No doubt the DPS is similar. Th survivaility is much higher because of a stupid mechanic...
as long as we are talking about this, allies tanks do not get survivability vets. a vet 3 jackson is very strong but one misstep, it dies just as quick and easily as vet 1 jackson.
this is not the case with axis tanks. so @AchtActher, warding off axis tank is not a counter.
especially when it comes to JPIV not only it gets extra health at vet 2, combine that with the alien tech, it becomes much much harder to kill at vet 2 than at vet 1.