The M46 was an improved M26 Pershing tank and one of the U.S army's principal medium battle tanks of the early Cold War, with models in service from 1949 to the mid 1950s. The M46 tank was designed to replace the previous M26 Pershing and M4 Sherman. On 30 July 1948, standardized the M46 and named it the General Patton, in honor of General George S. Patton Jr. It was not widely used by U.S. Cold War allies, being exported only to Belgium, and only in small numbers to train crews on the upcoming M-47.