[14] The United States fully committed to the MBT doctrine in 1963 when the Marine Corps retired the last (M103) heavy tank battalion. [68] Early TLAC panels were made from aluminum and were vulnerable to damage from small arms fire. They were finally declared as excess to US needs in 1994. As of early 2009 there were no sales of the 120S MBT and was no longer mentioned in General Dynamics marketing literature. This AVDS-1790-5T 908 hp engine replaces the 750 hp engine and is connected to an upgraded CD-850-B1 transmission. [1] Although developed from the M48 Patton, the M60 tank series was never officially classified but sometimes informally grouped, as a member of the Patton tank family. In May 1961 Army Chief-of-Staff General George Decker announced that the European Command had been receiving the M60 to replace older tank inventory. The M60 is one of the world’s most successful main battle tanks with 15,000 having been produced and serving in the armies of 22 countries. 20 ready rounds are stored in the turret bustle. Most of those still used are much upgraded models. The first concept was armed with the 120mm gun T123E6 in the long nosed T95E6 turret. Over the M60A1, the Super M60's top speed increased to 45 mph and power/weight ratio increased to 23.1 hp/t, despite the 9500 lb increase in weight. It was officially standardized as the Tank, Combat, Full Tracked: 105-mm Gun, M60 in March 1959. In 1976 work began on the M60A3 variant which featured a number of technological enhancements and increasing the turret armor. [46] All M60s in US service retained the M19 cupola until the tank was phased out of service. Such rapid production caused problems but the importance given to rapidly equipping combat units with new tanks precluded detailed testing and evaluation prior to quantity production. [138][5] They are also salvaged for parts to maintain other vehicles still in service. Production pilot 2 was finished on 4 August and used to develop technical publications and an additional 47 tanks produced to complete the first low rate production buy. The AVLB, commonly referred to as the "bridge tank", was mounted on an M60 tank hull, and the M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle was an M60 tank mounting a short-tubed 165 mm (6.5 in) main gun that fired a shaped charge. It was introduced in Update 1.51 "Cold Steel". The M46, M47 and M48 were all classified as "medium tanks" with the M48 becoming the last such type in service with American forces. Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD: US Army Ordnance School, Jul 1968. Tanks have used 90mm guns. [46] They had a reputation for jamming. The latest versions, the Magach 7 (with variants A through C), are still in use with the IDF reserve units. An American version of the British 105 mm gun the Royal Ordnance L7, under the US designation 105 mm T254E1, was mounted on the T95E2 and tested with British APDS ammunition. The M60A2 proved a disappointment, though its technical advancements would pave the way for future tanks. [40] Fulfilling this requirement was an interim tank design that resulted in the M60-series,[25] which largely resembles the M48A2 Patton it was based on, but has significant differences. In 1982 the Israelis once again used the M60 during the 1982 Lebanon War, equipped with upgrades such as explosive reactive armor to defend against guided missiles that proved very effective at destroying tanks. On 21 August 1976, President Ford conferred with Henry Kissinger and green lighted Operation Paul Bunyan with a platoon of M60A1s reinforcing elements of the US 9th Infantry Regiment (Task Force VIERRA) at the south end of the Bridge of No Return in response to the Korean axe murder incident. Navato, CA: Presidio Press, 1984 pp.631-633, Sabot Publications, M60A2 Main Battle Tank in Detail, Volume 1/, Hunnicutt, R.P. However, field repaired panel castings suffered a loss of kinetic energy protection. Additional space for the turret crew was also made available by using the M140 mount thus moving the cannon 5 inches forward. The M60 Patton became the first American tank to take on the designation of "main battle tank". The turret, even without the siliceous cored armor, provided improved ballistic protection. The turret's hydraulic fluid was replaced with a non-flammable one. General Purpose Machine Gun M60 (GPMG M60) - fired a 7.62mm round and fed by linked ammo belt of 100 rounds - weight 23 lb - range up to 1100 metres. The tank is fitted with reactive armor and an M-9 bulldozer kit. Additionally the Detroit Tank Plant was closed in 1996 with production of the M1A1 Abrams continuing at the Lima Tank Plant in Ohio. Most of the M60A2 tanks were rebuilt as M60A3, or the hulls converted to armored vehicle-launched bridge (AVLB) vehicles.[8]. [29], As the development of a new main battle tank stalled with problems and cost escalating quickly, the M60A1 was forced to serve longer than originally intended with production lasting almost 20 years. The Type C turret was essentially a larger M551 Sheridan-style turret. The original variant of the M60 series also fulfilled the definition of a late first generation MBT sometimes being referred to as an intermediate second generation design. In response, studies were made in August 1961 to retrofit existing M60 tanks with a weapon capable of firing both conventional HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) rounds and launching ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided-Missiles). [32] This was done to maintain training levels of Guard units as well as using a commonality in ammunition amongst tanks. The manual back up system permits the crew to aim and fire the weapons should the electrical/hydraulic subsystems fail. The M60A3 had an exterior phone for infantry to talk directly to the crew inside. The United States entered a period of frenzied activity during the crisis atmosphere of the Korean War, when America seemed to lag behind the Soviet Union in terms of tank quality and quantity. Its intended successor, the MBT-70, was canceled in 1971 and its funding diverted into the conceptual development of the XM1 Abrams. The Raytheon Integrated Fire Control System (IFCS) integrating an eye safe laser rangefinder, second generation gunner's night sight, digital ballistic computer, cant sensors, a fully electrical superelevation resolver and a MIL-STD 1553 data bus, giving the system capabilities similar to the M1AD standard. A redesigned full vision cupola was envisioned for the commander's station. The prototype was shown at the IDEF Exhibition held in Turkey in October 2001. [43] All of these early M60s eventually had the M19 cupola and M85 machine gun installed. The commander had an M36E1 passive periscope and the gunner an M32E1 passive sight. The M48 is best remembered for its service as the main U.S. tank in the Vietnam War. However, many Israeli M60s were destroyed by Egyptian troops armed with AT-3 Sagger anti-tank missiles. This mode provides a fire-on the-move capability. The hull's upper glacis armor was increased from 3.67 inches to 4.29 inches at 65 degrees while the turret sides went from 1.9 inches to 2.9 inches at their apex. Though too late to serve in Vietnam, Israeli versions of the M60 fought in the 1973 Yom Kippur War and 1982 Lebanon War. For other uses, see, Original M60 variant on display at the Fort Lewis Military Museum in 2016, High Performance/Super M60 Main Battle Tank, Tanks of comparable role, performance and era, An unofficial name derived from the vehicle's similarity to. However, more than five thousand Pattons … Four M226 smoke grenade launchers were mounted on each side of the turret bustle. [115] The turret has been refitted with a new set of hydraulic and servo control improving performance. M60A1s configured to this standard were denoted as M60A1(RISE)+. After failing to acquire M-1 Abrams tanks from the United States, Taiwan is now attempting to upgrade its fleet of 400 M-60A3 tanks, which are in use by the Taiwanese army and marines. The tank was transferred to the Israeli army during the 1973 battle. I am curious as to how often the Spotlight was used in the Bright White mode and how often it was used in the IR mode during the Vietnam War? Comparing: M60 vs. M48A1 Patton ... A deep modernization of the M48 tank. The Army also increased its M60A3 TTS fleet through the M60A1 tank conversion program and the M60A3 tank field retrofit program conducted by the Anniston Army Depot and the Mainz Army Depot (MZAD). The ballistic drive receives the range input and, through the use of cams and gears, provides superelevation information to the superelevation actuator. An M60A3 TTS was also involved in a police chase, when one was stolen by Shawn Nelson from an Army National Guard armory and taken on a rampage through San Diego, California. Cast aluminum road wheels were used to save weight. In Vietnam the M60 was overkill. It was fitted with a mock-up of the new designed full-vision commander's cupola. The fitting of a CBSS (closed breech scavenger system), which used pressurized air to clear the breech after each shot, solved the problem of unburnt propellant from the main gun rounds fouling the barrel and pre-detonating subsequent rounds. This new variant, which stayed in production until 1980, featured a larger, better-shaped turret and improvements to the armor protection and shock absorbers. M60 gunner in Vietnam. M47s and M48s were again used in tank warfare by the Pakistan Army against Indian Army's Centurion and M4 Sherman tanks in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 with some good results. The few M60A3s in Army service as training vehicles had their commander's cupola removed as it was deemed unnecessary for training and to better mimic the profile of Soviet tanks. The M60A1, RISE, and RISE Passive tanks used a coincidence rangefinder and the mechanical M19 ballistic computer. [116], Armor improvements include a whole new passive protection suite fitted around the M60's existing cast armor turret and hull that is claimed to meet STANAG Level 6 standards. The Patton tanks can hit targets from a distance of 1,500 meters, the crew has 4 member and has perfect armor. The armor was improved, at 6 inches (155 mm) on the front glacis and mantle of solid rolled homogeneous armor, while it was 4.3 inches (110 mm) on the M48. The gun is capable of using a wide range of ammunition including APDS-T (M932 and M728), APFSDS-T (M774 and M735), APFSDS-DU (M744A1 and M833), HEAT-FS (M456), APDS dummy and target practice rounds, HEP/HESH (M393), white phosphorus and canister rounds. Tags: m60 patton tank, m60 patton, m60 patton, m60 patton, m60 patton patch, m60 patton patches, m60 patton military art, m60 patton, m60 patton, us army, classic american, m60 tank, second generation main battle tank, patton tank family, magach 6, cold war, operation urgent fury, american tank crews, for tank enthusiasts, for tank simulator gamers, for m60 patton veterans, for m60 patton … The Super M60 prototype was based on an M60A1 leased from the US Army. [51] Since the tank had not yet received its official designation these prototype hulls were briefly referred to as the M68 in December 1958 until they were officially named the M60 in March 1959. Although developed from the M48 Patton, another interim until replaced by the M60, the M60 series was never officially classified as a Patton tank, but as a "product improved descendant" of the Patton series of tanks. The applique armor comprised of an outer layer of high-hardness steel armor panels and an inner layer of ceramic inserts covering the base M60A1 vehicle. [38] After creating a full-sized mock up of this design using the T95E6 turret, it was dropped in favor of a design based on the M1 cupola of the M48A2's turret. Another proposal was a more compact turret design of the T95E7. Egyptian modified version of the M60A3 participates with the Egyptian Army in Operation Bright Star. This sight allows the gunner to see through fog, smoke and under starlight conditions without the aid of an IR searchlight. High quality M60 gifts and merchandise. The design featured a well-sloped glacis plate at … It was also the last to feature the M60 machine gun and an escape hatch under the hull. During the 1991 Gulf War / Desert Storm at least one US Air Force unit was equipped with M60s. The X-shaped motor and electro-optical rangefinder were both discarded due to performance, and the accuracy of the smoothbore gun and its HVAP-DS ammunition continued to be unsatisfactory. Some 100 M60s are to be placed as artificial reefs off New Jersey and the Gulf coasts of Florida and Alabama accessible to scuba divers. [130] The next day, Marine M60A1 tanks encountered a minefield and attempted to proof two lanes with the MCRS. The hull machine gunner position was removed, reducing the crew to 4. As a result, each crew member was effectively isolated from one another with the gunner and loader separated by Shillelagh missiles in their storage position. In May 1997, at Fort Riley, 1st Battalion, 635th Armor, Kansas Army National Guard, retired the last M60 series tanks in the US military. It has a rather schizophrenic reputation, being loved by many who used it in Vietnam and hated by many who used it later in its service life. The smoke grenades contain a phosphor compound that masks the thermal signature of the vehicle to the enemy. Due to the end of the Cold War, surplus US Army M1 tanks were absorbed into the remaining USMC units allowing the Marine Corps to transition to an all M1 tank force at reduced cost. It was relegated to NG-CONUS use with the Army National Guard through most of the 1990s. El M60 es un arma que aparece en Battlefield Vietnam, expedida a estadounidense y Vietnam del Sur para el kit de Asalto Pesado. [134] They were later transferred to the Jordanian Army. The MGM-51A was stabilized by flip-out fins, and controlled by hot gas jet reaction controls. [ cita requerida] Alimentada mediante cinta y accionada por los gases de disparo, utiliza el cartucho 7,62 × 51 mm OTAN y se usa como arma de apoyo desde 1957. Depot field teams retrofitted all of the Army's 748 M60A3 tanks to the TTS configuration by the end of 1984. The requirements also differed for the tank because of its ability to carry a much heavier weapon system. The M10 ballistic drive is upgraded with a fully electrical superelevation resolver. [4] The M60A1E2 was finally accepted by the Army in 1970 and given the designation Tank, Combat, Full Tracked: 152-mm Gun/Launcher, M60A2. The Line Item Number (LIN) is a six-character alphanumeric identification of the generic nomenclature assigned to identify nonexpendable and type classified expendable or durable items of equipment during their life cycle authorization and supply management. The M60, officially the United States Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62mm, M60, is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. [25] Production pilot 1 was completed at Chrysler Defense Engineering on 2 July and sent to the Aberdeen Proving Ground with an initial production total of 45 tanks in July 1959. Since the main gun had not yet been specified, four XM60 weapons systems were submitted in September 1957. (2005). The M60 was the first modern American military machine gun, developed from the operating system of the German FG-42 and the feed system of the German MG-42 in the years after World War Two. It has been marketed as an alternative upgrade to the Raytheon SLEP upgrade for M60MBT modernization. The United States' largest deployment of M60s was in the 1991 Gulf War, where the US Marines equipped with M60A1s effectively defeated Iraqi armored forces, including T-72M tanks. Versions of the M48 had already been deployed in ‘combat situations’ prior to their use in the VW. Its firepower improvements features the 120-mm M256/L44 smoothbore main gun as used on the M1A1 Abrams. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK; Alexandria, VA: TM 9-1000-213-35 Direct Support, General Support, and Depot Maintenance Manual for Cannon, 105-mm Gun, M68, Mount, Combination Gun, M116 and M140, and Cupola, Tank Commander's Caliber .50 Machine Gun, M19 Used on: Tank, Combat, Full Tracked: 105-mm Gun, M60A1 W/E (2350-756-8497) and Tank, Combat, Full-tracked: 105-mm Gun, M60 W/E (2300-00-678-5773). This weapon system had several drawbacks. Overall, the M60A1/A3s performed well against opposing tanks such as T-55s, T-62s, T-72s and Type 69s in various conflicts including the Yom Kippur war, Lebanon and the battle for the Kuwait airport that involved hundreds of tanks in a two day, all out battle with only one vehicle lost on the US side[citation needed]. The M60 Patton is a main battle tank (MBT) introduced in December 1960. 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Jan 22, 2021 - Explore Vaughn Barsby's board "Patton tank" on Pinterest. Even though this update package offered M60 users an opportunity to dramatically increase the combat capabilities of their tank fleets, no country ever bought the update and the program effectively ceased by the end of the Cold War. The Shillelagh/M60A2 system was phased out from active units by 1981, and the turrets scrapped. For the rear of the turret, slat armor is provided with an emphasis on protecting against the RPGs.