The CM11 tanks currently in service in the national army will be sealed in batches. (File photo)
[Reporter Tu Jumin/Taipei Report] A CM11 tank from the 564th Brigade of the Eighth Army Corps accidentally hit the central separation island during a mission maneuver in Miaoli on the 16th. Fortunately, no casualties were caused. It is worth noting that the national army is promoting the replacement of old tanks with new ones. The future fate of the existing CM11, M60A3 and newly purchased M1A2T tanks will be very different. Among them, 108 newly purchased M1A2T tanks have all arrived in Taiwan, and 460 M60A3 tanks are undergoing performance improvements. Only about 450 CM11 tanks have no upgrade plans and will be gradually stored in the future.
The Eighth Army Corps of the Army stated that a CM11 tank belonging to its 564th Brigade was traveling through the South Miao Road section of Provincial Highway 13 in Miaoli City on the afternoon of the 16th when it hit the separation island due to a brake system failure. The police confirmed that the driver had no alcohol reaction. The cause of the accident and the blame are still to be clarified. The military will also strengthen driving safety education and troop operation safety.
The National Army's CM11 tank has been in service since 1990. It adopts the M60 series tank chassis, the M48 series tank turret, and is equipped with a 105 mm tank gun and a 750-horsepower diesel engine. According to public information, the CD-850 series transmission systems used by the CM11 tank and the M60A3 tank have technical similarities; in comparison, the M1 series tank uses the X1100 series transmission system, which has a power-assisted braking design, which can reduce the force required for driving to brake. However, whether the technical differences between the two are related to the accident remains to be investigated by the military.
According to the military's assessment, due to the limited internal space of the CM11 tank, the feasibility of performance improvement is low, and it is not included in the future main combat force plan. Therefore, it will be sealed in batches, but a comprehensive retirement schedule has not yet been announced.
The National Army’s M60A3 combat vehicle has received opportunities for performance improvement. (File photo)
In comparison, the M60A3, which also uses a 750-horsepower diesel engine, has been given the opportunity to extend its life. The Army plans to replace 460 M60A3 tanks with AVDS-1790-2CAU diesel engines from 2023 to 2028, which will improve the reliability and power output stability, and increase the load-bearing capacity by about 5 tons, leaving room for subsequent armor, turret and sighting system upgrades. There is also an evaluation direction to further increase the horsepower.
As for the 108 M1A2T tanks purchased by the National Army at a cost of more than 40.5 billion yuan, all of them arrived in Taiwan in April this year. They are equipped with 1,500-horsepower gas turbine engines, 120 mm smoothbore guns, and new fire control systems. They will gradually become the main force of armored defense in the northern region. With the installation of new combat vehicles and the continuous upgrading of the M60A3, the Chinese army's ground armor combat capabilities will gradually complete the generational change.
All 108 M1A2T tanks purchased by the Chinese military from the United States have arrived in Taiwan. (File photo)
No need to draw, no need to grab. Now use the APP to read the news. You are guaranteed to win every day. Click me to download the APP. Click me to see the event details.
