U.S. Selling $2 Billion Worth of Abrams Tanks to Taiwan

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Taiwan has recently filled in a request to purchase 108 M1A2T Abrams Tanks from the United States government. The M1A2T Abrams won’t be the first piece of American military hardware used by the Taiwanese armed forces. Taiwan’s military also operates American made M60A3 Patton tanks, AH-1W SuperCobra helicopters, M109A6 Paladin howitzers. The U.S. military also updates existing equipment for the Taiwanese military.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has recently gotten approval from the Trump administration to purchase approximately $2 billion worth of M1A2T Abrams battle tanks. Armyrecognition.com mentions that Taiwan intends to replace their older M60A3 battle tanks and the Taiwanese made M48H CM11 tanks with the more advanced Abrams tank.

The M1A2 Abrams is based on the older Abrams M1A1 battle tank. The newer variant comes equipped with an improved commander’s weapon station, commander’s independent thermal view, better navigation equipment and several other survivability measures. 

The M1A2 Abrams’ main weapon features a 120 millimeter M256 cannon capable of firing several different types of ammunition. The tank also comes equipped with two 7.62 millimeter M240 machine guns.

The 140 thousand pound tank is twelve feet wide, eight feet tall, and 32 feet long when the tank’s main weapon in included. It takes 4 people to operate the tank, the commander, the gunner, the driver, and the loader.

The tank has a top speed of 42 miles per hour and a top off road speed of 25 miles per hour.

The M1A2 Abrams battle tank is operated by several other militaries all over the world including Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Australia, with Taiwan possibly joining that list of nations very soon.