Army to receive training for M1A2T tanks in early 2025: Source

Sept. 22 (CNA) Taiwan's Army is set to undergo training with M1A2T Abrams tanks in early 2025, after the country takes delivery in December of the first batch of 108 tanks procured from the United States, according to a military source with knowledge of the matter.

The training is planned to commence in February 2025, after the Lunar New Year holiday, the source said.

The Army has budgeted NT$40.52 billion (US$1.27 billion) from 2019 to 2027 to purchase the tanks, which are expected to be commissioned into the 6th Army Command to bolster Taiwan's ground forces. The military currently has about 1,000 tanks, which are over 20 years old.

Taiwan is scheduled to receive 38 M1A2T tanks this year, 42 in 2025, and 28 in 2026.

Work to finalize tank training areas at Chang'an army base in Hsinchu County's Hukou Township and Kengzikou in the county's Xinfeng Township will be carried out in stages, ensuring at least one shooting platform and one target area is available at all times, the source said.

The training will entail stop-and-shoot exercises and shoot-on-the-move drills requiring gunners to hit stationary targets 1,600 meters away and moving targets at a distance of 1,800 meters, the source said.

M1A2T tanks are equipped with 120mm smoothbore guns that can penetrate 850 millimeter thick armor and withstand shells fired from most enemy flagship tanks.