Unfortunately, the M60A3 doesn't compare favorably against later T-tank versions due to its thin armor and poor mobility. Due to it's smaller size and lack of turret bustle, the T-62 has only 3-4 ready rounds. The two most major advantages of the M60 over the T-62 however, is the higher rate of fire, and thermal imager. Armor wise it's fairly similar to the T-62, and ammunition-wise, both tanks are capable of penetrating each other frontally, although the M60 has a slight range advantage due to better rounds. However, the tall turret allows for a higher range of gun elevation and depression, making it possible to take up a hulldown battle position on steeper slopes than on the T-62. Also, the M60 is taller, presenting a larger target that is more difficult to hide. Consequently, mobility suffered, and the M60 is slower than the T-62. However, this leads to a very large increase in internal volume, and a significant weight increase, nearly 14 tonnes heavier than the T-62. It is possible to stand fully upright, and even walk around inside of the turret of the M60. The M60 series was created with crew comfort in mind, as such, the interior of the tank is gigantic. However, a direct hit to the ammunition racks will still set off the ammunition, causing everyone inside the tank to be violently incinerated.Ĭompared to it's intended adversary, the Soviet era T-62, the M60 has both advantages, and drawbacks. Indirect hits usually won't set off the rounds, due to them being stored in steel racks, and the fact that 105mm cartridges are brass instead of flammable like the 120 or 125mm rounds, helping to reduce the chance of ammunition explosions from spall. Unlike the Abrams, the ammunition is not compartmentalized, but instead stored fairly unprotected. The fuel is stored in the engine compartment, on the left and right side of the engine. In the turret, there's a rack near the loaders legs, and a larger one in the rear left bustle. There are 2 ammunition racks of 105mm rounds stored on either side of the driver. The layout of the M60A3 is fairly standard: engine in the rear, turret in the middle, and driver at the front. However, the failure of the MBT-70 program lead to the M60 series remaining in service longer than intended, until the fielding of the M1 Abrams. Originally the M60 was a stopgap tank designed to be phased out in the 1970s by the MBT-70. Production continued on the M60A3(TTS) variant until 1984, with a total of 1,052 produced between 19. The first TTS equipped A3s began to deploy to Germany in mid-1979 in limited numbers. Army surpluses were sold to Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia in 1990. During the mid to late 1980s Austria, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Taiwan along with other countries upgraded their existing M60A1 fleets to M60A3 (E60B) standards under several FMS defense contracts. Steel Beasts Professional simulates both versions of the vehicle (rev. In 1979 another upgrade was made which added the TTS (tank thermal sight) thermal imager, thus making it the M60A3 (TTS). The upgrade Combined the 1975 Reliability Improved Selected Equipment (RISE) and 1978 Passive IR sight upgrades to the M60A1 with a laser rangefinder and solid-state fire control computer replacing the mechanical fire control computer and coincidence rangefinder. The M60A3 was an upgrade performed to the M60A1 tanks of the US army around 1978. Other rounds include the M393A1 HEP-T, M416 White Phosphorus, M494 APERS-T, and M1040 Canister rounds which are equipped based on mission.Īmmunition Stowage: 3200 ready/2750 stowedĭefault Ammunition: 3200/2750 7.62mm NATOĮngine: 750hp Continental AVDS-1790-2 Diesel 4.4.4 Key listing for M60A3 gunner's positionĭefault Ammunition "A": 22/16 M735 APFSDS, 15/10 M456A2 HEAT.4.4.1.4.6 Stabilization and Firing on the Move.4.4.1.4.5 Indexing Ammo and Activating Cant Correction (if stationary).4.1.5 Key listing for M60A3 TC's position.4.1.4 Commander's Thermal Sight Display (CTSD) – M60A3 TTS.4.1.3 AN/VVG-2 Laser Range Finder (LRF).
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