M60 Patton
Overview
M60A3 TTS
Brazilian army M60A3 TTS main battle tank in the field in 2021.
Source: Exército Brasileiro -
© GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
1979 for M60A3
1962 to 1980 (M60A1)
1978 to 1983 (M60A3)
7.948 M60A1
1.052 M60A3
3.268 M60A1 converted to A3 for export
1.391 M60A1 converted to A3 TTS
Description
Introduction
The M60 Patton is an early Cold War era main battle tank of US origin. The M60 was developed as a product-improved M48 Patton. The M60 and its variants served in large numbers throughout the Cold War with US forces and various allies. Interestingly, the M60 might be the best known Patton tank while officially not Patton family.
Design
The M60 Patton is a deep modernization of the M48A2 Patton tank. Whereas the M48 has a boat-shaped hull front the M60 has a sleek welded plate hull front. This was to accommodate a type of armor composition that was eventually never used due to production difficulties. The original M60 has a small round turret similar to the M48. The improved M60A1 and A3 models feature the distinctive elongated turret with commander's cupola.
Firepower
The main armament of the M60 Patton is the manually loaded 105mm M68 rifled gun. This is a license produced version of the British L7. It differs in having a vertical sliding breech block and eccentric fume extractor due to the tall engine deck of the M60. Coaxial armament consists of a 7.62mm M73 or M219 vehicle machine gun. In the latest updates this was replaced by the more reliable M240 coaxial machine gun. The large commander's cupola houses the 12.7mm M85 heavy machine gun.
Protection
The M60 Patton features a cast hull with rolled steel glacis plate. The turret of the original M60 is nearly similar to the M48A2. The M60A1 introduced an improved armor package with a thicker glacis plate and new elongated turret design with substantial improved frontal armor thickness. This brings the M60A1 on par with the M103 heavy tank over the frontal arc. In Israeli service and with the US marine corps several types of explosive reactive armor packages were employed. The latest types of Israeli applique armor packages alter the appearance of the M60 significantly.
Mobility
The M60 Patton has a reasonable mobility. The tracked chassis allows it to traverse difficult terrain. The maximum road speed is quite limited at only 48 km/h. This makes the M60 different from the European doctrine of mobility as shown by the German Leopard 1 and French AMX-30.
Users
The M60 Patton was adopted in large numbers as the standard main battle tank of the US army and US marine corps. It was also widely exported to US allies, but with limited use by European nations since various local designs were introduced at the same time. Many older types of M60 were upgraded to M60A3 and A3 TTS standard for domestic use and export sales. Israel acquired large numbers and carried out several domestic deep modernization programs. The M60 remains in use with several nations. In US service the newer M1 Abrams replaced the M60 Patton.
Variants
M60 Patton
Original production model as introduced in 1960. Features a small turret derived from the M48 Patton design. Just over 2.200 produced.
M60A1 Patton
Improved variant with the larger turret. First introduced in 1962. Most common production model with nearly 8.000 produced.
Upgrades various times during its service life. Most notably with stabilization (AOS) and reliability improvements (RISE). About half of the M60A1 were upgraded to M60A3 for domestic use and export sales.
M60A3 Patton
The M60A3 is an upgrade over the M60A1. It features enhanced turret armor, all of the RISE upgrades, improved gun stabilization, improved fire control system and new selection of 105mm ammunition. When fitted with the AN/VSG2 Tank Thermal Sight (TTS) for the gunner the tank is known as the M60A3 TTS.
Details
Vehicles based on M60 chassis
Note: incomplete list
M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle
Combat engineer vehicle based on M60 Patton chassis.
M60 AVLB
Bridge laying vehicle based on M60 Patton chassis. Launches a 19 m scissor bridge with 54 t capacity.
Magach 7A
Israeli deep modernization of the original M60 Patton with small style turret. The Magach 7A can be identified by the angular flat-faced turret armor.
Magach 7C
Further upgrade of Magach 7A with improved wedge shaped turret armor. Believed to be converted in larger numbers than the Magach 7A.
Media
M60A1 Patton
Civilian owned M60A1 Patton seen during a public display in 2019.
Source: Alan Wilson
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
M60A1 Patton
Jordanian army M60A1 Patton firing its 105mm M68 main gun during an exercise in 2015.
Source: US DoD
Copyright: Public domain
M60A3 Patton
US Army M60A3 Patton main battle tanks in winter camouflage during an exercise in Germany in 1985.
Source: US Army
Copyright: Public domain
M60A3 Patton
M60A3 Patton main battle tank being serviced by an M88 armored recovery vehicle during an exercise in Egypt in 1985.
Source: US Air Force
Copyright: Public domain
M60A1 Patton
Three Thai army M60A1 Patton main battle tanks in the field in 2014.
Source: US Marine Corps
Copyright: Public domain
Subcomponents
105mm M68
The main armament of the M60 Patton is the 105mm M68 rifled gun, a license produced derivative of the Royal Ordnance L7.
12.7mm M85
The 12.7mm M85 is fitted in the commander's cupola on top of the turret. It has a selectable rate of fire and is known as less reliable than the M2HB.
7.62mm M240
Late model M60A3's are fitted with the M240 coaxial machine gun.