Taiwan Wants Used M1 Abrams

     From Defense News:

TAIPEI — Taiwan is considering purchasing tanks used by the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan to update its aging fleet, the defense ministry and media said July 23.

Taiwan remains wary of China despite a recent improvement in relations, and military experts say the self-ruled island would deploy tanks in the event of a land invasion by its powerful neighbor.

The M1 Abrams, which entered U.S. service in 1980 and replaced M60s, are a third-generation main battle tank and would bolster Taiwan’s fleet of about 1,200 tanks, mostly M60s and M48s.

Read the rest here.

This is interesting because it comes soon after Red China announced plans to establish a garrison in the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. And this is an extension of the ongoing arms race in the region as most countries with coasts on the South China Sea are gearing up for a war with China over the natural resources in the region. However, Taiwan will probably not get the tanks as the current administration is extremely hostile to them.


Photo Credit: USMC