M60 Patton

American second generation main battle tank

The M60 Patton is a main battle tank (MBT) introduced in December 1960.[12] The M60 became the Army's primary tank during the Cold War.[13] When the Soviet Union got the T-54 tank, the United States decided to upgrade the M48 Patton tank.[14] The armor was improved. It was fitted with the British L7 105 mm tank gun.[14] The army also decided to switch from gasoline to diesel.[14]

M60
An M60 tank on display at the Batesville, Mississippi VFW Post in October 2012.
TypeMain battle tank
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1959–present[1]
Used bySee Operators
WarsCold War
Yom Kippur War
Ogaden War
Invasion of Grenada
Persian Gulf War
Iran–Iraq War
Lebanese Civil War
1982 Lebanon War
Multinational Force in Lebanon
Yemeni Civil War (1994)
Western Sahara War
2011 Bahrain protests
Houthi insurgency in Yemen
Kurdish–Turkish conflict
Cambodian–Thai border dispute
Turkish military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
Sinai insurgency
Yemeni Civil War
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Production history
Designer Chrysler Defense Engineering
Designed1957
ManufacturerChrysler Corporation Delaware Defense Plant 1959-1960
Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant 1960-1983
Unit costM60: US$309,000 (1962)
M60A1RISE: US$385,000 (1976)[2]
M60A2: US$372,000 (1974)[3]
M60A3TTS: US$1.292 million (1990)[4]
ProducedM60: 1959–1962
M60A1: 1962–1980
M60A2: 1973–1975[3]
M60A3: 1978–1983[5]
No. builtOver 15,000 (all variants)
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
MassM60: 50.7 short tons (46.0 t; 45.3 long tons)
M60A1: 52.6 short tons (47.7 t; 47.0 long tons)
M60A2: 52.0 short tons (47.2 t; 46.4 long tons)
M60A3: 54.6 short tons (49.5 t; 48.8 long tons)[6]
LengthM60/M60A1/M60A3: 6.946 meters (22 ft 9.5 in) (hull), 9.309 meters (30 ft 6.5 in) (gun forward)
M60A2: 6.946 meters (22 ft 9.5 in) (hull), 7.3 meters (23 ft 11 in) (gun forward)[7]
WidthM60/M60A1/M60A2/M60A3: 3.631 meters (11 ft 11.0 in)[7]
HeightM60: 3.213 meters (10 ft 6.5 in)
M60A2: 3.1 meters (10 ft 2 in)
M60A1/M60A3: 3.27 meters (10 ft 9 in)[7]
Crew4[8]

ArmorUpper Glacis[9]
  • M60: 3.67 in (93 mm) at 65°
    8.68 in (220 mm) LoS
  • M60A1: 4.29 in (109 mm) at 65°
    10.15 in (258 mm) LoS
  • M60A2: same as M60A1
  • M60A3: same as M60A1
Turret Front[9]
  • M60: equals 7 in (180 mm)
  • M60A1: equals 10 in (250 mm)
  • M60A2: equals 11.5 in (290 mm)
  • M60A3: equals 10.87 in (276 mm)
Main
armament
  • M60 / M60A1 / M60A3: M68 105 mm (4.1 in)[10]
  • M60A2: 152 mm (6.0 in) M162 Gun/Launcher[10]
Secondary
armament
EngineContinental AVDS-1790-2 V12, air-cooled Twin-turbo diesel engine
750 bhp (560 kW)[7]
Power/weight15.08 bhp/st (12.4 kW/tonne)[7]
TransmissionGeneral Motors, cross-drive, single-stage with 2 forward and 1 reverse ranges[7]
SuspensionTorsion bar suspension
Ground clearance1 foot 6.2 inches (0.463 m)[7]
Fuel capacity385 US gal (1,457 L)[7]
Operational
range
300 miles (500 km)[7]
Maximum speed 30 mph (48 km/h) (road)
12 mph (19 km/h) (cross country)[7]

References

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  1. Hunnicutt 1984, p. 165
  2. Office, U.S. Government Accountability (6 August 1976). "Increasing Procurement Cost Of M60A1 Tanks". Gao.gov (PSAD-76-153). Archived from the original on 13 November 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Sabot Publications, M60A2 Main Battle Tank in Detail, Volume 1
  4. "Taiwan - Congressional Record". Archived from the original on 2016-04-17. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  5. "M60 Series Tank (Patton Series)". Fas.org. Archived from the original on 2018-09-04. Retrieved 2018-09-11.
  6. Jane's Tank Recognition Guide, 1996, ISBN 0-00-470995-0
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 Foss 2005, p. 166
  8. "Basic Issue Plan". Fas.org. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Hunnicutt 1984, pp. 439–443
  10. 10.0 10.1 Foss, Christopher F., ed. (2005). Jane's Armour and Artillery: 2005–2006 (26th ed.). Coulsdon, Surrey, UK; Alexandria, VA:
  11. 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). Washington, D.C.: Dept. of the Army, 8 July 1975.
  12. Steven J Zaloga, T-62 Main Battle Tank 1965-2005 (London: Osprey Publishing, 2014), p. 14
  13. Lon Nordeen; David C. Isby, M60 Vs T-62: Cold War Combatants, 1956-92 (Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2010), p. 4
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Steven J. Zaloga, The M47 and M48 Patton Tanks (Oxford: Osprey Military, 1999), p. 10

Other websites

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