Taiwan Recives Second Batch of Abrams Tanks
On July 28, the Republic of China Armed Forces (ROCAF) announced that they had received their second batch of M1A2T Tanks from the United States. 42 Abrams tanks were unloaded from port in Taipei and transported down the highway for delivery after arrival on Sunday night.
The M1A2T, a Taiwan-specific variant of the American M1A2 Abrams, was first ordered back in 2019. Included in the order were additional support vehicles such as M88A1 recovery vehicles specifically designed for use with the M1 Abrams, as well as transporter vehicles designed for Taiwan’s roadways. The first batch of 38 tanks was delivered in December of last year, and the current batch of 42 tanks leaves a further 28 orders to be filled by 2027.
The M1A2T tanks are to be deployed with the Taiwanese Army 6th Corps out of northern Taiwan, where the first batch of tanks was used in a live fire exercise in the Kengzikou Range earlier in the month. During this exercise, the army praised its firepower and manuverability. While there are challenges brought forth by the unique terrain and infrastructure of the island, the Army’s priority of fielding large quantities of survivable weaponry outweighs these concerns.
The Taiwanese Army is also undergoing a modernization plan of its aging M60 tank fleet, with improvements being made to its armor, engine and main gun. The Taiwanese Army currently fields about 1,000 tanks, with many of them undergoing modernization or being replaced with newer examples, such as the M1A2T. Older vehicles have also been retired to clear up space, such as with the M41A3 Walker Bulldog, which was slated for retirement later next year.
This effort is in line with the extensive modernization plans occurring across all branches of the Republic of China Armed Forces. This effort aims to prepare the military to better defend the island against modern threats in the event of an invasion.