In 1983, the Soviet Union adopted one of the most unusual and technologically advanced tanks of its time: the T-55AD. The decision was unexpected. A vehicle that had already become noticeably outdated was suddenly fitted with highly modern equipment: the Drozd active protection system. Special radars mounted on the turret continuously scanned the area in front of the tank, tracking incoming anti-tank missiles. Once a threat was detected, the system fired a defense charge, destroying the enemy projectile before impact. At the time, no other country in the world was producing such systems in series — not even the United States or Germany, widely regarded as leaders in engineering. The USSR was the first to put what looked like 21st-century technology into practice... and then simply put it on the shelf.
During World War II, the United States and Britain churned out heavy bombers on an industrial scale. The Soviet Union, by contrast, focused on the fast-track production of smaller aircraft. During that era, this policy produced plenty of legendary Soviet warplanes. But in their shadow, one actual production heavy bomber often goes unnoticed. We’re talking about the Pe‑8.
On the eve of World War II, the leading naval powers, above all the United States and Japan, built battleships that pushed close to the technical limits of their time. Their displacement approached 40,000 t, their armor exceeded 400 mm in thickness, and the caliber of their guns was awe-inspiring. But these steel giants shared one major flaw: they lacked the speed to maneuver effectively alongside aircraft carriers. To solve this problem, designers in several countries set out to create a new generation of battleships that were fast but sacrificed little to no protection or firepower.
The rapid development of tank building in the USSR began in the second half of the 1920s. At first, Soviet engineers relied heavily on foreign experience, studying and adapting ideas developed abroad. Their own design school was still taking shape, so borrowing from others was standard practice. Even basic standards for appearance and equipment were not fully established until the end of the decade.
By the 1960s, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces had recovered from the aftermath of the war and developed into an effective military force. The eras before and after that transformation differed in almost every respect, from ideology and strategy to the weapons themselves.
Over the history of aviation, engineers have tried just about every possible twin-engine layout. Engines in the wings, under the wings, on top of the wings, in the nose, in the tail, tractor, pusher... Imagination went all out. And among the French combat aircraft in War Thunder, you’ll find some of the strangest twin-engined machines of all: the VB.10 C-1 and the VB.10-02.
World War I left a lasting mark on military doctrine. Breaking through trenches and networks of fortified positions proved to be a very important but incredibly difficult challenge, and for a long time, no one could find the perfect solution. There was artillery, there was air power, there were other long-range strike options, but what the reality of the battlefield really demanded was a protected, reasonably mobile vehicle that could punch through enemy lines. Over time, that need gave rise to the idea of the super-heavy tank, a kind of “mobile fortress”. One such vehicle was the Tortoise, a true moving bunker wrapped in thick armor and armed to the teeth.
Most late heavy tanks in War Thunder are found at the same battle rating. Different nations bring their “final forms” of the class here — vehicles that, one way or another, represent the ceiling of what heavies can do. And among them, one French machine stands out: the AMX-50 Surbaissé. Why? Because it breaks the usual heavy-tank stereotype on pretty much every point. Watch this...