DEFENSE/Taiwan to stream Abrams live-fire training in Hsinchu Thursday

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) Taiwan's military is set to live-stream a round of live-fire training sessions on Thursday featuring its newly delivered M1A2T Abrams tanks, allowing the public to witness the training results firsthand, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

The live-fire training session, scheduled to take place at an Army tank training ground in the Kengzihkou (坑子口) area of Hsinchu County, will feature these U.S.-made armored vehicles firing their 120mm smoothbore guns at both moving and stationary targets, while stationary and in motion, according to the MND's plan.

At least one senior government official is expected to preside over the round of training sessions, per MND's plan.

The MND previously said the American-made M1A2T Abrams tanks would not be joining this year's live-fire segment of the annual Han Kuang series of exercises to be staged from Wednesday through July 18, because the vehicles have not been officially commissioned into the Army yet.

However, the Army will be holding a round of live-fire shooting sessions for these American-made tanks on Thursday, which will be separated from the Han Kuang.

Taiwan has earmarked a budget of about NT$40.5 billion (US$1.45 billion) for 2019 to 2027 to purchase 108 M1A2T tanks from the United States, which are expected to be assigned to the Sixth Army Corps responsible for defending northern Taiwan after entering service.

Of the 108, 38 were delivered to Taiwan in December 2024. The Army is now undergoing training since February before the commissioning of these American tanks.

The remaining 70 of the M1A2Ts are scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan later this year (42) and 28 in 2026.

Meanwhile, the military is also upgrading training facilities in Kengzihkou to cater the needs of M1A2Ts.

The upgrades, expected to be completed by October 2026, will include a new multiuse shooting range to enable operators of the M1A2T tanks to practice firing at night and while moving, a range extension to 1.8km from 1.34km and new target platforms that can move automatically, according to the Army.