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The M60A3 main battle tank is an improved version of the M60A1 MBT. The first M60A3s completed at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in February 1978 were the first of a low-rate of initial production quantity of 296 M60A3s. The US Army phased M60A3 out of service in 1997 and was replaced by the M1 Abrams. Curently, the M60A3 MBT is always in service with many countries all over the world with 1,700 units in Egypt, while Turkey and Israel are operating 900 and 700 units respectively. The M60A3 is also in service in Bahrain, Bosnia, Brazil, Greece, Iran, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sudan, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia and Yemen.
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- M60A1: first production tank
- M60A3: improved version of te M60A1 fitted with a laser rangefinder, M21 solid state ballistic computer, and a crosswind sensor. Late production units omitted the commander's cupola.
- M60AVLB: baseline M60-based chassis armored vehicle-launched bridge with 60-foot (18 m) scissors bridge.
- M60 AVLM: Armored Vehicle Launched MICLIC (Mine-Clearing Line Charge), modified AVLB with up to 2 MICLIC on M60 chassis.
- M60 Panther: M60 modified into a remotely controlled mine clearing tank.
- M728 CEV: baseline M60-based Combat Engineer Vehicle fitted with a folding A-frame crane and winch attached to the front of the turret, and an M135 165mm demolition gun. Commonly fitted with the D7 bulldozer blade, or a mine-plow for the clearing of land mines.
- M728A1: Upgraded version of the M728 CEV based on the M60A1.
- M60 Sabra: Israeli upgraded variant with ew 120 mm smoothbore gun, electric stabilization system, new fire control system, and new armor package.M60T is also known as Sabra Mk.II.
- M60VLPD 26/70E: Spanish Army bridgelayer based on the M60 with "Leguan bridge system". 12 converted from M60A1.
- M60CZ-10/25E Alacran: Spanish Army combat engineer variant. 38 converted from M60A1.
- M60 Phoenix: Jordanian upgrade, being carried out by the King Abdullah II Design And Development Bureau. Upgrade includes shoot-on-move capabilities, increased firepower (with a RUAG 120 mm smoothbore gun) and armor protection scheme upgrade.
- Samsam (Sword): Iranian upgraded version of M60A1 tank, fitted with reactive armor (presumably Kontakt-5), EFCS-3 Fire Control system, Laser warning system and IR jammers
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| Armament |
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The M60A3 main armament consists of one 105 mm M68 rifled tank gun with a bore evacuator. the tank can carry a total of 63 rounds of ammunition with 26 stored in the forward part of the hull, to the left and right of the driver's position, 13 in the turret for ready use, 21 in the turret bustle and the remaining three under the gun. The M60A3 gun can fire a full range of ammunition as the APDS-T (M728), APFSDS-T (M735/M735A1), APFSDS-T (M774), APDS-T (M392A2), APERS-T (M494), HEAT-T (M456 series), TP-T (M467), TP-T (M490), TPDS-T (M724), TPDS (M737), HEP-T (M393A1/M393A2), Dummy (M457), TP-T (M393A1), and Smoke WP-T (M416). One M85 12.7 mm heavy machine gun is mounted in the commander's cupola with an elevation of +60º and a depression of -15º. A 7.62mm coaxial machine gun is mounted to the left of the main armament. The main armament of the turret is fully stabilized in both elevation and traverse. To increase his protection, the M60A3 has two smoke generation systems, an engine exhaust smoke system which sprays fuel into the exhaust manifold, and two six-barreled smoke grenade launchers, one mounted on each at the front of the turret.
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| Design and protection |
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The hull of the M60A3 is made of cast-steel sections and forged floor plates welded together. It is divided into three compartments: driver's at the front, fighting in the centre and the engine and transmission at the rear. The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle and is provided with a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right. The turret is in the centre of the hull with the loader on the left and the commander and gunner on the right. There is an external stowage basket at the rear of the turret. The loader is provided with a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear. The commander has a cupola that can be traversed through 360º by hand, a single-piece hatch cover that opens and swings to the rear.
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| Mobility |
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The M60A3 is motorized with a AVDS-1790-2C 12-cylinder air-cooled diesel developing 750 hp at 2,400 rpm coupled to a transmission General Motors Corporation, cross-drive, single-stage with 2 forward and 1 reverse speeds. The engine compartment is located at the rear of the hull and separated from the fighting compartment by a fireproof bulkhead, and is equipped with a fire extinguishing system. Two large engine exhaust grilles are loacted at the rear of the hull. The M60A3 can run at a maximum road speed of 48 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 500 km. The M60A3 torsion bar suspension consists of six dual rubber-tyred roadwheels with the idler at the front, drive sprocket at the rear and three track-return rollers. The first, second and sixth roadwheel stations are provided with a hydraulic shock-absorber. The tank can ford to a depth of 1.219 m without preparation and with preparation to a depth of 2.438 m.
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| Accessories |
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The M60A3 is equipped with a Raytheon laser range-finder with a maximum range of 5,000 m replaces the optical range-finder and a solid-state computer replaces the mechanical computer of the old variants of M60 MBT family. Standard equipment of the M60A3 includes NBC protection system, thermal gunner's sight, laser range-finder, solid-sate computer, passive night vision devices followed by thermal sights and automatic Halon fire extinguishing system. The front of the hull can be equipped with a mine-clearance systems which consists of a Pearson engineer mine plough.
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| Specifications |
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Armament
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One 105mm gun, one 12,7mm heavy machine gun and one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun
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Country users
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Austria, Bahrain, Bosnia, Brazil, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sudan, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen.
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Designer Country
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United States
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Accessories
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Laser range-finder, computerized fire control, passive night vision, fire extinguishing system and NBC protection system.
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Crew
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4
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Armor
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Steel armour which provides protection agianst firing of small arms and shell splinters.
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Weight
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52.600 kg
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Speed
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48 km/h
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Range
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500 km
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Dimensions (hull)
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Length: 6.94 m; Width: 3.63 m; Height: 3.27 m
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