M1A2X Tanks to Taiwan

choi

In chronological order.

(1) 羅添斌, M1A2X戰車超寬超高超重 軍方將比照美軍採購專屬拖板車. Liberty Times, Apr 7, 2019
https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/2751294
("軍方採購M1A2X戰車案，還要併案採購美軍現役拖板車作為專用載具")

Note:
(a) M1 Abrams
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Abrams
(M1 Abrams is a third-generation American main battle tank named after General Creighton Abrams; manufacturer General Dynamics at Lima, in northwestern Ohio; "Three main versions of the M1 Abrams have been deployed, the M1 [produced 1979–85; in service starting 1980], M1A1 [produced 1985–92], and M1A2 [produced 1992- ; its variant M1A2 SEP (System Enhancement Package) 1999- ]" -- content of brackets is from section 3 Variants and upgrades, section 3.2 Specifications)
(i) photo caption in this report: "美軍M1A2SEPV3戰車"
(ii) In the above Wiki page, (section 3 Variants and upgrades) shows M1, M1A1, and M1A2, the last (M1A2) has Baseline, M1A2 SEP, M1A2 SEPv2, M1A2C ([also known as] SEPv3) of which M1A2X is "Special configuration variant of the M1A2C reportedly being offered for sale to Taiwan as of March 2019."

The same section says M1A2C is currently the most advanced with "M1A2D (SEPv4): Under engineering development with delivery planned to start by 2020."
(b) US transport M1A2 with
(i) tractor which is Oshkosh defense M1070.

Heavy Tactical Vehicles. Oshkosh Corp, undated
https://oshkoshdefense.com/heavy-tactical-vehicles/
(select "HET [which stands for] Heavy Equipment Transporter]" and click variants (HET Global and HET M1070A1) for graphics of each (which looks similar to me).

Oshkosh Corp (Headquarters Oshkosh [named after Native American chief Oshkosh, whose one-word name means claw], Wisconsin; Founded in 1917)  Wikipedia.
(ii) plus: M1000 Heavy Equipment Transport Semi-Trailer, by Leonardo DRS.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_DRS (section 1 History for what DRS stands for)

To see what (M1000 Heavy Equipment Transport Semi-Trailer) looks like, search images.google.com with the term (without quotation marks). You will see images from Leonardo DRS of M1000 alone, and with Oshkosh M1070.

choi

(2) 羅添斌, 配合採購M1A2X戰車 軍方將建立120公厘戰車彈產能. Liberty Times, Apr 7, 2019
https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/2751238
("M1A2系列戰車使用的戰車彈為120公厘，但國內目前只具備105公厘戰車彈的產製能量，軍方將規劃運用現有戰車彈生產線，循工業合作技術引進及自行研發等方式，建立120公厘戰車彈的產能。  M1A2系列戰車使用的戰車彈，在戰備彈方面有: 、翼穩脫殼穿甲彈及人員殺傷彈，練習彈部分則有 * * * ")

Note:
(a) "國內目前只具備105公厘戰車彈的產製能量"

That is because both CM11 and M60A3, two tanks Taiwan operates, uses ammunitions of 105mm. Indeed,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Abrams
(section 3.2 Specifications: main armament (ie, gun): M1 used "105 mm M68 rifled" whereas M1A1 and M1A2 use 120 mm M256 smoothbore."
(b) 戰防榴彈 is HEOR (High Explosive Obstacle Reduction) M908.
(c) 翼穩脫殼穿甲彈 is M829 or M830.
(i) M829
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M829
(armor-piercing, fin-stabilized, discarding sabot (APFSDS); "The corresponding training round is the M865 costing $1,121")

, whose animation is H1MIN: APFSDS Shell, YouTube.com, published by (Military History in a Minute) on June 24, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlKZr2lgTac
(A) The "fin-stabilized" in APFSDS is a modifier for the ARROW inside a sabot when fired.
(B) The "discarding sabot" in APFSDS means sabot is not the penetrator but a container. See sabot (shoe)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabot_(shoe)
(ii)
(A) M830
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M830
("high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round * * * Like the M829")
(B) M830A1 High Explosive Anti-Tank-Multi Purpose - Tracer (HEAT-MP-T). Federation of American Scientists (FAS), undated
https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m830a1.htm
("The 120mm M830 High Explosive Anti-Tank-Multi Purpose - Tracer (HEAT-MP-T) is a chemical energy, multi-purpose projectile with an anti-personnel capability. It is largely a technology transfer from the ballistically identical German model DM12A1 except for the M764 fuze, double safety, and propellant containment bag. The round consists of a fin stabilized steel body * * * The M830A1 HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) round, recently fielded for the M1A1 and M1A2 Main Battle Tank, is a major advancement over its predecessor, the M830, which has been in the US inventory since the early '80s. HEAT rounds have multi-purpose warheads which are used to defeat armored vehicles, helicopters and soft targets such as bunkers. * * * The M830A1 is unique in that it features a three-piece discarding aluminum sabot, a feature normally associated with kinetic energy projectiles. The sabot allows a lighter flight projectile which can be flown to greater ranges than could the M830. The M830A1 also mounts a proximity switch on the flight projectile nose. Manually set upon gun loading, this allows the M1A1/M1A2 tank to self-defend against attacking helicopters with the 120mm main gun, a capability never before possessed by a Main Battle Tank. The multi-purpose cartridge is also extremely effective against buildings, bunkers, and light armored vehicles. The M830A1 was fielded in 1994 and is currently still in production")
(d) 人員殺傷彈 (anti-personnel) is M1028 Canister Cartridge. General Dynamics, undated
https://www.gd-ots.com/munitions ... nition/120mm-m1028/
("The 120mm M1028 Canister Cartridge was developed for close-in defense of tanks against massed assaulting infantry attack and to break up infantry concentrations, between a range of 200-500 meters, by discharging large numbers of tungsten balls from the main cannon")

choi

(3) 赵婉成, 台军方：将为向美采购的M1A2战车生产战车弹. VOA Chinese, Apr 11, 2019
https://www.voachinese.com/a/US- ... 190411/4871307.html
("M1A2战车重约70吨，时速可达72公里，配有车间资讯系统等高科技电子设备，被称为地表最强战车。台湾军方分析认为，有了M1A2加入军力阵容，当共军侵犯台湾时就必须运送更大的战车登岸，这种难度可能会使共军难以登陆"_

My comment:
(a) There is no need to read the rest, which duplicates other news reports (but this report is the first on this subject in this website).
(b) Before, I thought Taiwanese tanks would be used in attacking the PLA from the rear (such as from the same beach PLA had landed) ONCE PLA had landed successfully without heavy armament (canons, tanks etc; I mean how PLA can carry so much in the first or second wave of amphibious landing with satellite watching any massing). Now it is said Taiwanese tanks are to be used against PRC tanks!  Can't PRC tanks eliminated with cheap, shoulder-fired missiles?  Besides, if PRC tanks can land, what happens to Taiwan's air force, navy, army (each with myriads of missiles) AND Coast Guard?