M60 (Patton)

History

The M60 "Patton" MBT was developed in 1957 to disprove rumors that the Soviets were developing their own new MBT with a 115mm smoothbore gun. With this weapon, Soviet products were able to outperform the latest M48 Patton series, the workhorse of American armor at the time. The Soviet-designed "T-62" tank entered service in 1961, with more than 22,000 tanks produced for the Red Army and allied/friendly nations. Various operators and variants serving the type soon emerged, with the T-62 documenting combat operations from the Sino-Soviet border war in 1969 to the Libyan civil war in 2011.

While the M60 is not a perfect main battle tank, in its 50+ years of service it is certainly a tough and ready tank.

Considering convenience and cost, it was decided to take the existing M48 system and adapt it to the changing needs of the modern battlefield at the time. The M48 base was upgraded with a new, more powerful engine and a cross-drive transmission, and the excellent British L7 main gun was mounted to a new turret. The body has been revised with a straighter profile, and aluminum wheels replace the M48's steel wheels. The general turret shape of the M48 was more or less retained, although it was gradually changed to a more defined and distinctive shape to reduce the front and rear profile.

The resulting design was originally called "M68", but was later changed to the more familiar name "M60". Although not officially called "Patton" ("105mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tank (M60)") in the official U.S.

Army roster, it is widely accepted as part of the Patton family, which began with the "M46" - all The Pattons (M46, M47 and M48) are all more or less related to the M26 Pershing heavy tank of the late WWII. Initial production of the M60 began in 1959 at Chrysler's Delaware Defense Plant, which built and stocked the first M60s in 1960.

Production then quickly moved to Chrysler's Detroit Tank Plant in Michigan, where it lasted until 1987, where about 15,000 were built. The M60 is known for being the U.S. Army's first "main battle tank"; the Army dropped the "light", "medium" and "heavy" tank classifications of World War II.

The first U.S. use of M60s was during the Vietnam War (1955-1975), although they were only specialized vehicles in the form of AVLB bridge erectors and M728 CEVs (Combat Engineering Vehicles). Both vehicles use the M60 chassis and hull, which expands the tactical value of the M60 combat system and has logistical and financial implications.

Other than that, no M60 main battle tanks are stationed in the area and used in warfare.

Like the Soviet T-62, the American M60 was widely sold overseas to pro-American countries - and for a while proved to be the workhorse of some NATO forces in Europe. The tank was not actually used in combat until the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and was in Israeli hands during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The Israeli army used the M60 and M60A1 production brands in the conflict, in addition to the M48 Patton already in service. The improved shape was then used in the upcoming 1982 Lebanon War - with the introduction of Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) blocks. The ERA acts as an additional point of protection from incoming enemy projectiles, rockets and rockets, improving overall crew survivability.

The Israelis refer to their upgraded M48 and M60 as "Magach", with Magach 1, 2, 3 and 5 covering different variants of the M48, while Magach 6 and 7 designate the upgraded M60 tank. By all accounts, the M60 performed admirably in Israeli hands, even against the T-62, a tank originally designed for many years ago.

Their main threat was Soviet anti-tank missiles fired by ambush waiting anti-tank units. Regardless, the Israeli military still has plenty of modified M60s as well as their newer, more modern Merkava main battle tanks as their main tanks.

Former US ally Iran has also been a recipient of US military hardware for many years, receiving a total of 150 production M60A1s. These were used during the bloody Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s - their current rank is still unknown.

During the 1991 Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), the M60's next notable operation brought it to the Persian Gulf region. Members of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal Saudi Army used this type and its replacement, the M1 Abrams MBT.

The operation showcased the M60 against the Iraqi T-62, which proved to be the better tank - the Iraqi tanker crews were less trained and experienced compared to the Americans. Also, until 1991, the M60 was a very refined beast that was upgraded as the battlefield changed, whereas the Iraqi T-62 was not. Only one M60 was lost in the Battle of Kuwait City, with no casualties.

Even the U.S. Air Force operated a detachment of M60 tanks during the conflict that served as explosive ordnance disposal vehicles.

To date, the largest M60 combatants remain the Egyptian Army, the Turkish Army and the Israeli Army, each capable of deploying anywhere from hundreds to over 1,000 units. Other notable operators include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Thailand and Portugal.

Greece had as many as 669 M60A1/A3s but later retired these tanks in favor of the upcoming German Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 main battle tanks.

The Turkish Army currently has approximately 925 M60A1 and M60A3 models and has since undergone an extensive modernization program to the updated M60T "Sabra" standard. These feature an electrically stabilized 120mm smoothbore main gun, as well as an improved armor protection scheme and fire control system.

These can also be called Sabra Mk IIIs.

For the U.S. military, the M60 series has been officially retired and completely replaced by the M1 Abrams series. Some M60s are temporarily in reserve or storage, while others serve as outdoor displays at various military installations.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

63 x 105mm projectile.

900x12.7mm ammo.

5,950x7.62mm ammo.

12 x Smoke Grenade.

Changes