DEFENSE/First batch of U.S.-made M1A2T tanks arrives in Taiwan

New Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) Taiwan's first batch of M1A2T tanks purchased from the United States has arrived and been transported to an army armor training center in Hsinchu County early Monday morning.

The 38 M1A2T tanks, a variant of the M1 Abrams, were delivered to the Port of Taipei in New Taipei's Bali District on Sunday, marking the first time in 23 years that Taiwan has received tanks from the U.S.

The last batch of U.S.-made tanks delivered to Taiwan were M60A3 main battle tanks. Shipments of M60A3 began in 1995, and the final delivery came in 2001, according to Taiwan's Army.

Sunday's delivery is the first batch of 108 M1A2T tanks and related equipment that the U.S. government approved to sell to Taiwan in 2019.

According to the delivery schedule released by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, the country's armed forces will receive 38 M1A2T tanks this year, 42 in 2025, and 28 in 2026.

The 38 U.S.-manufactured heavy armored vehicles were transported to the Hsinchu-based Army Armor Training Command between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Monday.

The M1 Abrams are equipped with 120-millimeter smoothbore guns that can penetrate 850-millimeter-thick armor and withstand shells fired from most battle tanks. 

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