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Key Points: The M60A1 tank, a Cold War mainstay, was an upgraded descendant of the M48 Patton. Entering service in 1959, over 15,000 units were produced until 1997. Its 105mm M68E1 gun, improved armor, and advanced fire control made it formidable in its prime.

-The M60 saw action in the Yom Kippur War, Lebanon, Grenada, and Operation Desert Storm, where it performed well against Soviet T-72s.

-Enhancements like Add-On Stabilization and thermal imaging kept it relevant, though it was ultimately outclassed by newer tanks like the T-72 and M1 Abrams.

-Today, the M60 remains a symbol of Cold War innovation.

The M60A1 Tank, The Cold War Warrior

The M60A1 main battle tank was a second-generation direct descendant of the M48 Patton tank. Many of the components are interchangeable. While many characterize the M60 family of tanks as a “Patton” tank, it was not. The official designation from the Army was “Tank, Combat, Full Tracked: 105-mm Gun, M60.”

However, the Army called the M60 a “product-improved descendant” of the Patton tank’s design. If it sounds confusing, it probably was at the time. Because the M60 was just an enhanced M48. The tank was issued in 1959 but didn’t begin arriving at European bases until late 1960.

The US produced over 15,000 M60s during its service period, which ran from 1959 to 1991 through the Desert Storm war with Iraq. However, National Guard units used the M60 until 1997. 

Wartime Service

The M60’s baptism of fire didn’t come under an American flag but under an Israeli one in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The Israelis used it again, although an enhanced version, during the 1982 war with Lebanon. In 1983, the US first used the M60 in combat during the Grenada invasion, “Operation Urgent Fury.” There, M60s supported the Marine amphibious landings. Before the Shah’s fall in Iran, the US sold the M60s to the Iranian Army, and Iranian forces used the M60 against Saddam Hussein’s forces in the Iran-Iraq War. 

During “Operation Desert Storm,” Marine armor units operating the M60A3 model performed well against Soviet-built T-72s. Army units had already moved on to the M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks. That was the final time the M60s would see combat with the US.

M60 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Development of the M60A1

In 1961, the Defense Department saw some flaws with the initial M60 design and made changes.

Modifications to the M140 included moving the cannon mount forward five inches, giving the crew more space inside the turret. The upgrade also gave the 105mm gun better depression and elevation (-9/+19 increased to -10/+20).

The amount of ammunition carried increased to 63 rounds, which gave the crew an additional six rounds of 105mm.

The enhancements of additional armor upgraded the crew’s survivability. The extra armor includes:

Upper frontal hull plate: 109mm (angled at 65 degrees, increased from 93mm)

Lower frontal hull plate: 143-85mm (angled at 55 degrees)

Side hull armor: 74-36mm

Rear hull armor: 41-30mm (the grill was 25mm thick)

Hull bottom: 19-13mm

Hull top: 36mm

M60 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

M60 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The main gun of the M60A1 was the M68E1 105mm. It was an upgrade of the 90mm used in the M48. There were many different types of ammunition used in the M60, including, APDS-Tracer (APDS-T) (M392 and M728), Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot-Tracer (APFSDS-T) (M735 and M774), APFSDS Depleted Uranium (DU) (APFSDS-DU) (M833), HEAT-FS (M456), APDS dummy and target practice rounds, High Explosive Plastic (HEP)/ High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) (M393), white phosphorus and canister rounds.

In late 1972, an added Add-On Stabilization (AOS) kit fit the existing hydraulic gun control system with minimum modifications. The kit allows the gunner to aim and track targets and improves the gunner’s surveillance of the battlefield terrain while the tank is moving. It increased the hit probability from zero to 70 percent while the tank was on the move.

The M60A1 underwent further changes over the years, but by the time the Soviets released the T-72, it was showing its age. The Soviet tank had better armor, firepower, and speed, but the M60A1 had better fire control systems, thermal imagery, and laser range finding. 

Even though the M60 is retired, you can ride in one and fire the main gun in Vegas. 

It was a Cold War Warrior. 

M60 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

M60 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

About the Author: 

Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 1945, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in other military publications.