Taiwan conducts first live-fire exercise with US-made M1A2T Abrams tanks amid rising Chinese activity.

On July 10, 2025, the Taiwanese Army conducted the first live-fire drill involving its newly acquired M1A2T main battle tanks at the Kengzikou training range in Hsinchu County. Four tanks from the initial batch of 38 delivered in December 2024 by the United States were deployed. The exercise was held in conjunction with the ongoing Han Kuang 41 military exercises but was not officially listed as part of the core live-fire segment. The tanks performed firing procedures from stationary positions and while on the move, engaging both moving and static targets. They fired individually, in pairs, and in a platoon formation. President Lai Ching-te was present at the event and stated that enhanced strike capabilities and mobility contributed to national security. According to the Army, the tanks achieved full firing accuracy during the training.
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The M1A2T retains a 120mm M256 smoothbore main gun capable of firing APFSDS and HEAT rounds, including the export-specific KE-W A1 APFSDS-T, with penetration reportedly reaching up to 850mm of homogeneous steel. (Picture source: Taiwanese MoD)

The M1A2T is an export-configured version of the American M1A2 SEP v2 Abrams, developed specifically for Taiwan under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement approved by the U.S. Department of State in July 2019. Unlike the U.S. variant, the M1A2T does not include depleted uranium armor or the Trophy active protection system due to export limitations. Instead, it uses FMS-compliant composite armor augmented with explosive reactive armor. It is equipped with a 120mm M256 L/44 smoothbore gun capable of firing armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds, including the KE-W A1 APFSDS-T projectile developed for export. Reports indicate a penetration capacity of approximately 850mm. Secondary weapons include a coaxial 7.62mm M240 machine gun, a loader-operated M240, and a 12.7mm M2 heavy machine gun integrated into a Low-Profile CROWS remote weapon station. Smoke and fragmentation grenade launchers with six barrels are mounted on each side of the turret.

The tank has a crew of four and is powered by a 1,500-horsepower Honeywell AGT1500C gas turbine engine. The platform supports a maximum road speed of about 67 kilometers per hour and an operational range of approximately 426 kilometers. Its dimensions are approximately 10 meters in length with the gun forward, 3.65 meters in width, and up to 2.9 meters in height. The vehicle weighs between 68 and 72 tonnes, depending on configuration. The M1A2T includes thermal sights, laser rangefinders, digital fire control, an Ammunition DataLink system for programmable rounds such as the M1147 AMP, and a hunter-killer targeting system. The tank is integrated into Taiwan’s C4ISR network and equipped with an Auxiliary Cooling and Power System at the rear of the turret to support onboard electronics while stationary. Driver displays and other control interfaces have been updated to support modern digital operations.

Taiwan’s $2.2 billion M1A2T procurement includes 108 tanks and 14 M88A2 armored recovery vehicles. The first 38 tanks arrived in December 2024. A second batch of 42 tanks and four recovery vehicles was scheduled for delivery by mid-2025 and was observed at the Port of Los Angeles in June 2025. The remaining 28 tanks are due to be delivered in early 2026. All vehicles are newly produced at U.S. facilities and are not drawn from existing inventory. Ten tanks are retained at the Armor Training Command in Hsinchu for instructional purposes. The rest are assigned to the 584th Armored Brigade in Hsinchu and the 269th Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Linkou. These units are positioned to protect strategic areas such as the Red Beaches in Taoyuan and Zhubei and the northern approaches to Taipei. Older CM-12 tanks have been completely decommissioned, while M60A3s are undergoing selective engine upgrades from 750hp to 1,050hp, and CM-11 tanks are being placed into phased storage.

Training and infrastructure development are ongoing. The Kengzikou training range was completed in May 2025 and includes a primary firing pad supporting a ballistic height of up to 609 meters and a minimum safety radius of 5.56 kilometers for the 120mm tank guns. A new sub-caliber range and tactical driving course are under construction at the Chang’an military camp and scheduled for completion in 2026. The Ministry of National Defense has allocated NT$648.93 million for related infrastructure. Training is divided into basic driving, intermediate maneuvering, and advanced tactical modules. As of early July 2025, the Ministry reported to the Legislative Yuan that construction progress was 5.51% ahead of schedule. Based on this progress, previously frozen funding has been released. Work continues on water retention systems, drainage infrastructure, and temporary disaster prevention measures to meet operational safety and training standards.

The M1A2Ts are being introduced within the broader framework of Taiwan’s five-layer coastal defense strategy. This structure begins with anti-ship missile strikes at sea, followed by long-range mobile artillery and rocket systems such as Thunderbolt-2000 and HIMARS. Attack helicopters, including the AH-64E Apache, serve as the third layer, while the fourth layer involves inland missile batteries positioned at strategic chokepoints. The fifth layer consists of armored ground forces intended for counterattack and reinforcement. Analysts, including Su Tzu-yun of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, describe the M1A2T’s role as intercepting and neutralizing enemy forces that penetrate coastal defenses. As of July 2025, the tanks have been integrated into joint theater-level simulations, although they have not yet participated in live-fire exercises during Han Kuang 41. The Ministry of National Defense stated that the tanks are expected to reach operational status by the end of the year. A formal commissioning ceremony may follow, with potential participation from U.S. representatives and descendants of General Creighton Abrams.

The strategic backdrop includes increasing Chinese military activity near Taiwan. In May 2025, Taiwan recorded an average of 9 Chinese naval and government vessels operating daily around the island, with a peak of over 70 vessels on May 27. Two aircraft carriers, the Shandong and the Liaoning, conducted operations, with the Liaoning performing take-off and landing drills in the East China Sea. Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense also reported incursions across the median line of the Taiwan Strait. On July 9, 2025, 31 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval ships were detected, with 24 aircraft crossing the median line. China’s Ministry of Commerce added eight Taiwanese firms to its export control list, citing dual-use concerns. Chinese officials dismissed the Han Kuang drills as “a bluff,” and the Ministry of Defense in Beijing stated that Taiwan could not withstand an attack by the People’s Liberation Army. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense emphasized that the drills aimed to demonstrate both to China and international partners that Taiwan is determined to defend itself and that its military capabilities are being actively modernized.

The procurement of the M1A2T is also one element in a broader framework of defense cooperation between the United States and Taiwan conducted under the Taiwan Relations Act. In addition to the 108 Abrams tanks and 14 M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicles contracted in 2019 under a Foreign Military Sales agreement, Taiwan has ordered and received a variety of U.S. weapon systems intended to reinforce its multi-layered defense structure. These include 29 M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), of which 11 units had been delivered by the end of 2024, alongside 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) with a maximum range of approximately 300 kilometers. Taiwan has also received 1,240 BGM-71 TOW-2B RF anti-tank guided missiles and 200 FGM-148 Javelin missiles delivered in 2024 to supplement deliveries from 2023. Other systems delivered include FIM-92 Stinger short-range surface-to-air missiles and 66 F-16V Block 70/72 fighter aircraft, which were part of an $8.2 billion contract approved in 2019. All these platforms are being integrated into Taiwan’s C4ISR network and are featured in theater-level digital simulations and coordinated planning scenarios. The defense relationship continues to be operational despite broader political developments, and an increasing number of U.S. military assets are incorporated into Taiwan's standardized training modules and cross-service exercises.