M60A3

First U.S. MBT with a standard thermal sight.

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Specifications

Crew: 4
Combat weight: 52.6 t
Engine: 750 hp
hp / tonne: 14.3
Road speed: 48 km/h
Range: 480 km
Main gun: 105 mm M68 (Royal Ordnance L7 derivative)
In service: 1960–1997 (U.S.)

AVDS-1790-2C diesel, 750 hp

Armor: Cast hull and turret, 109 mm glacis; no composite on standard U.S. tanks

Secondary: .50 cal M85, 7.62 mm M240

Briefing scores

Relative 1–10 for teaching, not a wargame rating.

Firepower: 7/10
Protection: 6/10
Mobility: 5/10
Awareness: 7/10
Logistics: 8/10

Ammunition natures

APDSAPFSDSHEATHEP

History

Grew from the M48 with a 105 mm and diesel from birth. The failed M60A2 “Starship” missile tank was a detour; the A3 with laser rangefinder, ballistic computer, and TTS was the mature form. Still widely used abroad.

Doctrine

NATO’s workhorse on the inner German border. The A3 TTS added a tank thermal sight — U.S. crews could shoot at night when T-72s still used image intensifiers. Fought as the MBT of heavy divisions until Abrams replaced it.

Strengths

TTS night fighting
Proven 105 mm
Simple to maintain

Limits

No Chobham
High silhouette
Underpowered vs T-80

Related hulls

M48 Patton

United States

M1 Abrams

United States

Leopard 1

West Germany

6 of 25 in the atlas