DEFENSE/Final batch of U.S.-made M1A2T tanks to be delivered soon: Source

Taipei, Feb. 1 (CNA) The manufacture of the remaining 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks Taiwan purchased from the United States has recently been completed, and the armored vehicles are expected to be delivered to Taiwan within the next one to two months, a source told CNA on Sunday.

The Ministry of National Defense is actively arranging cargo ships to transport the tanks to Taiwan as soon as possible, according to the unnamed source, who is familiar with the matter.

The estimated arrival time ranges from late February to early March, the source added.

The 28 Abrams tanks make up the third and final batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion (US$1.45 billion), that Taiwan purchased from the U.S. under a deal approved by Washington in 2019.

The first batch of 38 Abrams tanks was delivered to Taiwan in December 2024 and was later commissioned into the Army's 584th Armored Brigade in Hsinchu County in late October 2025 after completing the required training and testing.

The second batch of 42 M1A2T Abrams tanks was delivered in July 2025, and testing and training are ongoing ahead of their planned commissioning in the second quarter of this year, the source said.

The Army currently operates around 1,000 tanks, including CM11 Brave Tiger and M60A3 models, both of which have been in service for over two decades.

In addition to procuring the M1A2T tanks, the military has invested in new engines for its M60A3 tanks and upgraded their cannon fire-control systems to provide "hunter-killer" capability, allowing a tank to engage one target while tracking another.