Strengths
Look for a covered position that gives you side shots while teammates hold the enemy’s attention.
Ground RB / Vehicle Database / Profile
M551
USA · Light tank · Rank 5
Battle Ratings
Arcade8
Realistic8
Simulator8
These are archived ratings; check the game for current values. The history below shows recorded ratings and announced changes.
Vehicle Overview
- Nation
- USA
- Class
- Light tank
- Rank
- 5
- Acquisition Type
- Tech Tree
Battlefield Role
Use cover on the flanks to spot enemies and pick your shots. Use active scouting if your vehicle has it.
When to spawn
Bring it to scout from cover or to attack from a new angle after losing your first vehicle.
Common Mistakes
- Repeating the same peek. Once an enemy has your range, move to another angle before firing again. A second shot from the same opening is easier to anticipate.
- Firing without a retreat. Choose cover you can reach during the reload. Do not cross into an enemy firing lane just to finish a damaged target.
Survivability and Armor
- Crew
- 4 persons
Machine guns, autocannons and nearby explosions can be dangerous. Stay hidden and know how you will get out before firing.
Positioning
Use terrain to conceal the hull and solid cover to shield the sides. Expose the turret only long enough to fire, then retreat along the covered route.
Keep exposed sides and the fighting compartment behind cover. Check the incoming round and impact angle in Protection Analysis before relying on the armor.
Ammunition
M409A1 · HEAT
Use against armor where the jet can reach the crew. Composite armor and ERA can defeat it; fences and other obstacles may trigger the shell before impact.
M657A2 · HE
Use against exposed crews, aircraft where applicable and lightly protected targets. Avoid spending the shot on heavy frontal armor.
MGM-51B Shillelagh · ATGM
Check seeker and guidance requirements before launch. Keep the target within the weapon’s tracking limits and retain cover for the engagement.
Ready Rack and Carry Load
- Maximum capacity
- 30 rounds
Carry enough for the route and resupply plan. A listed first-stage capacity alone does not establish a safe spawn load or prove that another rack is empty.
Mobility
- Maximum forward speed
- 69 km/h
- Maximum reverse speed
- 15 km/h
- Power-to-weight ratio
- 19.7 hp/t
- Engine power
- 300 hp
- Weight
- 15.2 t
Top speed is not cross-country pace. Check the reverse route before taking a firing position.
Optics
Gunner
- Night equipment
- Night vision device
- Magnification
- 8.0×–12.0×
Commander
- Night equipment
- Night vision device
Driver
- Night equipment
- Night vision device
Target Acquisition
- Commander Override
- Equipped · dual control
- Gun stabilization
- Two-plane stabilizer
Armaments
- Primary weapon
- 152 mm gun/launcher M81
- Secondary weapons
- 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun · 7.62 mm M73 machine gun (coaxial)
- Reload
- 15.6 → 12 s
Economy
- Crew training
- 98,000 SL
- Expert crew
- 340,000 SL
- Ace crew
- 1,300 GE
- Ace crew research
- 780,000 RP
- Reward multiplier · SL (AB/RB/SB)
- 110/160/200%
- Reward multiplier · RP
- 202%
- Total cost of modifications · RP
- 98,300 RP
- Total cost of modifications · SL
- 161,600 SL
Battle Rating History
| Date | Game mode | Battle rating |
|---|---|---|
| No confirmed battle rating changes are recorded. | ||
Archived rating records
| Date / source | Arcade | Realistic | Simulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 8, 2026Site profile snapshot | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| May 7, 2025Observed · Wiki archive ↗ | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| November 26, 2024Observed · Wiki archive ↗ | 8.0 | 8.3 | 8.3 |
Sources and data checks
Vehicle data checked October 8, 2026. Crew optics checked October 22, 2026. Speeds use Realistic Battles values. Reload depends on crew skills and qualification; damage can reduce performance. Unknown equipment is not a confirmed absence.
Community discussion
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