List of main battle tanks by generation

[3] The first generation of main battle tanks was based on or influenced by designs of World War II, most notably the Soviet T-34.

[4] The second generation was equipped with NBC protection (only sometimes), night-vision devices, a stabilized main gun and at least a mechanical fire-control system.

[4] The third generation is in Western parlance determined by the usage of thermal imagers, digital fire-control systems and special (composite) armour[4] (Soviet doctrine, however, de-emphasizes thermal vision and electronic fire control, preferring large-caliber gun and engines of high power).

He also states that breakdown of postwar tanks by generations is based on timeframe and technical factors, as a basis for further discussion.

The next generation of main battle tanks in development has autoloaders becoming increasingly more common, even in western designs, with some moving all of the crew into a more heavily protected hull space with unmanned turrets.