With expediency and cost in mind, it was decided to take the existing M48 systems and modify it to suit the ever-changing requirements of the then-modern battlefield. While not a perfect combat tank, the M60 certainly was a stout and ready performer for the 50+ years it has been in operational service. A myriad of operators and variants soon emerged operating the type and the T-62 recorded combat actions from the 1969 Sino-Soviet Border War to the 2011 Libyan Civil War. The Soviet design turned out to be the "T-62" tank which began formal service in 1961 and went on to see over 22,000 examples produced for the Red Army and allied states/friendly nations. With this armament, the Soviet offering was capable of outgunning the latest M48 Patton series, then the staple of the American armored corps. The M60 "Patton" Main Battle Tank began development in 1957 to counter rumors that the Soviets were working on a new main battle tank of their own armed with a 115mm smoothbore main gun.
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