Overhauled M60 tanks to debut at Taiwan defense expo

升級後的M60戰車將在台灣國防工業展覽會上首次亮相

Upgraded tanks equipped with new fire control system and engine


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will debut two upgraded M60 Patton tank prototypes at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition in September.

The Army allocated NT$7.25 billion (US$220.6 million) to purchase new engines from the US and commissioned the Armaments Bureau to produce new 105mm gun barrels to replace old ones to extend the service life of its 460 Patton tanks, Liberty Times reported. The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology was also tasked with upgrading fire control and targeting systems.

The tanks will also be fitted with a panoramic radar warning system and enhanced thermal imaging devices. These improvements provide improved situational awareness, eliminating blind spots for the driver and crew, Liberty Times said.

The Army opted to retain the 105mm gun as a cost-effective measure. Although it cannot penetrate the front armor of China’s main battle tanks, such as the ZTZ-99A, it remains lethal against other parts of the tank, per Liberty Times. Furthermore, head-on tank engagements are unlikely, given Taiwan’s urban terrain.

In December, Taiwan received the first shipment of 108 Abrams tanks it purchased from the US. The 38 tanks are deployed at Hsinchu County's Hukou Township. Once delivery is completed, the Army plans to keep 10 tanks at the Armor Training Command and Armor School in Hukou Township, while the remaining 98 will be deployed to the Army's 269th Brigade in New Taipei's Linkou District and the 584th Brigade in Hukou.

Meanwhile, the Armaments Bureau and NCSIST have developed a D3 infantry fighting vehicle prototype based on the Clouded Leopard IFV. It is armed with a 105 mm assault gun that can fire armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot rounds to penetrate 500 mm thick steel plates from 2000 meters away.