M60 (battle tank)

Main battle tank M60
General properties
crew	4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader)
length	9.309 m
width	3,631 m
height	3.213 m
Dimensions	49.7 t
Armor and armament
Armor	Armor steel
Main armament	105 mm M68 cannon (M60 / A1 / A3) M162 152 mm cannon (M60A2)
Secondary armament	12.7mm MG M85 7.62mm MG
agility
drive	Turbo Diesel Continental AVDS-1790-2; 12-cylinder, air-cooled 750 PS (560 kW)
suspension	Torsion bar
Top speed	48 km / h
Power / weight	11.1 kW / t (15.1 PS / t)
Range	500 km

The main battle tank M60 (official designation by the US Army OTCM (Ordnance Technical Committee Minutes) # 37002 105 mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tank M60 - without any additional designation) is a main battle tank from the time of the Cold War made in the USA . He was the standard battle tank nearly 30 years of US military forces continue to be used and used by many other armies around the world. Since the end of the second Gulf War in 1991 and the replacement of the M1 Abrams , the tank is no longer used by the United States for combat missions. An unknown number of vehicles are still in use for training purposes and by the National Guard . The M60 is a further development of the M48 . At the time of its introduction, it represented a big step forward in terms of mobility, firepower and protection. Contrary to popular belief, the M60 never had the additional designation "Patton". This name was reserved for the M46 , M47 and M48 main battle tanks only; nevertheless it is often mistakenly used for the vehicle. The M60 was used in many conflicts on the American and Israeli sides, especially in the Middle East. He will be used by the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces in 2019 in the Houthi conflict .

The export price for an M60A3 was around $ 1.8 million in 1985 ( this was around $ 4 million in 2010 , taking inflation into account ).

history

The development of the M60 goes back to the mid-1950s. At that time, the US Army was using a variety of different types of tanks, such as the M4 Sherman , M41 Walker Bulldog , M24 , M47 , M48, and M103 . Based on their armament, these were organized into light, medium and heavy tank battalions. The M4, M24 and M41 were classified as light due to their small-caliber armament of less than 90 mm, the M47 and M48 with their 90 mm cannon formed the medium-sized units and the M103 with its very large 120- for the time. mm armament was one of the heavy units. Neither of these models was ideally suited for the role envisaged, as they were either already out of date or suffered from massive deficiencies due to a short development time. Furthermore, this organization presented the Army with a huge logistical challenge when it came to supplying the units with spare parts, ammunition and operating materials. The fact that American industry was reorganized after the Korean War with the help of the Defense Production Act and could always manufacture a constant level of armaments without having to switch production first did not help to solve this problem. However, the program accelerated the development and advancement of battle tanks as more funds became available. Furthermore, there was the problem that in the event of a conflict with the Soviet Union, the individual battalions could be deployed in the wrong combat strips, so that the light tanks would have to fight against heavy Soviet models. The use of the T-54 during the popular uprising in Hungary in 1956 exacerbated the problem, as this new model was armed with a powerful 100 mm cannon and had frontal armor of up to 200 mm, that of the 76 mm cannon of the light No tanks at all and could only be penetrated with difficulty by the 90 mm cannon of the medium tanks. Because of this, the Chief of Staff of the Army , Maxwell Taylor, issued an instruction in 1957 that the previously existing classification should be abandoned when new battle tanks were developed. In the future, either light tanks for reconnaissance and airborne missions or universal models, which should fill the role of medium and heavy tanks, should be built. At this point in time, a new type of tank, called the T95, was under development, which was to have some groundbreaking features for the time. This included composite armor , a hydro-pneumatic drive and a gas turbine as a drive. However, these new technologies required a long development time, high cost, and many problems in implementation. Since a new, low-consumption and very reliable diesel engine was also available, the Army had three options for countering the threat posed by the new Soviet models:

• Develop an interim solution based on an existing battle tank.
• The acceleration of the T95 project while accepting additional costs.
• The development of a completely new tank with anti-tank guided missile armament.

Ultimately, the choice fell on increasing the combat value of an existing model, as a new vehicle would then be available in a relatively short time. The T95 project was discontinued due to its high cost and experimental nature. The program for the development of a new battle tank was retained, which later led to the Kampfpanzer 70 project with the Federal Republic of Germany . The upgraded version of an existing tank was intended to be a temporary solution until the new, advanced tank was available. Since the weak armament of the light tanks showed little use compared to the Soviet models and the tanks themselves offered no room for increased combat value, only the M47, M48 and M103 remained as basic models for a new tank. The M103 was well armored and could easily take out any enemy tank, but it was underpowered and therefore too immobile. The choice therefore fell on the M48, which at the time was the most modern tank in the US arsenal. The decision to modify the M48 saved development time and simplified logistics, as many parts of the vehicle were already there. Another aim of the development of the new battle tank was to standardize as many parts as possible in order to enable an exchange within NATO.

Since the US military saw Central Europe as a key area to be defended in an armed conflict with the Soviet Union, the tank should be adapted to the requirements of the area in Central Europe and the corresponding combat management. On the one hand, this meant that the vehicle would be exposed to strong indirect and direct fire at the same time, but should still be able to fight effectively. On the other hand, the tank should be usable in all weather conditions there and be able to wade through most rivers. The M48 was already able to meet some of these demands, but far from all, as its development had to be accelerated due to the outbreak of the Korean War.

The first step in increasing the combat value was the installation of a better main weapon. The options were the 120 mm drawbar cannon of the M103, a newly developed 90 mm smoothbore cannon, the existing 90 mm cannon of the M48 and the British new development L7 in 105 mm caliber. The Royal Ordnance L7 105 mm cannon was chosen because its APDS ammunition had the best penetration performance. The design of the turret has been changed so that it can accommodate the new weapon and at the same time allow a larger elevation range than the M48. The shape of the turret was also changed to provide better ballistic protection. The tank was supposed to withstand a hit with heavy ammunition from the 100 mm cannon of the T-54 from a distance of about 1500 m. The commander had his own rotating dome on the tower roof equipped with an M85 machine gun in .50 caliber , from which he could observe the battlefield and, if necessary, intervene in the battle. The dome offered better ballistic protection and more space compared to that of the M48. However, it was also a lot higher and thus offered a better target, and the clearance height was further restricted.

M60 on the DRS M1000 low loader of an Oshkosh M1070A0 HET

Three M48A2 were modified accordingly and sent to the Yuma Proving Ground for testing. In order to achieve the required operating range, a diesel engine with the designation AVDS-1790-P was installed. At the same time, this had the advantage that the risk of fire was reduced. After further series of tests, during which both diesel and JP-4 were tested as fuel, the unit performed satisfactorily as a multi-fuel engine. In February 1958 it was decided to use an improved version of the engine for tests in vehicles. The new version was named AVDS-1790-1 and had a new fuel pump, an improved lubrication system and modified oil filters. The new engines were installed in two of the prototypes, the third was equipped with a further improved variant of the engine called AVDS-1790-2. These vehicles were subjected to cold weather tests at Fort Churchill, Canada. It was found that the diesel engine provided enough power when idling to be able to supply all electrical systems of the tank with energy. Because of this, the auxiliary generator was expanded. The engine also required new air filters, the installation of which made it necessary to redesign the rear hull of the M48.

Main battle tank M60 of the Army History Museum in Vienna.

The first four prototypes of the tank now known as the 105mm Gun Full-Tracked Combat Tank M60 were completed in mid-1959 and sent to various research institutes in the USA. These prototypes included other changes to the hull front and drive. However, the tests carried out there showed that the hull's ballistic protection and suspension were still inadequate. As a result, the armor was reinforced again and the drive received additional shock absorbers. However, since series production had already started in 1960, the first 15 series vehicles had a thinner armor than the following examples. These 15 vehicles were sent along with the four prototypes to the Armored Force School in Fort Knox to be used as training vehicles. Furthermore, the first 45 vehicles lacked the commanders' cupolas because they could not be produced quickly enough. The domes were retrofitted later in the troop. The first 300 tanks were equipped with the Browning M2 instead of the M85 MG , which was of the same caliber but could not be installed in the commander's cupola, so it was mounted on a specially mounted carriage next to the cupola. Production of the M60 ended in 1962 after 2205 copies were made and continued with the production of the M60A1. The tank underwent two further increases in combat value, which led to the M60A2 and M60A3 models. Production of the M60A3 ended in 1987 after a total of over 15,000 copies of all versions had been made. Further development was stopped in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall because the end of the Cold War was in sight. Unsold or scrapped copies of the tank were sunk off the US east coast in the Atlantic to create artificial reefs. The last M60s were withdrawn from active service in the US Army in May 1997.

crew

As with most main battle tanks until the introduction of automatic loading, the M60 crew consisted of four soldiers: the commander, the driver, the gunner and the loader . The commander sits on the right in the tower under the rotating dome, the gunner sits in front of him. The loader is on the left side of the turret. The driver sits at the front in the middle between two ammunition containers in the hull of the tank. The three soldiers in the tower have two hatches; the driver has his own hatch in the tub. In addition, there is an emergency exit hatch behind the driver in the tub floor, which, however, cannot be reached by the tower crew in every tower position: if the tower is in the direction of 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., it is blocked by the hydraulic block.

technology

Armament and ammunition

The cannon mantlet of the M60A1

The M60 cannon is a modification of the British Royal Ordnance L7 105mm drawbar cannon . This was equipped with a new breech from US production and some details were changed to shorten the return path of the barrel when firing. The new name for the cannon was M68. The weapon system has an elevation range of −10 ° to + 20 ° and a lateral range of 360 °. The pipe of the cannon has a smoke extractor and from version A3 is covered with a heat protection sleeve to avoid uneven heating in rain, wind or extreme cold in order to increase precision. The weapon system was not stabilized in the original version; A simple stabilization is available from version M60A1. This allowed the fire fight to be limited while moving or the time for a shooting stop to be significantly shortened. From version A3 onwards, a stabilization system was used, which also enables fire fighting while in motion and no longer makes a shooting stop necessary. Some M60A1 from later production were also equipped with the new stabilization system.

The secondary armament consists of an M85 machine gun in .50 BMG caliber  in the commander's cupola, which is used to combat lightly armored targets and for anti-aircraft defense, and a coaxial machine gun. The type of MG was changed several times; the A3 version is an M240 . The M85 has a swivel range of 360 ° in the horizontal and from −15 ° to + 60 ° in the vertical. A turret rotation through 360 ° took about 15 seconds.

There are different types of ammunition:

• APDS-T - ( A rmour P iercing D iscarding S abot - T racer)
• APFSDS-T- ( A rmour P iercing F in S tabilized D iscarding S abot - T racer)
• HEP-T ( squeeze head ammunition - H igh E xplosive P lastic - T racer) and
• HEAT- ( shaped charge projectile - H igh E xplosive A nti T ank)

The M1040 canister ammunition, which is filled with tungsten balls and thus acts like shotgun ammunition, is used to combat infantry . The combat load consisted of 57 cartridges for the M60 and 63 cartridges for the A1 and A3 versions. The ready-to-use ammunition, which consists of 16 cartridges, is housed in an ammunition magazine in the rear left side of the turret and in the turret turntable next to the loader. The main magazine is located to the left of the driver in the armored hull and can only be reached by the loader in the turret position in the side straightening area from 12 p.m. to 7 a.m. The ammunition is not separated from the fighting compartment by a bulkhead; if the ammunition explodes, the crew is killed.

The individual types of ammunition offered the following hit probabilities and penetration rates:

distance	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	2000 m	2500 m	3000 m
APDS accuracy	94%	86%	61%	44%	25%	8th %
HEAT accuracy	89%	69%	50%	28%	17%	3%
HEP accuracy	89%	56%	47%	28%	17%	3%
APDS penetration performance	300 mm	275 mm	250 mm	225 mm	200 mm	175 mm

Armor

The armor of the M60 consists of cast armored steel for the turret and welded armored steel plates for the hull. The original plan was to use composite armor with quartz sand, but this was not realized due to high costs and limited production capacities. The values ​​in the table indicate the actual thickness of the armor, but due to its sloping surface, the protective effect of the armor is higher.

Component	M60	M60A1	M60A2	M60A3
Tub front above	93 mm	109 mm
Tub front below	143-185 mm
Tub sides	36-74 mm
Tower front	178 mm	254 mm	292 mm	254 mm
Cannon mantlet	114 mm	127 mm	292 mm	127 mm
Tower sides	76 mm	140 mm	121 mm	140 mm

Drive and drive

The M60 is powered by an air-cooled 12-cylinder diesel engine called AVDS-1790-2. The M48's old gasoline engine was not used because of its fuel consumption and fire hazard. A new transmission was selected for the power transmission, which was adapted to the higher torque of the diesel engine. It was a converter transmission that had two forward gears and one reverse gear. From version A1 onwards, a more powerful version of the engine with the designation AVDS-1790-2A was used.

The drive consists of six rubber-tyred double cast steel castors and three double support rollers on each side. Starting with version A1, the rollers were made of aluminum in order to save weight. The guide rollers are at the front and the drive wheels are at the rear. The suspension is provided by torsion bars that are connected to the rollers via swing arms. The M60 had hydraulic shock absorbers on the first and last rollers. Starting with version A1, shock absorbers were also attached to the second roller to increase the previously inadequate driving comfort (the vehicle hit the ground on bumps to the end stop). The chain is a rubber-padded connector chain , which in the first version was not designed as a combination chain, but with vulcanized rubber elements.

Optics, sensors and fire control equipment

The commander of an M60 has a total of nine corner mirrors in his dome , which enable a 360 ° all-round view. The front mirror can be replaced by an infrared viewing device or a residual light amplifier . The gunner has two vision devices with eight times magnification, one of which can also be replaced by an IR vision device or a residual light amplifier. The driver has three front-facing corner mirrors and a mount for a night vision device. The M60 and M60A1 had a cross- sectional rangefinder and an electromechanical computer for fire control . The loader selected the loaded ammunition on the computer and the commander used the range finder to determine the distance to the target, which was then automatically transferred to the computer. From these values ​​the computer determined the necessary pipe elevation and automatically brought the pipe to this position via an electric gear. The M60A2 and A3 had a laser rangefinder , the A3 also had a more modern electronic fire control computer.

Technical specifications

designation	M60	M60A1		M60A3
Type:	Main battle tank
Crew:	4th
Power:	750 hp at 2400 rpm
Transmission:	hydromechanical steering-shift-gearbox CD-850-6A
Landing gear:	torsion bar sprung support roller drive
Length over all:	9309 mm	9436 mm
Width over everything:	3632 mm
Height above everything:	3213 mm	3270 mm
Ground clearance:	463 mm			450 mm
Wading ability :	1220 mm
Trench crossing ability:	2590 mm
Climbing ability:	914 mm
Gradeability :	60%
Bank slope:	30%
Combat weight:	49,714 kg	52,617 kg
Maximum speed road:	48 km / h
Top speed terrain:	32 km / h
Fuel quantity:	1457 l	1420 l
Driving range:	500 km			480 km
Armament:	M68 cannon, 1 × M240-MG, 1 × M85-MG
Ammunition:	57 × 105 mm; 6000 x 7.62 mm; 900 x 12.7 mm	63 × 105 mm; 6000 x 7.62 mm; 900 x 12.7 mm

commitment

Mission profile

An M60A3 of the C Company 32nd Armor Regiment during a REFORGER exercise in Germany 1985

The M60 was designed to fight Soviet main battle tanks such as the T-54 and was intended to stop the attacking tank units in Germany in the event of an attack by the Warsaw Pact . Because of this, the US units stationed in Germany were first equipped with the M60. Until the IR vision devices were replaced by residual light amplifiers , the M60 worked for night-time combat with jeeps that were equipped with infrared headlights and took over the lighting of the battlefield so that the tanks did not reveal themselves by using their own headlights.

Calls

In the 1973 Yom Kippur War in Sinai and the Golan Heights , Israel used several M60 variants for the first time. The tank performed very well against the Syrian and Egyptian T-54 and T-55 tanks. In the Vietnam War , the tank was not used because the US High Command was of the opinion that the M48 used there could cope with all threats there. In Operation Desert Storm, the Marine Corps used the M60A1 and A3. Here the tank competed against Iraqi T-54, T-55 and T-72 . The M60 proved to be very effective against all types. In one case, an M60 shot through a T-72. The Marine Corps' M60 were among the first tanks to invade liberated Kuwait City .

User states

User states and figures, unless otherwise indicated, from:

Bahrain

Bahrain's army has purchased a total of 180 M60s since the 1970s, 20 of them M60A3, which were acquired in 1995 from remnants of the US Army.

Bosnia Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina's army has 45 M60s since 1996.

Brazil

The Brazilian armored force maintains 91 M60A3s from the US Army.

Egypt

The Egyptian Army operates one of the largest M60 fleets. In total, it has 759 newly produced M60A3s, a further 168 A3s from Austrian stocks and 700 M60A1s from US stocks. Version A1 tanks were equipped with more powerful engines, new suspension and additional armor. The M60 will remain in service for a few more years.

Greece

The Greek Army has 357 M60A1s and 312 A3s from the US Army.

Iran

The Iranian Army originally had 355 M60A1s, of which it is estimated that around 150 are still operational.

Israel

Israel’s army has another large M60 fleet. A total of about 950 version A1 vehicles and another 450 version A3 vehicles were delivered to Israel, and more were captured in various conflicts. However, many tanks were modified by Israel using its own technology and called Magach .

Jordan

The Jordanian Army has 118 M60A1 and 150 A3, 100 of which have been equipped with a new fire control system. Some of the Jordanian tanks were captured by Israel in the Yom Kippur War.

Morocco

The Moroccan military has 200-300 M60 versions A1 and A3.

Oman

Oman currently operates six M60A1s and 73 M60A3s and a small number of M728s.

Portugal

The Portuguese Army still has 79 M60A3s, which are to be replaced by a smaller number of Leopard-2 tanks.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has 460 M60A3s.

Singapore

Singapore's army only has the support variants of the M60, the M728 and the M60 AVLB.

Spain

Spain still has 154 M60A3 and 106 M60A3 (TTS), of which 184 are still in service.

Sudan

The Sudanese military has 20 M60A3's.

Taiwan

Taiwan acquired the M60 relatively late, with a total of 403 M60A3s purchased between 1995 and 2000.

Thailand

Thailand has 125 M60A3 and 53 M60A1.

Tunisia

The Tunisian Army has 54 M60A3s and 30 M60A1s.

Turkey

The Turkish Army maintains the largest M60 fleet in NATO . There are a total of 274 M60A1 and 657 M60A3 (TTS). All were purchased from US Army stocks.

Yemen

Yemen procured 64 M60A1s in 1979 , about 50 of which are still used by the army .

future

Although the M60 is no longer competitive against modern battle tanks despite the multiple increases in combat value, several thousand units are still in service in many countries around the world. Many states cannot afford their own development programs and are also unable to buy modern tanks such as the M1 Abrams or the Leopard 2. Because of this, the M60 offers an affordable alternative.

BAE Systems developed a further upgrade for the M60 in response to a request from the Turkish military. A 120 mm smoothbore cannon and an upgraded engine with 1200 hp were to be installed. The tower was redesigned and was reminiscent of the tower of the M1. The drive was also redesigned and took over many parts of the drive of the M1. Side skirts have been attached to provide better protection for the drive. However, this draft was not accepted by Turkey. BAE Systems continues to offer the system, but has not yet found any buyers.

variants

M60A1

Main battle tank M60A3

The M60A1 was manufactured from 1963. The modified tower of the M48 was replaced by a completely redesigned tower, which was longer and narrower and offered better protection thanks to its shape. The cannon was moved forward five inches (12.7 cm), so that the crew had more space in the interior. The combat load of ammunition increased from 57 to 63 cartridges. The engine was improved so that this variant used significantly less fuel and produced less exhaust smoke. The commander and the gunner had IR night vision devices that were dependent on an active infrared source. This was provided by an infrared searchlight mounted on the gun barrel. This searchlight was often misused by the crew during maneuvers to heat their field rations. The mechanical brakes have been replaced by hydraulic ones to make the driver's job easier. Furthermore, new seats with height-adjustable backrests were installed for the entire crew, which offered more comfort than the old ones. The seats of the driver and the commander were height-adjustable in order to give both the opportunity to keep their heads outside the armor protection when seated. The M73 coaxial machine gun was replaced with an M219.

A few more changes were made to the M60A1 from the mid-1960s. To improve the first-shot hit probability, a stabilization system for the weapon system was installed, which also allowed fire fighting while moving. New chains were also introduced. The tanks equipped in this way were designated as M60A1 (AOS). The acronym AOS stands for A dd O n S tabilization. Another combat value enhancement program that began in 1975 concerned the engine. This has been equipped with new air filters that can be replaced from above, an improved starter, new cylinders and a new turbocharger to extend the service life. The new name for the engine was AVDS-1790-2C. The M60A1 (AOS) that were subjected to this combat value increase were given the new designation M60A1 (RISE). RISE stands for R eliability- I mproved- S elected- E quipment. From 1962 to 1980 a total of 7849 M60A1s were produced, many of which were later upgraded to A3. In 1977 newly produced M60A1s received the residual light amplifiers of the M60A3 and a deep water equipment. The new name was M60A1 (RISE) (PASSIVE).

M60A2

Main battle tank M60A2

In 1961, the Army decided that an existing main battle tank should be equipped with the relatively new MGM-51 Shillelagh weapon system , as anti-tank guided missiles were considered the means of choice for defense against main battle tanks at the time. The choice fell on the M60. Since the Shillelagh could not be fired from the 105 mm cannon, a new system had to be developed that could fire both the guided missile and normal ammunition with a completely combustible case. The result was the 152-mm M81 cannon. Since this could not be built into the tower of the M60, it was decided to develop a completely new tower that was to be mounted on the chassis of an M60A1. The new turret had an unusual design - in the middle it was high and narrow to accommodate the weapon system and to give the commander a good view, but on the sides it was extremely flat. The gunner and loader had their place on the flat sides, which gave them very good protection. The design also reduced the frontal impact area and reduced weight. The first two prototypes were delivered in 1965 and 1966 and extensively tested. In these tests, however, it was found that the ammunition's combustible cases were very sensitive to moisture and damage. In addition, after firing, smoldering residues of the propellant charge remained in the chamber, which could ignite the next cartridge during loading. This problem was solved by installing a compressed air system that blew three blasts of air through the pipe at a pressure of almost 70 bar (1000 PSI ) to remove smoldering residues. This measure made the cannon's smoke evacuator superfluous, which is why it was left out in series production. This led to the cannon being renamed the XM162. The M60A2 was the first American tank to be equipped with a laser rangefinder, as a cross-sectional rangefinder could not be built into the narrow turret. The short barrel of the cannon also required a very precise determination of the distance, as normal ammunition had a very low muzzle velocity and thus had a strongly curved trajectory. The ability to fight at night was severely limited, as the laser only provided reliable results at night up to a distance of 600 m. This problem was later partially resolved by retrofitting a special filter in front of the headlight. This measure increased the maximum distance for night combat to 1000 m. Overall, these problems delayed the project so that series production could not start until 1973. The Army originally planned to replace all M60s with the A2 version. However, the M60A2 was never very popular with the troops because it contained very complex and error-prone systems and was very maintenance-intensive. The unofficial nickname was "Starship" due to the complexity. Since the trend in arming battle tanks shifted from guided missiles to ballistic projectiles , production was discontinued as early as 1975 after 526 units had been produced. After the last copies were decommissioned in 1980, the towers were scrapped and the hulls were equipped with new towers of the A1 version.

M60A3

Two US M60A3s during the REFORGER '85 maneuver near Giessen

The M60A3 had become necessary to adapt the tank to technological developments. The slice rangefinder was replaced with a laser rangefinder that was built into the slice rangefinder opening on the right side of the tower. The opening on the left side of the tower was closed. The optics of the laser rangefinder were also used for observation for the commander and had a six- and twelve-fold magnification. The old electromechanical computer was replaced by an electronic one. With this, values ​​such as air pressure, air humidity, tilting of the vehicle and cross wind could also be taken into account, which significantly increased the accuracy of the hit. Fog grenade launchers were mounted on each side of the tower; In addition, diesel could be injected into the exhaust system to fog up the tank. The coaxial machine gun was replaced by the newer M240 and the IR vision devices were replaced by passive residual light amplifiers. From 1979 the gunner of selected vehicles had a thermal vision device at their disposal, which considerably improved the detection and identification of targets in poor visibility. The name of the converted vehicles was M60A3 (TTS). By 1982, 1811 units of this type were produced, all of which were originally delivered to the Army and only partially transferred to the Marine Corps later. After the introduction of the M1 Abrams , M60A3s were handed over to the National Guard, where they replaced the M48A5 that was still there and remained in service until around 1997. The US Marine Corps still used the A3 in the Gulf War, where they participated in Operation Desert Storm .

Overview of the model variants

year	model	description
1971	M60A1 TLAC	Last, (from top replaceable air filter T op L oading A ir C leaner)
1972	M60A1 (AOS)	A dd O n S tabilisation
1973	M60A2
1974	M60A1	T142 track
1975	M60A1 (RISE)	R eliability I mprovement S elected E quipment
1977	M60A1 (RISE) (PASSIVE)	passive night vision device for the commander / gunner and deep water equipment
1978	M60A3
1979	M60A3 (TTS)	Thermal vision device for the gunner

Vehicles based on the M60

Combat Engineer Vehicle M728

M728 CEV

→ Main article : Combat Engineer Vehicle M728

The concept of an armored and armed vehicle for the engineer force, which should be suitable for clearing and demolition work, goes back to the end of the Second World War. The original requirements called for a vehicle that should have the same level of protection as a medium battle tank, a five-man crew with space for two more engineers, a launcher for explosive charges, reconnaissance and clearing equipment for mines, a snow blade, a crane with 20 tons of pulling power and the possibility of laying a rapid armored bridge. Since it was impossible to integrate all of these requirements into a single vehicle, the project failed. However, the idea of ​​a pioneer tank suitable for firing explosive charges was retained. After the M60 had been designated as the new main weapon system of the armored forces, a corresponding vehicle under the designation T118E1 was to be developed on the basis of the M60. The final design featured an 11.3 tonne (25,000 pound) lifting capacity crane, dozer blade, and a 165mm M135 cannon. The cannon fires high-explosive charges designed to destroy bunkers and concrete obstacles at distances of up to 925 m. The crew consists of four soldiers who occupy the same seats as in the M60. 243 units were manufactured from 1966 to 1972.

M60A1 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB)

AVLB when laying the bridge

→ Main article : M60A1 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB)

The M60A1 AVLB is an M60, the turret of which has been removed to make way for a rapid armored bridge. The bridge has a total length of 19.2 m and can bridge obstacles up to 18.3 m in length. The bridge has a carrying capacity of MLC 60 . It takes about two minutes to lay the bridge and about ten minutes to pick it up. Including the bridge, the vehicle weighs 55.7 t. The crew consists of a driver and a commander. Some vehicles are still in service with the US Army and Marine Corps, but their operational capabilities are limited as they are unable to follow the highly manoeuvrable M1 Abrams.

Sabra

→ Main article : Sabra (battle tank)

The Sabra is a further development of the M60 for the Turkish army . The increase in combat value includes, among other things, the improvement of armor through the use of composite armor and reactive armor and the improvement of maneuverability through the installation of a new 1000 hp engine.

Magach

→ Main article : Magach

The Magach is a further development of American battle tank models of the Israeli armed forces , which is based on the models M48 and M60.

Samsam

The Samsam is an upgraded version of the M60 of the armed forces of Iran . The combat value increase includes a Kontakt-5 reactive armor, an EFCS-3 fire control system, a laser warning system and a deception system against heat-seeking weapon systems (IRCM - Infrared Countermeasures).

M60 Phoenix

The M60 Phoenix is ​​a combat upgrade of the M60 of the Armed Forces of Jordan .

M60 A1 Vehículo lanzapuentes deslizante VLPD

The Spanish armed forces use the hull of the M60 with the system designation “VLPD 26/70 E” as a laying vehicle for the Iguana rapid-transit tank bridge .

Remarks

1. ↑ The details of the hit probability and penetration rate refer to the probability of a hit on a 2.3 m large, stationary target with homogeneous steel armor at an angle of impact of the ammunition of 90 °.

literature

• Robert Cameron: American Tank Development - Maintaining the Edge Or Just Getting By? In: Armor. July / August 1998, pp. 30–36 ( PDF file; 480 kB )
• Wolfgang Schneider (Ed.): Tanks of the World. 8th Edition, Bernard & Graefe, ISBN 3-7637-5984-0 .
• Christopher F. Foss : Jane's Armor & Artillery 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group Inc, ISBN 978-0-7106-2882-4
• RP Hunnicut: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. Presidio Press, ISBN 978-0-89141-230-4 .
• Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960–91. Osprey Publishing , ISBN 1-84176-551-1 .
• Lon Nordeen, David Isby: M60 vs T-62: Cold War Combatants 1956-92. Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-694-1 .

Web links

Commons : M60 (Main Battle Tank)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Documentation HGM expert Franz Brödl about the M60 main battle tank (2018).
• AFV Database: 105 mm Gun Tank M60 (English)
• MilitaryImages.Net: M60 Series (English)
• M60 Technical Library (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/US/M60_Patton.php
2. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. P. 408.
3. ↑ http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/US/M60_Patton.php
4. ↑ Christopher Foss: Jane's Armor & Artillery 2009-2010. P. 173.
5. ^ ^{A b} Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 3 f.
6. ^ ^{A b} Robert Cameron: American Tank Development - Maintaining the Edge Or Just Getting By? P. 33.
7. ^ Anthony Bailey: Reasons to Improve. The Evolution of the US Tank from 1945-1991. P. 21 f.
8. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 4.
9. Jump up ↑ Lon Nordeen, David Isby: M60 vs T-62: Cold War Combatants 1956-92. P. 12 f.
10. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 4 f.
11. ^ Anthony Bailey: Reasons to Improve. The Evolution of the US Tank from 1945-1991. P. 23 f.
12. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 5.
13. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 9.
14. ↑ Lon Nordeen, David Isby: M60 vs T-62. Cold War Combatants 1956-92. P. 13.
15. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. P. 150 f.
16. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 8.
17. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton: A History of the American Main Battle Tank. P. 149 ff.
18. ↑ Christopher Foss: Jane's Armor and Artillery 2009-2010. P. 173 f.
19. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 44.
20. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 40.
21. ^ M60 Series Tank Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved December 7, 2009
22. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Christopher Foss: Jane's Armor and Artillery 2009–2010. P. 174.
23. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 13.
24. ↑ Christopher Foss: Jane's Armor and Artillery 2009-2010. P. 170.
25. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton: A History of the American Main Battle Tank. P. 439 ff.
26. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. P. 156.
27. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 8.
28. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 6 and P. 37.
29. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 14.
30. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 12.
31. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 39.
32. ↑ Christopher Foss: Jane's Armor & Artillery 2009-2010. P. 177.
33. ↑ New Data reveals how many military equipment turkey lost in attempts to capture al-bab (engl.)
34. ^ ^{A b} Wolfgang Schneider: Tanks of the world. P. 670.
35. ↑ Middle East Military Balance - INSS Israel ( Memento of the original from January 24, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Accessed February 17, 2010  
36. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 41.
37. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 13 f.
38. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. P. 169 ff.
39. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. Pp. 200-202.
40. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. P. 211.
41. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. Pp. 180-193.
42. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 33 f.
43. ^ RP Hunnicutt: Patton. A History of the American Main Battle Tank. Pp. 286-301.
44. ↑ Christopher Foss: Janes's Armor and Artilleriy 2009-2010. P. 175
45. ^ Richard Lathrop, John McDonald: M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91. P. 43.
46. ↑ [1]

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on February 23, 2010 .