Destroyed Iraqi T-55 tank near Kuwait City, turret side hit by aerial laser guided munition. Being dug-in, tank was a smaller target to approaching enemy forces. But with no anti-aircraft protection, these tanks were vulnerable to marauding Coalition air force.

Almost all Iraqi T-55 tanks were produced by China for arms export, called the Type 59 MBT. Being a 1950-era Soviet design, it was reliable, low-tech, and low cost weapon adopted by Third World armies. T-54/T-55 MBT - www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/t-54.htm

During 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Soviets deployed the latest T-72 tanks, but discovered their high-tech weaponry lacked endurance in the rugged Afghan mountainous terrain. Hence, Soviets replaced it with T-55 and T-62 tanks. Soviet war in Afghanistan - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Afghanistan

After a decade of Afghan warfare, Soviets decided to unilaterally withdraw in 1989. All expected the frail Soviet-installed Communist Afghan government to collapsed in a few weeks. Yet in a quark of history, the Communist Afghans lasted longer the Soviet Union, which disappeared from history in 1991. Afghanistan : Soviet Invasion and Afghan Response 1979-1982 - ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft7b69p12h/

Rollover : Knocked-out Iraqi tanks among Kuwaiti landscape, low silhouette of dug-in T-59 tank in foreground showing only its protruding gun turret, distant T-59 knocked-out in open terrain. Iraqi battle tactics changed little from previous 8-year Iran-Iraq war. Both sides did not have effective airpower, thus statically position dug-in tanks as makeshift strong points. US-led Coalition forces engaged in doctrine of Maneuver Warfare by rapidly outflanking enemy positions via mechanized forces, aerial drops, naval landings. Type 59 Main Battle Tank - www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/type-59.htm