Tanque Argentino Mediano

By the 1970s, Argentina’s military decided to replace its aging M4 Shermans with vehicles better suited to fighting on South American terrain. In lieu of purchasing existing European main battle tanks, it worked with West German firm Thyssen Henschel to develop a lightweight tank with a large-caliber gun, along with an infantry combat vehicle using the same chassis. The first prototypes of the Tanque Argentino Mediano were delivered in 1977. Argentina later established the TAMSE factory to handle assembly and production of the tank domestically.