Tank origin

The 122mm rifled gun on the IS-2 provided the Soviet army with plenty of firepower toward the end of World War II. As a result, it was retained and incorporated into the design of its successor, the IS-3. The IS-3 was built with 200mm front armor, which evolved around the same time as the design of the T-34 and offered superior protection over the IS-2’s armor. Although production ceased in 1946, the IS-3 remained in service with the Soviet army through the 1970s.