M60T tank

Last updated
M60T / M60TM / M60T1
TankM60TM.jpg
Upgraded M60TM presenting by Aselsan
Type Main battle tank
Place of origin
Service history
In service2007–present
Used by Turkish Land Forces
Wars
Production history
Designer
Manufacturer
Unit cost
  • $3.36 million (only Sabra Mk. 2 upgrade)
No. built170
Specifications
Mass
Length6.95 m (22.8 ft) [7]
Width3.63 m (11.9 ft) [7]
Height3.27 m (10.7 ft) [7]
Crew4 [6]
Armor
Main
armament
 MKE 120 MM 44C or MG253 120 mm smoothbore gun [4] [8]
Secondary
armament
Engine
  • MTU MT 881 KA-501 diesel engine [6]

  • 1,000 hp (750 kW) [6]
Power/weight16.95 hp/ton [6]
Payload capacity
  • 42 rounds (main gun) [6]
  • <400 12.7 mm rounds or <80 40 mm grenade rounds (in RCWS) [9]
Transmission
SuspensionIndependent, trailing arm [6]
Operational
range
450 km (280 mi) [6]
Maximum speed
  • 55 km/h (34 mph) [7]

​The M60T is an extensively modernized main battle tank (MBT) currently in service with the Turkish Land Forces. Those M60 tanks are improved by three major upgrade projects. [10] [11] The first generation of the Turkish Army M60 modernization is based on the Israeli Sabra Mk II upgrade package. [7] The tank has since undergone further indigenous upgrades in Turkey under the "FIRAT-M6OT" and "TİYK" programs. [12] [13] These domestic upgrades, led by Aselsan and Roketsan, have resulted in the M60TM variant, which features includes active protection systems and advanced fire control capabilities. [14] [15] [3] All the electric systems and sensors, except for the power unit, were replaced with Turkish systems. [1] [16] All the M60Ts have been upgraded to the M60TM configuration. [17] [18] Turkey also developed an indigenous 120 mm smoothbore gun the MKE 120 MM 44C to upgrade it's M60 tanks. [8]

Contents

Design

Present M60TM / M60T1 (further Turkish origin upgraded version)

Further enhancement of the M60T main battle tank unveiled in 2019. [19] [20] [21] The latest two Turkish origin updates includes commander's independent thermal viewer (CITV), fire control system RWR/IR warning system, active protection system and more armor. [22] [3] [15] The tank can fire while in move due to sophisticated stabilizing devices. [23] The tank fires MKE made APFSDS, HEAT, "high prressure" and other NATO standard 120 mm ammunition. [5] [24] [25] [26] VOLKAN 201/120 fire control system, STM Savunma TC3IS, Additional Roketsan armor and T-Kalıp seats installed during the M60T1 upgrade of TİYK program and other equipments installed during the M60TM upgrade of FIRAT-M6OT program. [3] [2] The upgraded tanks, feature several critical survivability and lethality enhancements integrated by Aselsan and other Turkish companies:

VOLKAN 201/120 fire control system : VOLKAN 201/120 M60 Tank Fire Control System is a Turkish national fire control system developed by ASELSAN as part of the FIRAT M60T Project to modernize the M60 main battle tanks. Its primary function is to significantly enhance the tank's firepower and improve the first round hit probability both during the day and at night, whether the tank is stationary or moving. The system features a sophisticated architecture, including a Fire Control Computer, Gunner's and Commander's Periscopes with high-resolution thermal/day images, an eye-safe Laser Range Finder, and built-in ballistic calculation capabilities. It also offers advanced features like Automatic Target Tracking and interoperability with other tank subsystems, all while being designed for effective maintainability and reduced logistic support requirements. [27]

STM Savunma TC3IS: Tank Command, Control, Communication Information System (TC3IS) installed by STM Savunma. [3]

Roketsan armor: Additional armor installed by Roketsan. [2] [3]

T-Kalıp seats: New mine blast attenuating crew seats installed by the T-Kalıp. [3] [28]

​PULAT Active Protection System (APS): A hard-kill protection system developed by Aselsan and TÜBİTAK SAGE. It uses radar to detect incoming projectiles and destroys them at close range using a countermeasure module. [15] [29] [30] [14]

​TEPES Telescopic Periscope: A mast-mounted observation system that allows the tank crew to survey the battlefield from a defilade position (behind cover) with thermal and day cameras. [15] [12] [31]

​SARP Remote Weapon System (RWS): A roof-mounted, remotely operated 12.7mm machine gun that allows the commander to engage targets without exposing themselves. [15] [12] [9]

​Laser Warning System: Detects laser designators from enemy targeting systems and alerts the crew. [17] [12]

​Auxiliary Power Unit (APU): Allows tank systems to run without the main engine. [12]

Previous M60T version (Sabra Mk II based upgrade)

The previous Sabra Mk II based M60T retained the larger M60 Patton style M19 cupola with the M85 12.7 mm machine gun found on the M60s in Turkish service. This version would also include a Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer (CITV). The tank engine was upgraded with MTU Friedrichshafen engine built under license in Turkey (MTU Turk A.S.), and a Renk transmission with four forward and two reverse gears. The tank was also upgraded with explosive reactive armor. [6] The tanks were upgraded by the Turkish military's 2nd Main Maintenance Center with Israeli cooperation. Most of the systems except the armor package were built under license, benefiting from technology transfer within Turkey. [32] [33] The Sabra can carry 500 litres of diesel fuel. [33]

History

​In the late 1990s, the Turkish Land Forces sought to modernize their aging fleet of American M60 Patton tanks. While Turkey was also pursuing the purchase of Leopard 2 tanks from Germany. [34] [35] [36]

On 29 March 2002, Turkey signed a contract worth approximately $688 million with Israel Military Industries (IMI) to modernize 170 M60A1 tanks. The selected package was the Sabra Mk II, which improved the tank's firepower, protection, and mobility. [37] [38]

The modernization program involved a technology transfer. While the first prototype was built in Israel and delivered in 2005 for Turkish trials and passed qualifications in May, 2006. 170 were upgraded between 2007 and April 2009. [6] The remaining tanks were upgraded at the Turkish 2nd Main Maintenance Center Command in Kayseri with kits supplied by IMI. The designation M60T was adopted for these upgraded units in Turkish service. [7] [39] [20]

The 2016 Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria exposed the vulnerability of the tanks to modern anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). [13] In response, the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) launched the FIRAT-M60T project in 2017, with ASELSAN as the prime contractor. [40] All the active M60T tanks already upgraded through the M60TM modernization. [41]

The TİYK (Tanklara İlave Yetenek Kazandırılması — Providing Additional Capabilities to Tanks) program was initiated in 2022. While FIRAT focused on protection, TİYK focuses on nationalization—replacing Israeli electronic components with Turkish equivalents to ensure long-term sustainability. [42] The first batch of M60T1 tanks was delivered to the Turkish Land Forces in early 2024, with deliveries continuing through 2025. [3]

Combat History

M60T in Operation Olive Branch Operation Olive Branch-Turkish Army tank.jpg
M60T in Operation Olive Branch

​

Iraqi Civil war: On April 21, 2016, ISIS militants fired a Russian-made 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) at a stationary M60T, which was training Iraqi forces in Bashiqah. The missile struck the turret. While the tank was damaged the armor successfully protected the crew, and no fatalities were reported. Turkish troops returned fire that killed multiple ISIL members. [43] [44]

​ Operation Euphrates Shield (2016): M60T tanks were heavily deployed to support the Free Syrian Army against ISIS and YPG forces. While they proved effective in fire support, several units were damaged or destroyed by ATGMs, prompting the urgent "FIRAT-M6OT" upgrades. [17] [45] [46] [47]

​ Operation Olive Branch (2018): M60Ts were used in the offensive on Afrin. [17] Operation Olive Branch was launched on January 20, 2018, with the goal of removing the YPG from the Afrin District of northwest Syria. The Turkish military deployed approximately 170 M60T tanks, many of which had begun receiving immediate field upgrades under the FIRAT-M60T modernization program. [48] These tanks were used primarily for direct fire support, clearing fortified positions in the rugged terrain of northern Syria, and providing armored cover for the Syrian National Army (SNA) during urban engagements. [49]

​ Operation Peace Spring (2019): The upgraded M60TM tanks were deployed in the Operation Peace Spring in 2019. [21] [17] M60TM equipped with the PULAT active protection system saw combat, with reports indicating successful interceptions of incoming projectiles. [12]

Users

References

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