WoT RU: MBT-59

MBT-59 [🇺🇸 USA, MT-10]
Historical Reference:
In the late 1950s, the United States launched a program to develop a main battle tank (MBT) capable of operating in areas contaminated by radioactive fallout. A key feature of the project was housing the crew inside an isolated armored capsule with strong protection against penetrating radiation.

The crew was also to be provided with a fully mechanized ammunition feed system located outside the fighting compartment. The gun installation itself was likewise proposed to be mounted externally.

The tank was planned to be armed with the 152 mm XM81 gun, although at that time it did not yet include missiles in its ammunition load. A powerful diesel engine, combined with a combat weight of just over 30 tons, promised high mobility. However, the project underwent continuous revisions and by the early 1960s its weight had exceeded 40 tons, eliminating the original layout advantages. As a result, the MBT-59 project was abandoned in favor of the German concept that later became known as MBT-70.