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it’s the replacement of the M60A3 turret with the one used on the M1A1 Abrams MBT on an up-graded M60 hull. This means the operating country is equipped with a 120mm main cannon and a well armoured (composite) turret with a 240X4 Forward Looking Infrared Radar (AKA – FLIR) and is said to be half the price of purchasing an M1A1.
The hull is up-graded with a torsion bar suspension system as used on the M1A1, giving the tank greatly improved cross-country mobility and a stable base for fire on- the-move accuracy similar to the M1A1 tank. The hull can also be fitted with a number of different power packs, however GDLS, the developers of the up-grade package recommend that a AVDS-1790, which can generate 1200hp is used. The up-graded vehicle was developed to show the Turkish Army prior to the acceptance of the Sabre Mk.3 during the biding process at the opening ceremonies at IDEF 2001 in Ankara, Turkey.
Despite loosing out to the Turkish Army, the up-grade has been accepted by the Egyptian Army. They are scheduled to start the up-grades (they will be in kit form and completed by Egypt in the same facilities used to manufacture the Abrams kits) between 2009 to 2012. It’s expected that roughly 1000 of the current 1700 M60A3 fleet will be up-graded. They will also be fitted with a German engine in the 1500hp range.
General Dynamics Land Systems, prime contractor for the M1/M1A1/M1A2 Abrams series Main Battle Tank (MBT), covered in detail in a separate entry, is marketing a new export version of the M60 series MBT called the M60-2000.
As a result of the end of the Cold War and the downsizing of the US Army, large numbers of M60A3/M60A3 TTS (Tank Thermal Sight) MBTs have been passed onto other countries including Egypt, Greece, Portugal and Turkey.
Over 25 countries still deploy the M60 series MBT and most will continue to operate these well into the 21st century. Full details of the M60 MBT are given in the entry for General Dynamics Land Systems M60 series of MBT.
General Dynamics Land Systems envisages that for the M60-2000 MBT it would supply or co-produce the key subsystems which would then be assembled and integrated into the user's own facilities.
The M60-2000 is aimed at those countries which have an existing fleet of M60 MBTs and have the industrial capability to undertake an upgrade of this type.
General Dynamics Land Systems has already briefed Greece, Egypt and Turkey on the M60-2000 with the first prototype expected to be completed in mid-2001.
