Taiwan Army Receives M1 Abrams Tanks
Gas-Guzzling Behemoths to Deploy in Northern Taiwan
China In Arms BOOKSTORE and GIFT SHOP!
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17 December 2024 (Tuesday)
Taiwan Army Receives M1 Abrams Tanks
Gas-Guzzling Behemoths to Deploy in Northern Taiwan
By Wendell Minnick (Whiskey Mike) 顏文德
TAIPEI - Taiwan has just received the first batch of 38 M1A2T Abrams Main Battle Tanks (MBT) from the United States. Taiwan requested 108 tanks in 2019 for $2 billion, with final delivery slated for late 2026.
The Abrams (T=Taiwan) was delivered via the Port of Taipei in New Taipei’s Bali District on 15 December. The T variant is actually the M1A2C export version.
General Dynamics its the primary contractor. One of the more unusual parts of the sale is that there will be no offset agreements for Taiwan’s local manufacturing via the Armaments Bureau.
They will join Taiwan’s tank arsenal of 900 105mm M48/M60 MBTs. The M48/M60 vary between 48-50 tons.
On a personal note, I suspect that Taiwan does not actually have 900 operational combat ready MBTs; over the years the military has reduced manpower and spending. The Taiwan military often inflates operational numbers by hiding manpower and platforms within “combined arms brigades”.
Taiwan retired the 90mm M41D “Walker Bulldog” light tank in 2022 after 60 years of service.
The 60-ton 120mm Abrams has received criticism for weight issues compared to the M48/M60. Taiwan is a highly mountainous terrain with low coastal wetlands. I have compared Taiwan to West Virginia and remind folks that the Abrams was designed for the European theater during a Cold War scenario with the Soviet Union.
Also, a notable oversight will be the army’s procurement/production of a new 120mm shell for the tank. Taiwan manufactures its own 105mm ammunition for the M48/M60 MBTs via the 202nd Arsenal of the Materiel Production Center under the Armaments Bureau.
Further escalating costs associated with the tank will be the gas-guzzling AGT-1500 engines and X-1100 tank transmissions.
The Honeywell AGT1500 is a multi-fueled gas turboshaft engine that consumes 10 gallons during a cold startup. This beast was originally designed for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. With Taiwan’s military continually searching for budget cuts, it is unclear if the army can afford to operate the Abrams effectively and efficiently during peacetime training.
In 2019, Taiwan officially requested 108 M1A2T MBTs; 122 M2 Chrysler Mount Machine Guns; 216 M240 Machine Guns; 14 M88A2 HERCULES Vehicles; 16 M1070A1 Heavy Equipment Transporters (HET); 572 M1002 TPMP-T1 Rounds; 359 M831A1 HEAT Rounds; and 621 M865 TPCSPS-T2 Rounds and 828 M830Al HEAT Rounds.
The tanks will begin service at the Hsinchu-based Army Armor Training Command and later arrivals will be deployed to the 542nd Armored Brigade in Linkou District in Northern Taiwan (6th Army Corps) near the Taoyuan International Airport and the expected beach assault by China along the coast.
For further reference on Taiwan’s Army equipment: Taiwan Army Weapons and Equipment.
The Abrams has already entered the Taiwan psyche as a popular military comic book has used the tank in future scenarios:
