Taiwan Plans $228M Replacement of M60A3 Tank Engines to Take on Chinese Army

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has set aside $228.71 million to replace engines of M60A3 tanks by the end of 2028.

The tanks took part in live-fire drills in Penghu on September 22. Because they are old, the ministry has earmarked funds for their modernization, in order to make them suitable to participate in modern warfare.

According to a contract award announced by Taiwan's tendering service in March 2022, the state-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) will upgrade the “shooting, gun control, and sighting system” of the Army’s M60A3 MBTs. It said NCSIST bid $15.56 million for the upgrade program.

The Republic of China Army (RoCA) has an estimated initial requirement for 40 upgraded M60A3s. The service may enhance its remaining M60A3 MBTs later. It operates about 200 M60A3s.

M60 tanks, produced by General Dynamics, entered service with the U.S. Army in 1960. The M60A1 with a new turret, thicker armor and a new ammunition stowage system, was manufactured from 1962 to 1980. The development of the M60A2 with a new turret fitted with a 152mm gun and missile launcher was halted and effort was directed to the development.

The M60A3, which is an improved version of the M60A1, entered service in 1978. Some of the improvements include the add-on of a stabilization system, the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable (RISE) engine, and the smoke grenade launchers that were first fitted to the M60A1 some years ago. The main improvements are in the fire-control system. A Raytheon Systems Company laser range-finder with a maximum range of 5,000 m replaces the optical range-finder and a solid-state computer replaces the mechanical computer.

The hull of the M60A3 is made of cast-steel sections and forged floor plates welded together. It is divided into three compartments including the driver's at the front, the turret in the center, and the engine and transmission at the rear. The tank has a crew of four. A total of 63 rounds of ammunition can be carried, 26 are carried in the forward part of the hull, to the left and right of the driver's position, 13 in the turret for ready use, 21 in the turret bustle, and the remaining three under the gun. One 12.7mm machine gun is mounted on the commander's cupola, another 7.62mm machine gun is mounted coaxially to the left of the main gun.

The M60A3 is powered by a Continental AVDS-1790-2C 12-cylinder air-cooled diesel developing 750 hp at 2,400 rpm coupled to a General Motors Corporation, cross-drive, single-stage transmission with 2 forward and 1 reverse gears. the M60A3 can run at a maximum road speed of 48 kmph with a maximum cruising range of 480 km.