The AMX-30 is a main battle tank designed by Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX, then GIAT) and first delivered to the French Army in August 1966.

In 1956, the French government entered a cooperative development program with West Germany and Italy in an effort to design a standardized tank.

[4] Although the 48-metric-ton (53-short-ton) vehicle was comparable to contemporary battle tanks in firepower and engine power, it suffered from distinct disadvantages, including an antiquated track design.

[5] Given that the ARL 44 had been considered only a stop-gap vehicle for the French Army's armoured forces since inception, work on a new tank had begun as early as March 1945.

[10] AMX's first prototype was armed with a 90-millimeter (3.5 in) cannon, although a second prototype was fitted with a larger 100-millimetre (3.9 in) gun in July 1950[9] Although it was intended to put the AMX 50 into production as the standard medium tank of the Western European Union,[7] financial reasons and the arrival of military aid from the United States in the form of 856 M47 Patton tanks[11] caused the original program to be abandoned.

[13] The prospect of delivering many thousands of these to the Germans induced the French to adopt the idea and plan to create light tank "Type 67" armoured divisions, for which the AMX-13/105 was specially designed.

[15] Though the other FINABEL nations did not formally participate,[15] the type was called Europa-Panzer to indicate its common European nature, and experts from all countries were involved in the design process.

[20] The new tank would have an air-cooled, petrol engine, a torsion bar suspension with hydraulic shocks, a power-to-weight ratio of at least 30 horsepower (22 kW)/metric ton and a road range of at least 350 kilometres (220 mi).

[15] That same year, on 28 November,[15] the French and German ministries of defence in Paris agreed upon a contract which would allow both countries to produce two prototypes separately.

This caused a rift between France and West Germany, which then started to emphasize standardization with American equipment, especially in armament, and to follow the new NATO policy to use multifuel diesel engines.

[17] Comparative trials were nevertheless held at Mailly-le-Camp, Meppen, Bourges and Satory[17] between five French and five German prototypes between August and October 1963, under Italian, Dutch, Belgian and American supervision.

[42][43] HEAT warheads suffer when spin stabilized, a product of rifled barrels,[44] causing the French to develop the Obus G,[34] (Gresse).

The 28.8 liters (1,760 cu in) engine could be replaced on the field in 45 minutes, and produced 720 horsepower (540 kW), offering the tank a maximum velocity of 65 kilometers per hour (40 mph) on roads.

The transmission was one of the AMX-30's major faults and caused a variety of mechanical problems, including that the driver would have to manually change gears at specific times, even if the tank was moving over rough terrain.

[12] In 1969, a special diving and evacuation training vehicle, without engine or tracks, was created and nicknamed the AMX 30 Gloutte (from the French faire glouglou, "gurgle"); it could be quickly be lowered by winch into a reservoir and was equipped with an escape tube.

[58] In June 1979, the French Army decided to both build new and modernize existing AMX-30s with an improved fire control system and a new transmission, and designated them AMX-30B2s.

[60] Improvements to the COTAC APX M-508 fire control system included the installation of a laser rangefinder and a low-light TV (LLTV).

[64] The BRENUS system used 112[68] GIAT BS (Brique de Surblindage) G2 explosive reactive boxes with a total weight of 1.7 metric tons (1.9 short tons), offering a protection equivalent to 400 millimeters (16 in) of steel at 60° versus shaped charges[64] and more than 100 millimeters (3.9 in) of steel versus kinetic energy projectiles such as APFSDS.

This version also came devoid of the pressurized air filtering system, and moved the smaller 7.62-millimeter (0.300 in) machine gun into the coaxial position and the larger 12.7-millimeter (0.50 in) M2 to the turret roof.

Another version was considered for the French Army, adopting a 142-millimeter (5.6 in) tank gun able to fire the supersonic ACRA [fr] (Anti-Char Rapide Autopropulsé)[85] anti-tank guided missile, as well as high explosive rounds.

[110] The French Army also accepted a large number of variants, including 195 self-propelled howitzers, 44 AMX-30 Pluton tactical nuclear missile launchers, 183 AMX-30Rs, 134 AMX-30Ds and 48 engineer vehicles (AMX-30EBG).

[114] Having in February 1964 decided to produce its own battle tank, Israel at first considered licensed production of AMX-30 hulls, while importing the turrets from France.

Favouring heavier armour over mobility, Major-General Israel Tal discontinued negotiations with France when the United Kingdom agreed to allow licensed production of the Chieftain tank, in 1966.

[124] The AMX-30EM1 was termed a "reconstruction" and only saw improvements to the tank's mobility by adopting a new transmission and renovating much of the vehicle's worn out systems, such as the brakes, indicators and controls.

[127] In 1972, France was able to gain a contract with Saudi Arabia over the purchase of 190 of the AMX-30S variant, designed for the desert environment of the Middle Eastern nation.

[128] By the 21st century, 50% of Saudi Arabia's AMX-30 fleet were in storage,[129] given that the AMX-30 lacked the capabilities to deal with more modern threats, such as against Iraqi T-62s and T-72s, and Israeli Merkava tanks.

Due to political issues between Chile and Argentina, the former placed an order for 46 tanks, although this was later cut short to 21 when the contract was canceled by the French government in 1981.

[142] Also six older AMX-30Bs were deployed, fitted with Soviet mine rollers provided by Germany from East German stocks, and named AMX 30 Demin.

[143] With the beginning of the ground offensive of 24 February 1991, French forces moved to attack its first target, "Objective Rochambeau", which was defended by a brigade from the Iraqi 45th Infantry Division.

[144] The following day, the 4e Dragons moved on to their next objective, "Chambord", where they reported destroying ten tanks, three BMPs, fifteen trucks and five mortars with the assistance of USAF A-10s, and capturing numerous prisoners.