Abrams to remain in the inventory until 2040, which would be a 60-year lifespan. The best tank in the world is now even better.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
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