Data Quality87%
MASS(Military Archive Scoring System)
ⓘ Regardless of era, the same scoring system applies to all units in the tanks category.
01 / Overview
Chieftain
Category
Country
Production
1966–1995
Quantity
1,896
Unit Price (current)
$1.1M↗ 864% inflation · 1967→2025
Original Price
$110.0K (1967)
Operators
💰 PERFORMANCE / PRICE ASSESSMENT Methodology ↗
TANKS · COLD WAR
4
PERFORMANCE/PRICE
82
UNIT COST (2025 USD)
$1.1M
Original: $110.0K (1967)
Inflation: +%864
ⓘ Performance/Price and MASS score are computed across all units in the tanks category, regardless of era.
02 / Specs & Design
◎General5MOD.5
- Tank ClassificationMain Battle Tank (MBT)
- GenerationCold War
- Combat Weight55.88 t
- Crew Size4
- Service Entry Year1960
◈Firepower7MOD.7
- Main Gun Calibre120 mm
- Main Gun TypeRifled
- Main Gun Length (Calibres)55
- Can Fire APFSDSYes
- Can Fire HEATNo
- Can Fire HE-FragYes
- Can Fire ATGMNo
▣Protection7MOD.7
- Armour TypeCast Steel
- Hull Front Thickness (Max)127 mm
- Turret Front Thickness (Max)350 mm
- Has ERANo
- Has APSNo
- NBC ProtectionYes
- Smoke GrenadesYes
◇Mobility7MOD.7
- Engine Power750 hp
- Power-to-Weight Ratio11.1 hp/t
- Fuel TypeMultifuel
- Transmission TypeSemi-Automatic
- Suspension TypeCoil Spring
- Max Road Speed43 km/h
- Operational Range (Road)500 km
◆Dimensions4MOD.4
- Length (Hull)7.5 m
- Width3.66 m
- Height2.9 m
- Ground Clearance0.56 m
▤Electronics & Optics8MOD.8
⬢Amphibious & Special3MOD.3
▲Production & Service3MOD.3
- Years in Production30 year
- Current Service StatusActive Service
- Notable Variants Count11
03 / History
SERVICE LIFESPANStill in Service
- 1965Entered service
- 1966Production started
- 1971Sale: Iran (707 units)
- 1974Sale: Kuwait (175 units)
- 1976Sale: Iran (125 units)
- 1980First deployment: Iran–Iraq War
- 1981Last sale: Oman (27 units)
- 1995Production ended
60
years in service
29
years in production
1,896
units produced
6
countries operating
ⓘ The producing country still actively operates it. 1 countries retired it.
04 / Variants
▚ WEAPON FAMILY
05 / Operators
ChieftainSALES5records
| Year | Buyer | Quantity | Amount | Present Value (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 27 | — | — | |
| 1978 | 274 | — | — | |
| 1976 | 125 | — | — | |
| 1974 | 175 | — | — | |
| 1971 | 707 | — | — |
ⓘ "Present Value" is an estimated amount adjusted for inflation.
06 / MASS Score
TANKS RANKING Tanks · Cold War
MASS RANKINGSMASS ↗
12TANKS4COLD WAR · TANKS41UNITED KINGDOM · ALL WEAPONS59PRICE · TANKS625PRICE · ALL WEAPONS39PERFORMANCE/PRICE · TANKS
ⓘ Rankings are within theTankscategory.
📖 TERMS ON THIS PAGE14terms
Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot: a type of kinetic energy penetrator ammunition.
Steel alloy cast into shape for armour applications.
Coil spring: a helical metal spring used in vehicle suspension to absorb shocks and maintain wheel contact, compressing under load.
Computerised Basic: a fire control system generation in tanks that provides fundamental computer‑assisted ballistic calculations without advanced targeting aids such as laser rangefinders or thermal imaging.
High-Explosive Fragmentation: ammunition that explodes on impact, releasing fragments.
Optical device that uses laser pulses to measure the distance to a target with high precision.
A main battle tank is a heavily armored vehicle with a large caliber gun, used for front-line combat.
Multifuel: a fuel type designation for tanks whose engines can operate on several fuel varieties (e.g., gasoline, diesel, jet fuel) without modification.
Nuclear, Biological, Chemical protection for tank crews.
Enhanced low-light visibility through specialized optics or sensors.
A rifled gun has spiral grooves cut into its barrel.
A semi‑automatic transmission in a tank automatically shifts gears using hydraulic or mechanical mechanisms while the driver selects gear positions, reducing manual clutch operation.
Handheld or vehicle-mounted devices that release dense smoke to obscure vision, conceal movements, or screen friendly forces from enemy observation.
Thermal sights are infrared imaging devices mounted on a tank's gunner station that detect heat emitted by objects, enabling target identification and aiming in low‑visibility conditions.
These terms are listed automatically because they appear on this page.full encyclopedia →
📚 Sources