The T-64 tank was the most revolutionary design of the whole Cold War,
designed to provide the firepower and armor protection of a heavy tank
in a medium-weight design. It pioneered a host of sophisticated new
technologies including laminate armor, stereoscopic tank rangefinders,
opposed-piston engines, smooth-bore tank guns with discarding sabot
ammunition, and gun-fired guided projectiles. These impressive features
meant that the Russians were loath to part with the secrets of the
design, and the T-64 was the only Soviet tank type of the Cold War that
was never exported.
Written by an armor expert, this detailed technical history sheds light
on the secrets behind the Cold War's most controversial tank, revealing
how its highly advanced technologies proved to be both a blessing and a
curse.