▁carried ▁out ▁near ▁Ans bach , ▁Germany ▁between ▁March ▁and ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁primarily ▁by ▁units ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁ 7 th ▁Army ▁and ▁the ▁German ▁Army , ▁with ▁active ▁participation ▁from ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Army . ▁In ▁historical ▁works , ▁they ▁are ▁often ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Ans bach ▁Test s . ▁ ▁Blue ▁Force ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁primarily ▁with ▁TO W - f iring ▁A H - 1 ▁Cob ras ▁supported ▁by ▁O H - 5 8 ▁Ki owa ▁sc out ▁hel ic op ters , ▁while ▁Red ▁Force ▁combined ▁German ▁Leop ard ▁t anks ▁and ▁US ▁V ul can ▁air ▁defense ▁vehicles ▁representing ▁a ▁typical ▁Wars aw ▁P act ▁( W TO ) ▁arm ored ▁brig ade . ▁The ▁outcome ▁was ▁over wh el ming ly ▁one - s ided ; ▁Blue ▁Force ▁lost ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 1 0 ▁hel ic op ters ▁while ▁destroy ing ▁ 1 6 7 ▁t anks ▁and ▁ 2 9 ▁V ul c ans . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁the ▁NAT O ▁response ▁to ▁an ▁attack ▁by ▁the ▁W TO ▁would ▁be ▁" mass ive ▁ret ali ation " ▁with ▁tact ical ▁nuclear ▁weapons , ▁and ▁conventional ▁forces ▁were ▁seen ▁as ▁secondary . ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁this ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁huge ▁dispar ity ▁in ▁tank ▁numbers , ▁with ▁the ▁W TO ▁having ▁about ▁ 1 4 , 0 0 0 ▁t anks ▁to ▁NAT Os ▁ 5 , 5