Credits: Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan)
EURASIAN TIMES | Published December 16, 2024
Taiwan’s military has taken delivery of its first batch of US-made Abrams M1A2T tanks; a move hailed as an important step in modernizing its armed forces.
The MND (Ministry of National Defense) celebrated the arrival with a social media post captioned, “Heavy Armors Have Arrived! Welcome to join us!” accompanied by images and videos showcasing the tanks’ arrival.
The M1A2T tanks are part of a $1.25 billion (NT$40.5 billion) arms deal announced in 2019 under then-US President Donald Trump.
This first shipment, which arrived at the Port of Taipei in New Taipei’s Bali District on December 15, includes 38 tanks out of the total 108 units ordered.
The delivery required special logistical measures, with the port suspending all terminal operations and storage area machinery from the evening of December 15 until the tanks’ departure on December 16.
The tanks were transported to an army armor training center in Hsinchu County early on the morning of December 16, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND). Although there were earlier reports of the tanks landing in Kaohsiung on December 13, officials clarified that only accessory equipment arrived at that time.
Records from the Ministry of National Defense indicate that the military will receive a shipment of 42 Abrams tanks, followed by another delivery of 28 tanks over the next two years.
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SOURCE: www.eurasiantimes.com
RELATED: First batch of M1A2 tanks arrive in Taipei
A US M1A2 Abrams tank fires during US-led joint military exercise “Noble Partner 2016” near Vaziani, Georgia, on May 18, 2016.
TAIPEI TIMES | Published December 16, 2024
A shipment of 38 US-made M1A2T Abrams tanks — part of a military procurement package from the US — arrived at the Port of Taipei early yesterday.
The vehicles are the first batch of 108 tanks and other items that then-US president Donald Trump announced for Taiwan in 2019. The Ministry of National Defense at the time allocated NT$40.5 billion (US$1.25 billion) for the purchase.
To accommodate the arrival of the tanks, the port suspended the use of all terminals and storage area machinery from 6pm last night until 7am this morning.
The tanks are expected to be deployed at the army’s training facility in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township (湖口), where training on the tanks would start after the Lunar New Year holiday, a source said.
The “T” in the M1A2T denotes that the tanks are a special version for Taiwan, they said.
The military is to receive a shipment of 42 Abrams tanks and another of 42 tanks over the next two years, Ministry of National Defense records showed.
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SOURCE: www.taipeitimes.com
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