Main battle tank M60. Guide to the American medium tank M60 WoT Tactics of the game on the M60

Main battle tank M60

The M60 is America's first main battle tank. It has been developed since 1957 and was supposed to surpass the Soviet T-54 tank in terms of tactical and technical characteristics. The M60 family combat vehicles formed the backbone of the US Army and Marine Corps tank fleet in the 1960s and 1970s and were widely exported.

The M60 tank had a traditional layout with a control compartment in the front of the vehicle, a fighting compartment in the middle and an engine-transmission compartment in the aft. The crew of the tank consisted of a commander, gunner, loader and driver mechanic.

Tactical specifications

TANK М60А3

COMBAT WEIGHT, t: 52.62.

CREW, people: 4.

OVERALL DIMENSIONS, mm: length - 9436, width - 3632, height (according to the periscope on the commander's cupola) - 3264, ground clearance - 389.

RESERVATION, mm: hull forehead -120, side - 50-76, roof - 57, bottom - 20-50, tower-25-180.

ENGINE: Continental AVDS-1790-2С, 12-cylinder, diesel, V-shaped, air-cooled; power 750 l. from. (550 kW) at 2400 rpm.

TRANSMISSION: GMC CD-850-6, hydro-mechanical type "Cross-Drive", including primary reduction gear, complex torque converter, hydro-mechanical planetary three-speed gearbox, differential slewing mechanism with dual power flow, final drives.

MAX SPEED, km/h: 48.3.

POWER RESERVE, km: 480.

COMMUNICATIONS: VHF telephone, simplex radio station AN/VRC-12, intercom.

Initial design

The M60 tank consisted of a cast hull with spherical sides and a cast turret, borrowed with some modifications from the M48A2 tank. Workplace the driver was located in the control compartment strictly along the longitudinal axis of the hull. Above the driver's seat, in the upper armor plate, there was a hatch with a sliding cover (it rises before turning). On the sides of the driver's seat there was an ammunition rack - aluminum alloy nests for unitary shots for the M68 cannon (15 nests were located to the left of the seat, 11 to the right). The turret was borrowed from the M48A2 tank with minor changes. A new enlarged M19 commander's turret was installed on the roof of the tower, creating Better conditions for the work of the commander in the tank. The turret was equipped with viewing devices that provide the tank commander with a circular view, and a manual drive.

The main armament of the tank was a 105-mm M68 tank gun with concentric recoil devices and an ejection device for blowing out the bore. Gun elevation angles - from -10° to +20°. The gun is not stabilized, loading is manual, with a ramming mechanism. The rate of fire was 8 rounds per minute. The gun ammunition included 60 unitary shots (26 were placed in the control compartment, 34 in the fighting compartment). The initial speed of an armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile is 1478 m / s.

In addition to the cannon, the tank was equipped with a coaxial 7.62 mm M73 machine gun (to the left of the gun) and a 12.7 mm M85 anti-aircraft machine gun (vertical guidance angles from -15° to +60°), mounted in the commander's cupola. Both machine guns had shortened receivers and loose bolts, which improved heat dissipation from the barrel.

Ammunition consisted of 1050 rounds of 12.7 mm and 5500 rounds of 7.62 mm. The tank was equipped with a monocular rangefinder sight, which was used by the tank commander. The gunner had periscope and telescopic sights at his disposal. The night sight was combined in one housing with a periscope sight. A xenon spotlight was installed on the gun mask, which could work both in normal light and infrared mode.

Main battle tank M60A1.

Tank M60A2 and its crew during the exercise.

The control system of the M60 tank included a ballistic computer, which was connected to the reticles of the sight and rangefinder sight and automatically set them to a position corresponding to the measured range. Corrections for derivation, parallax of the sight, loss of initial speed due to barrel wear, trunnion tilt, mismatch between external and internal temperatures were made by a special sensor. The tank was equipped with a filter-ventilation unit; special tank gas masks and hoods to protect the crew from radioactive dust, poisonous substances and bacteriological weapons; X-ray meter; automatic system PPO and air heaters (for crew heating).

To overcome fords up to 3.125 m deep, the tank used special equipment, and when installing a manhole pipe, it was possible to overcome water obstacles up to 5 m deep.

Context

Keep up with the times

Tanks of the second generation М60А1 in the period of 1960-1970-s had rather high tactical and technical characteristics, and their good suitability for operation in various climatic zones, maintenance and repair in the field, as well as relatively low cost led to their wide distribution in the armies many countries.

By the end of the 1970s, despite repeated modernization, which led to an increase in the mass of vehicles, in terms of security and mobility, even the latest models - the M60A3 tanks - no longer met the increased requirements. There was a need to move to the tanks of the next, third generation.

The M60 main battle tank, equipped with a dozer blade and an OPVT manhole.

advanced model

On the tanks of the M60A1 modification, a new, asymmetrical cast turret with an improved configuration was installed, which has an increased projectile resistance (frontal armor thickness - 180 mm) and provides better working conditions for the crew in the fighting compartment; an improved SLA, which includes a set of infrared observation devices and sights that provide firing at night. The steering wheel has been replaced with a T-shaped lever, the location of some controls and control devices has been changed, a new hydraulic drive of the power transmission brakes and a mechanical stopping brake have been applied; telescopic shock absorbers were introduced on the first, second and sixth track rollers of the undercarriage. After 1965, a new electric ballistic computer was introduced into the MSA. Since 1972, an electro-hydraulic armament stabilizer has been installed in two planes (Add-On Stabilization - AOS), since 1974 - the M142 caterpillar with removable rubber pads, since 1975 - the AVDS-1790-2C engine (RISE program - Reliability Improved Selected Equipment). In the M60A1 (RISE) variant, the machines of the M60A1 (AOS) model were converted. Since 1977, the tank has been equipped with passive night vision devices based on electron-optical image intensifiers. Such devices were installed on the commander's cupola and on the driver's side instead of the middle periscope. These machines were designated M60A1 (RISE / PASSIVE).

In 1972, the M60A2 fire support tank appeared. A new cast tower of complex configuration was installed on it. Armament: 152-mm low-impulse gun - M162 launcher, capable of firing both conventional shells and MGM51C Shillelagh ATGMs (Shillelagh), coaxial M73 machine gun and M85 anti-aircraft machine gun.

Basic information

Customer: US Army

Type: main battle tank

Developer: Chrysler

Manufacturer: Detroit Tank Plant

Production years: 1960–1987

Years of operation: since 1960

Number of cars produced: 15,421 units

M60A3 tanks during NATO maneuvers in Europe.

M60A3 ERA tank of the US Marine Corps.

Latest modifications

The M60A3 tanks are equipped with an SLA, including an AN / VVG-2 laser rangefinder, an M21 electronic ballistic computer, an M36E1 periscope combined (with day and night channels) sight / observation device and eight glass blocks installed in the commander's cupola. The laser sight-rangefinder is mounted on the seats of the optical rangefinder. The laser rangefinder is equipped with a remote control panel installed at the gunner. The gunner has the main combined sight M35E1 and the auxiliary telescopic sight M105D, similar to those used on earlier M60 models. Interchangeable active and passive modules of night vision devices are installed. Illumination of IR devices is carried out using an AN / VSS-3A xenon searchlight, which has a smaller size and power consumption compared to the AN / VSS-1 searchlight of the M60A1 tank. A heat shield for the gun was introduced, a coaxial M240 machine gun, two six-barreled M239 smoke grenade launchers, an AVDS-1790-2C engine, TDA, and a high-speed PPO system were installed from 1987. In 1979, a modification of the M60AZ TTS (Tank Termal Sight) appeared. It has an AN/VGS-2 gunner's thermal imaging sight.

The automatic circuit of the weapon control system includes the M21 tank ballistic computer, the AN / VVG-2 commander's rangefinder sight, the AN / VSG-1 gunner's sight (installed instead of the M35E1 sight), the weapon stabilizer and the M10A4 ballistic drive, atmospheric parameters sensors. The M36E1 commander's sight and the gunner's auxiliary sight are not connected to the computer.

Main dates

¦ 1959 - testing of the first prototypes

¦ 1960 - start of mass production

¦ 1962 - start of serial production of the M60A1 modification

¦ 1978 - start of serial production of the M60A3 modification

¦ 1988 - appearance latest modification M60A3 ERA

Main battle tank M60A3.

The main armament of the tank is a 105-mm M68 rifled tank gun.

The body of the tank is cast, with spherical sides. The cast turret was borrowed from the M48A2 tank with minor changes.

The latest modification of the M60 tank was the M60AZ ERA. These were M60A3 tanks of the US Marine Corps, equipped with dynamic protection (ERA - Explosive Reactive Armor). The mounted DZ set consists of 49 M1 metal boxes and 42 M2 boxes filled with explosives. The mass of the tank increased by 1.8 tons. 170 M60A3 tanks were equipped with DZ kits.

As part of the American troops, tanks of the M60 series practically did not participate in hostilities. The exception is the landing of several M60A1 Marine Corps on the island of Grenada in 1983 and the participation of several dozen M60A3 tanks in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. In Vietnam, only M728 engineering tanks and M60AVLB bridge layers were used.

M60A3 main battle tank

US Army M60A3 main battle tank. NATO exercise Reforger 85, West Germany, 1985. The tank has a typical four-color camouflage pattern adopted by NATO for the Central European Theater of Operations. Judging by the color of the polygon with the number on the turret, this car "fought" for the "orange".

1 gun. The 105 mm M68 rifled gun is equipped with concentric recoil devices, an ejector and a heat shield.

2 Tower. The turret is cast, of improved configuration, with increased projectile resistance.

3 smoke grenade launchers. Two M239 six-barreled smoke grenade launchers are mounted on both sides of the turret.

4 Commander's cupola.

The turret is equipped with a 12.7-mm M85 machine gun, an M36E1 sight / observation device and eight M41 glass blocks.

5 Overhead compartment.

The engine exhaust pipes are led into the engine compartment, covered with a heat-insulating roof. Exhaust gases are cooled here, mixing with the air flow of the cooling system, and then thrown out through the stern blinds.

6 Corps. The hull is cast with spherical sides and large angles of inclination of the bow. The upper frontal sheet has a thickness of 120 mm and an angle of inclination to the vertical of 64°.

7 Track roller. Track rollers - dual-slope, rubberized with removable disks, made of aluminum alloy (except for the extreme ones). Rollers and guide wheels are interchangeable.

8 Caterpillar. Caterpillars with a width of 710 mm have fully rubberized tracks and rubber-metal joints.

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M60 tank review American main combat photo , during the Cold War - can be considered the fourth generation of the Patton family or their direct descendant. Initially developed as a response to the improvement of Soviet tanks, the M60 remains in service to this day. It is not for nothing that more than 15,000 cars have been built.

M60 tank review American main combat photo

Tank M60 adopted as weapons in 1960. During the Vietnam War, a relatively small number of M60s were used, and they also took part in the 1973 Yom Kippur War as part of the Israel Defense Forces. In addition, they participated in the battles of the Iran-Iraq war and in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Despite their advanced age, further upgrades allowed the M60 to maintain parity with Soviet models for a relatively long time. For example, in connection with the use in the 1990s. new advanced anti-tank weapons, on M60A3 elements of dynamic protection were attached outside the main armor. This additional protection is concentrated mainly on the turret and frontal hull plates.

American M60AZ tank with reactive armor photo

In 1956, intelligence data obtained indicated the development in the USSR of a new main battle tank, dramatically superior in performance to the previous T-54/55. A group of US researchers and designers came to the conclusion that they still have a large margin for introducing further improvements. A program of deep modernization was launched.
The M60 was produced at the height of the Cold War. The design is made on the basis, despite the fact that the latter was just considered weak to confront the new generation of Soviet vehicles. The M48 had an insufficient power reserve, high fire hazard, excessive weight with relatively weak armor. The significantly improved M60 was put into service in 1960 and became the basis of the American tank fleet for the next 20 years - until adoption. Production of the M60 was discontinued only in 1987.

American medium tanks M60A3 Patton on exercises REFORGER photo

The main American tank M60 , like the machines of the Patton family, it has a classic layout with the placement of the control compartment in the front of the hull, the fighting compartment with a rotating turret in the middle part and the engine-transmission compartment in the rear.
Initially, the M6O tower was similar to the M48 tower with a hemispherical - more precisely, elliptical - shape. However, on modifications A1 and A3, the tower received an elongated and narrowed shape in the front, which increased its armor resistance, armor thickness up to 127 mm. On the M60A1 modification, a powerful searchlight was installed, used in the visible and infrared range, but it was abandoned on the M60A3 tanks.

the M6O tank has a laser rangefinder and smoke grenade launchers photo

The commander, gunner and loader are placed in the turret, the gunner is to the left of the gun in front, the commander is behind and above him, the loader is to the right of the gun at its breech. The driver is located in front of the hull in a place shifted to the left of the hull axis, under the cover of 150-mm frontal armor, uses three periscope observation devices and an infrared night vision device to view the area. The gunner uses a periscope mounted on the roof of the turret, which can be replaced by an infrared night vision device. The commander uses eight periscope observation devices mounted around the perimeter of the rotating commander's cupola.

tank commander's workplace

  1. The commander can take control of the weapons, point the cannon vertically and fire from it, turn the turret, accompanying the moving target with the cannon. It is located in the tower behind and above the gunner, it can also fire from a machine gun mounted in the commander's cupola
  2. Laser range finder: The laser range finder sends a light pulse and, having received a signal reflected from the target, determines the range (distance) to it - to increase the accuracy of aiming the main weapon.
  3. The amplifying type night sight can be used with target illumination by an infrared searchlight; in later modifications, the thermal imaging sight became the main sight, which did not need such illumination. The night sight of the 105-mm cannon, the sight of the gunner and the commander are connected, allows them to see the same thing that one or the other sees through the eyepiece, at night or daytime.
  4. The commander can take control of the weaponry.
  5. Amplifying type night sight, target illumination can be carried out by an infrared searchlight, later the sight was replaced with a thermal imaging one.
  6. The hanging floor of the tower in the photo rotates with it, while the crew can instantly navigate inside the tank.

Brief overview of the American main battle tank M60 photo

Tank M60 review American main battle tank photo armament

  • Ha M60, as well as on the machines of a number of other states, has a 105-mm M68 gun, a licensed copy of the British L7A1 gun.
  • 12.7 mm M85 heavy machine gun. installed in the commander's cupola,
  • supplemented with a 7.62 mm machine gun coaxial with a cannon, sometimes with another 7.62 mm machine gun near the loader's hatch.
  • Six smoke grenade launchers are installed along the sides of the tower.
  • The powerful 105 mm M68 cannon can be fired by the gunner or the commander, both of whom can control the rotation of the M60 turret.

Tank M60 power point AVDS-1790-2A with a power of 560 kW (750 hp) provides the M6O with a speed of up to 50 km / h.

Tank M60 American main combat photo of one of the museum exhibits

Machines of the M60 series have an individual torsion bar suspension. The torsion bar is enclosed in a pipe, with which it is connected at one end, as a result, the torsion bar and the pipe work as a double spring.

Modernized M60 tank for the Turkish army photo, in many countries is still in service

Modifications of the American main battle tank M60 photo

  • XM60/M60: Modernization, cast hull with vase-like profile, aluminum alloy track rollers, three support rollers on board. The first samples did not have a commander's cupola.
  • M60A1: The first modification, characterized by an elongated narrowed front of the turret.
  • М60А1 AOS: In 1972 the M68 gun stabilizer was added.
  • M60A1 RISE: "Special Reliability Enhancement Equipment" (RISE) kit; Improvements to most major systems, including changes to powerplant systems that make it easier to access and allow for quick engine and transmission replacements.
  • М60А1 RISE Passive: model М60А1 RISE supplemented with the installation of a reduced searchlight for visible and infrared light, the replacement of active night vision devices with non-illuminated ones.
  • M60A1E1: An experimental vehicle with the replacement of the gun with a 152-mm gun - the M162 launcher with the ability to launch ATGMs through the barrel.

Tank M60 exercises BRIGHT STAR, 1982

  • M60A1E2/M60A2: The modified turret received an external shape reminiscent of a fantastic starship. The modification of the M60A2 was a significant departure from the usual standards of the main battle tank and, as a result, disappointed the customer. The M60A2, known by the nickname Starship (“starship”), received a new turret in which a weapon was installed - a launcher for the Shillelagh ATGM, which turned out to be unreliable. The 152mm gun is a launcher no less than half the weight of a conventional tank gun and combines the capabilities of launching ATGMs and firing conventional high-explosive, incendiary or practical projectiles. A total of just over 550 M60A2s were built, which were handed over to warehouses. The variant also carried a remote-controlled 20 mm automatic cannon.
  • М60А1ЕЗ: Experimental М60А1 Е2 with the replacement of the gun with a 105-mm rifled gun.
  • M60A1E4: An experimental vehicle with guided weapons.
  • By 1977, the M60AZ modification was ready, and the M60A1 tanks already in the army began to be brought to this standard. In addition to the improvement of the fire control system, the tank received new tracks with removable asphalt pads, which are easily mounted and removed by the crew. M60AZ is able to put a smoke screen with the help of thermal smoke equipment. Removable equipment for underwater driving allows you to overcome water obstacles up to 4 m deep along the bottom. Subsequently, dynamic protection was installed on it.

American main battle tank M-60A2 photo under the nickname Starship starship

  • M60AZ TTS: The M60AZ with AN/VSG-2 thermal imaging sight, launched in 1977, weighs 52 tons - the same as the M60A1 - but includes a number of significant improvements, such as an integrated Hughes laser rangefinder and a thermal imaging sight at the commander’s workplace, an AN / VGS-2 thermal imaging sight and a VVG-2 Hughes laser rangefinder at the gunner’s station, as well as a digital ballistic computer based on a solid-state element base. This increased the accuracy of fire and extended the range of fire to 200-5000 m. Previous improvements to the M60 taanka included moving the gun forward by 12 cm to free up additional volume inside the three-man turret. The M60AZ standard also includes Israeli-designed automatic fire-fighting equipment using HALON gas.
  • M60 Super/AX: Modification with enhanced armor protection and minor changes.

The performance characteristics of the American M60 Tank

  • M60-2000/120S: Developed by General Dynamics Land Division hybrid modification with elements of the M60 and Abrams. Not accepted by the military.
  • M728: Combat engineering vehicle (CEV) based on the M60A1 chassis.
  • М728А1: Modernization of М728.

Now everyone knows about computer game called World of Tanks, which is the only worthy one. And at the same time, this project is massively multiplayer, which means that hundreds of thousands of gamers take part in the game at the same time. Its essence is to buy and pump tanks, on which you can fight with other users. Naturally, it is easy to understand that the technique itself plays the most important role, and you will have to work hard to get to those pieces of equipment that are really powerful. However, in this article we will focus on the M60 tank - it differs from most others in that you cannot purchase it for any game currency. This is a prize model that was given to a limited number of gamers. And at the same time, the M60 tank is extremely interesting, so in this article you will learn how you could get it, and also what it is all about.

How to get this tank?

As you already understood, it is not possible to get the M60 tank at the moment, since this is a limited model. The fact is that during the First Campaign on the Global Map, the developers decided to give the leaders of this war certain prizes, among which was this tank of the tenth level, belonging to the American branch. It should be noted right away that this is a medium tank, so one should not expect incredible speeds or huge armor thickness from it - it has its own advantages, which, by the way, each owner should learn how to properly use. So, it was originally planned that the M60 tank would go to each of the thirty clans that took the first positions, but then the list was expanded to fifty. In addition, it is worth noting that seven more teams that were able to cope with certain tasks better than others during the campaign also received these tanks. Well, the last gamers who could get this model are those participants who took prizes during the Third Campaign, since it was available for selection as a reward - but in this case there were others interesting options for choice, so not every participant decided to take the M60.

Tower

What stands out from the rest of the M60 tank? A photo of this model can impress and surprise, but still it is the technical characteristics, and not appearance play the most important role. Therefore, you should carefully consider all the main elements of the tank, but you should start with the fact that this premium model cannot be upgraded, like all ordinary tanks. That is, you cannot purchase another turret, a more powerful weapon, and so on - the combat unit of the vehicle is equipped initially in the way it will be available later in the game. So, the first thing you should pay attention to is the turret, it has an impressive 18 centimeters of frontal armor for a medium tank and a little less on the sides and back - 76 and 50 millimeters, respectively. It is worth noting right away that the view of this tower is also very good - as much as 420 meters, and at the same time its rotation speed is 42 degrees per second, so you can aim quite quickly and effectively. But in order to better assess the capabilities of the model, it is also worth considering what kind of gun the American M60 tank has. The photo convinces gamers that it will be extremely powerful for its class, but it's still worth checking out.

gun

The gun is what determines the tank's firepower. Naturally, you need to be able to use it wisely, develop strategies and so on, but in any case, with a weak weapon, you are unlikely to be able to defeat a much more powerful enemy, even if you are a tactical genius. As for this model, here you get the opportunity to use a 105 mm gun with an amazing penetration of up to 33 centimeters, that is, you can even penetrate the frontal armor of some heavy models. At the same time, the damage from this weapon can reach almost five hundred health units, so the enemy will have a hard time if you can correctly use this firepower. And if you combine the above parameters with the fact that a shot can be fired every ten seconds with minimal dispersion and extremely fast mixing, then you will really be surprised at what the M60 Phoenix tank can be capable of. Naturally, you will also need serious skills in owning such a model, but if you have enough experience in driving medium tanks, you can quickly get used to this type of vehicle. Well, the lack of need for pumping is one of the big pluses that the M60 tank has. Deep modernization is what every owner of standard tanks needs to do in order for their models to become competitive. But in this case, you don't have to do anything, so have fun.

Engine

Of course, a gun is a very important component of any tank, but you should understand that a vehicle standing still will be destroyed very quickly, regardless of its weapons. That is why this model is equipped with an excellent engine with a capacity of 750 horsepower and a relatively low probability of fire. And most importantly - this engine allows the tank to accelerate to almost fifty kilometers per hour, which is a good indicator for a medium tank.

Chassis

Naturally, you should not forget about the running gear that the M60 tank has in World of Tanks. It allows the combat unit to reach a mass of almost fifty tons, while not slowing down. As everyone knows very well, the traverse speed of the tank itself also depends on the chassis - this indicator can be very important in battle - no less important than the turret traverse speed. And in this case, this figure is even higher than that of the tower - as much as 52 degrees per second.

radio station

As for the radio station that is installed on board this tank, you can be absolutely calm - it has a very impressive range. You will transmit and receive a signal at a distance of 750 meters, so that you can constantly be in touch with your teammates, thereby greatly increasing the efficiency of your operations.

Pros and cons of the model

No one else has questions about how to get the M60 tank in this game, since it is no longer issued. Now you also know how this model works, so it's time to take stock and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of this piece of equipment. The main disadvantage of this tank, however, is its too large size, due to which it can often become the main target of your enemy and easy prey due to not the most powerful armor on the sides and back. And, of course, 50 kilometers per hour is not the best indicator of speed for such a model. But all this can be compensated correct use good dynamics and excellent cross-country ability. Plus, your gun has excellent stabilization, which gives you the opportunity to conduct accurate shooting on the move, and let alone the fact that the damage per minute of this tank is one of the best in the game, and the view is generally the best, and not at all. do not have to.

medium tank M60- America's first main battle tank. It has been developed since 1957 and was supposed to surpass the Soviet T-54 tank in terms of performance characteristics. The developer is Chrysler. The first four prototypes, designated XM60, were built in March 1959 and were extensively tested. The tank was standardized on 16 March 1959 as the 105 mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tank M60. Contrary to popular belief, the name "Fallon" and even more so "Patton IV" was never assigned to it. Serial production was carried out at the Detroit Tank Plant from 1960 to 1987. 15221 units were manufactured, including engineering vehicles and ARVs. In Italy, OTO Melara manufactured 200 tanks of the M60A1 modification under license.

Tank M60 has a traditional layout with a control compartment in the front of the vehicle, a fighting compartment in the middle part and an engine-transmission compartment in the aft part. The crew of the tank consists of a commander, gunner, loader and driver.

The tank has a cast hull with spherical sides and a cast turret borrowed from the M48A2 tank with some modifications. The frontal part of the hull is made with larger angles of inclination than that of the M48A2 tank. The upper frontal sheet has a thickness of 120 mm and an angle of inclination to the vertical of 64 "; the thickness of the roof and bottom of the hull in the area of ​​​​the control compartment is 50 and 40 mm, respectively. The thickness of the armor in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe fighting compartment and MTO is reduced to 20 mm. The driver's workplace is located in the control compartment strictly along the longitudinal axis of the hull. Above the driver's seat, in the upper armor plate there is a hatch with a sliding cover (it rises before turning). night vision is carried out by IR headlights mounted on the front sheet.On the sides of the driver's seat there is an ammunition rack - aluminum alloy sockets for unitary shots for the M68 cannon (15 sockets are located to the left of the seat, 11 to the right), a unit is placed directly behind the seat from 6 batteries.

The turret was borrowed from the M48A2 tank with minor changes. A new enlarged M19 commander's turret is installed on the roof of the turret, which creates better conditions for the commander to work in the tank. The turret is equipped with viewing devices that provide the tank commander with a circular view, and a manual drive.

The main armament of the tank is a 105-mm M68 tank gun with conientric recoil devices and an ejection device for blowing out the bore. Gun elevation angles - from -10" to -1-20". Guidance mechanisms have electro-hydraulic and manual drives. The control of electromechanical mechanisms is carried out by the tank commander and the gunner from their control panels using a handle that rotates in two planes. The maximum traverse speed of the turret is 24 deg/s, the cannon is aimed in a vertical plane - 4 deg/s. The gun is not stabilized. Loading - manual, with a ramming mechanism.

The rate of fire is 8 rds / min. The gun ammunition includes 60 unitary shots (26 are located in the control compartment, 34 - in the fighting compartment) with five types of projectiles: the M392 armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile with a detachable pallet and a tungsten carbide core, capable of penetrating homogeneous armor up to 120 mm thick at a distance of 2000 m at a meeting angle of 60 ", a compensated (with a non-rotating charge) M456 cumulative projectile, an M393 armor-piercing high-explosive projectile with a plastic explosive and an easily deformable warhead, an M494 projectile with ready-made arrow-shaped lethal elements and an M416 smoke projectile. The initial speed of an armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile is 1478 m / from.

In addition to the cannon, the tank is equipped with a coaxial 7.62 mm M73 machine gun (to the left of the gun) and a 12.7 mm M85 anti-aircraft machine gun (vertical guidance angles from -15 ° to +60 "), mounted in the commander's cupola. Both machine guns have shortened receivers and blowbacks, which improves heat dissipation from the barrel.Ammunition consists of 1050 rounds of 12.7 mm and 5500 rounds of 7.62 mm.

On the tank M60 mounted monocular rangefinder sight M17C, which is used by the tank commander. The rangefinder with a base of 2000 mm has a 10x magnification. Measurement range to the target with the M17C range finder - 500-4000 m; the body of the rangefinder sight is connected to the gun by a parallelogram mechanism. Unlike the stereoscopic (like the M48), in which the range is determined by combining two images, the monocular rangefinder is easier to use, good vision and long training are not required when working with it.

The gunner uses the M31 periscope sight and the M105C telescopic articulated sight. Both sights have variable magnification (from 8x to 1x) and reticles with a range scale graduated in meters. For a coaxial machine gun, the M44C sight is used, but its reticle is projected into the field of view of the main sight. The night sight is combined in one housing with a periscope sight. A xenon searchlight is installed on the gun mask, which can operate both in normal light and infrared mode.

The M60 tank control system includes the M13A1D ballistic computer, which is not much different from the same M48A2 tank device, and the M10 ballistic drive, which connects the ballistic computer, rangefinder sight and periscope sight. The ballistic computer acts on the reticles of the sight and rangefinder sight and automatically sets them to the position corresponding to the measured range. Corrections for derivation, sight parallax, loss of initial speed due to barrel wear, trunnion tilt, mismatch between external and internal temperatures are made by a special sensor.

Guidance of the gun when firing from closed positions is carried out using the M28A1 azimuth indicator and the M13A1 quadrant, which are improved compared to the same devices of the M48A2 tank. The commander's cupola has an M71-28C machine gun sight designed to fire at both ground and air targets, and an M34 observation device.

The M60 tank is equipped with a 12-cylinder four-stroke V-shaped turbocharged air-cooled diesel engine AVDS-1790-2 from Continental. Engine power 750 hp at 2400 rpm. Its main advantage is a significant reduction in fuel consumption compared to the gasoline engine of the M48A2 tank. In addition, it is sealed and can work in water. The engine in the engine compartment is mounted complete with a CD850-6 hydromechanical transmission along the longitudinal axis of the tank. The MTO of the M60 tank is equipped with a heat-dissipating device that reduces the thermal radiation of exhaust gases.

The exhaust pipes of the engine are led to a special over-engine compartment, closed from above by a heat-insulating roof, in which the exhaust gases are cooled, mixing with the air flow of the cooling system, and then thrown out through the blinds mounted in the stern. To facilitate starting the engine in winter conditions, a heater with forced air supply is installed in the tank. Starting the engine with an electric starter is provided at air temperatures up to -30 ° C. An auxiliary engine for driving the charging unit is not installed on this tank. The total capacity of the fuel tanks is 1420 liters. All tanks are located in the reserved volume.

tank suspension M60 similar to the suspension of the M48A2 tank, with the exception of minor changes made to its design. In particular, tension rollers were eliminated on the M60 tanks, more rigid torsion shafts were used, which made it possible to slightly increase the ground clearance of the tank, the track (except for the extreme ones) and support rollers were made of aluminum alloy, travel stops with springs and telescopic shock absorbers were mounted on the first and sixth track rollers. Track rollers (six per 6opt) - gable, rubber-coated, with removable disks, their dynamic stroke is 206 mm. Rollers are interchangeable with guide wheels. Support rollers (three per side) also have rubber bandages. Brackets of the balancers of the track rollers and limiters of the travel of the balancers are welded to the body. Driving wheels - with steel removable gear rims. Caterpillars 710 mm wide - with fully rubberized T97 tracks and rubber-metal hinges. The resource of caterpillars in terms of mileage is one and a half to two thousand km.

The radio equipment of the tank consists of one VHF radio station AN / GRC-3 (or AN / GRC-4.5,6.7 or 8), which provides stable communication within a radius of 32-40 km and an AN / VIA-4 tank intercom with a field phone jack. In addition, a walkie-talkie operating in the frequency range used by aviation can be installed on the M60.

The M60 tank is equipped with an E37P1 filter-ventilation unit, the same as the M48A2, special tank gas masks and hoods to protect the crew from radioactive dust, toxic substances and bacteriological pathogens, an X-ray meter, an automatic PPO system and air heaters (for crew heating). To overcome fords up to 3.125 m deep, the tank uses special equipment, and when installing a manhole pipe, it is possible to overcome water obstacles up to 5 m deep.

Modifications
M60- the first serial version. The combat weight of the tank is 49.71 tons. Serial production from 1960 to 1962. Manufactured 2202 units.

M60A1(1962) - a new, asymmetrical cast tower with an improved configuration with respect to the longitudinal axis, which has increased projectile resistance (frontal armor thickness - 180 mm), providing better working conditions for the crew in the fighting compartment; an improved SLA, which includes a set of infrared observation devices and sights that provide firing at night. For the driver, an infrared periscope device M24 is provided. for the gunner - an eight-fold infrared periscope sight M32, which is installed in place of the M31 day sight; for the commander - an eight-fold M36 IR sight and XM18 infrared binoculars, for the loader - an M37 periscope night vision device.

Night vision devices were illuminated by a multi-purpose (IR and visible spectrum) high-intensity xenon gas-discharge searchlight AN / VSS-1 with a power of 2.2 kW, mounted on a gun mask. Turning the searchlight lamp on and off, choosing the filter and the angle of dispersion are made by the gunner or tank commander using the control panel located near their seats. The steering wheel has been replaced with a T-shaped lever, the location of some controls and control devices has been changed, a new hydraulic drive of the power transmission brakes and a mechanical stopping brake have been applied; telescopic shock absorbers were introduced on the first, second and sixth track rollers of the undercarriage.

After 1965, a new electric ballistic computer M16 was introduced into the MSA, which takes into account the data of the rangefinder sight, corrections for the drop in initial speed due to wear of the gun barrel bore and the misalignment of the bore axis and the zero aiming line. The total correction by the M16 calculator is automatically entered into the gunner's periscope sight and the tank commander's rangefinder sight. Since 1972, an electro-hydraulic armament stabilizer has been installed in two planes (Add-On Stabilization - AOS), since 1974 - the M142 caterpillar with removable rubber pads, since 1975 - the AVDS-1790-2C engine (RISE program - Reliability Improved Selected Equipment) .

The M60A1 (AOS) machines were converted to the M60A1 (RISE) variant. Since 1977, the tank has been equipped with passive night vision devices based on image intensifiers. Such devices - M36E1 - were installed on the commander's cupola and on the driver's side instead of the middle periscope. The M36E1 night vision device is a modification of the M36 device with the replacement of the active IR night vision module with a passive electron-optical one. Active and passive modules are interchangeable. therefore, the possibility of using a thermal imaging channel remained, for which a xenon searchlight was retained on the tank. In addition, the machine was equipped with advanced devices for overcoming water obstacles along the bottom. The equipment for underwater driving included an air-supplying manhole pipe installed above the loader's hatch, the direction of movement along the bottom was maintained with the help of a gyro-semi-compass. These machines received the designation M60A1 (RISE / PASSIVE). From 1962 to 1980, 7849 tanks of the M60A1 modification were manufactured.

M60A2(1972) - fire support tank. A new cast tower of complex configuration has been installed. Armament: 152 mm M162 low-impulse gun-launcher, capable of firing both conventional shells and MGM51C Shillelagh ATGMs, M73 coaxial machine gun and M85 anti-aircraft machine gun. Ammunition: 33 shots and 13 ATGMs. Combat weight 46.332 tons. From 1972 to 1975, 526 units were manufactured and converted from M60A1 tanks.

M60A3(1978) - an FCS was installed, including an AN / VVG-2 laser range finder, an M21 electronic ballistic computer, an M36E1 periscope combined (with day and night channels) sight / observation device and eight M41 glass blocks installed in the commander's cupola. The laser sight-rangefinder is mounted on the seats of the M17 optical rangefinder. To sight the target and exit the laser radiation, the right armored head, left over from the optical rangefinder, is used. The laser rangefinder is equipped with a remote control panel installed at the gunner. The gunner has an M35E1 main combination sight and an M105D auxiliary telescopic sight, similar to those used on earlier M60 models. Interchangeable active and passive modules of night vision devices are installed. Illumination of IR devices is carried out using the AN / VSS-3A xenon searchlight, which has a smaller size and power consumption compared to the AN / VSS-1 searchlight of the M60A1 tank. A feature of the AN / VSS-3 searchlight is the use of a flexible metal reflector that allows you to smoothly change the beam width in the range from 1 ° to 7". TDA, high-speed PPO system since 1987. Combat weight 52.62 tons. 1811 units manufactured, 5661 converted from M60A1 tanks.

M60A3TT S (1979) - TTS (Tank Termal Sight) - an AN / VGS-2 gunner's thermal imaging sight was installed. The automatic circuit of the weapon control system includes the M21 tank ballistic computer, the AN / VVG-2 commander's rangefinder sight, the AN / VSG-1 gunner's sight (installed instead of the M35E1 sight), the weapon stabilizer and the M10A4 ballistic drive, atmospheric parameters sensors. The M36E1 commander's sight and the gunner's auxiliary sight are not connected to the calculator.

M60A3ERA(1988) - M60A3 tanks of the US Marine Corps, equipped with dynamic protection (ERA - Explosive Reactive Armor). The mounted DZ set consists of 49 M1 metal boxes and 42 M2 boxes filled with explosives. The mass of the tank increases by 1.8 tons. 170 units are equipped.

M60A4- unrealized project for the modernization of M60 tanks on order National Guard USA. The program provided for the modernization of 12 tanks in 1989, 48 - in 1990 and 120 - in 1991, followed by reaching the level of 450 vehicles per year. It was assumed that the M60A4 tank would be armed with a 120-mm smoothbore gun, it was planned to install a new 1050 hp diesel engine, an automatic transmission, applied armor, a low-profile commander's cupola, improve the undercarriage and air filters. For financial reasons, the program was cancelled.

The production of the M60 tanks has been completed. The M60 family of combat vehicles formed the backbone of the US Army and Marine Corps tank fleet in the 1960s and 1970s and were widely exported. As part of the American troops, tanks of the M60 series practically did not participate in hostilities. The exception is the landing of several M60A1 Marine Corps on Grenada in 1983 and the participation of several dozen M60A3 tanks in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. In Vietnam, only M728 engineering tanks and M60AVLB bridgelayers were used.

Tanks of the second generation M60A1 in the period of 1960-1970s they had rather high tactical and technical characteristics, and their good suitability for operation in various climatic zones, maintenance and repair in the field, as well as relatively low cost, led to their wide distribution in the armies of many countries.

By the end of the 1970s, despite repeated modernization, which led to an increase in the mass of vehicles, in terms of protection and mobility, even the latest models - the M60A3 tanks - no longer met the increased requirements. There was a need to move to the tanks of the next, third generation.

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE M60A1 TANK
COMBAT WEIGHT, t: 52.61.
CREW, people: 4.
OVERALL DIMENSIONS, mm: length - 9436, width - 3632, height (along the periscope on the commander's turret) - 3264, ground clearance - 389 12.7 mm.
AMMUNITION: 63 shots, 5950 rounds of 7.62 mm caliber, 900 rounds of 12.7 mm caliber.
WEAPON STABILIZER: two-plane electro-hydraulic.
AIMING DEVICES: M17A1 monocular rangefinder sight, M105D telescopic sight, M28C commander's periscope sight.
RESERVATION, mm: hull forehead - 120. side - 50-76, stern - 44. roof - 57, bottom - 20-50, tower - 25-180.
ENGINE: Continental AVDS-1790-2C. 12-cylinder, diesel. V-shaped, air-cooled; power 750 hp (550 kW) at 2400 rpm.
TRANSMISSION: GMC CD-850-6, hydro-mechanical type "Cross-Drive", which includes a primary gearbox, an integrated torque converter, a hydro-mechanical planetary three-speed gearbox, a differential-type steering mechanism with dual power flow, final drives.
RUNNING GEAR: six rubber-coated road wheels on board, three rubber-coated support rollers, a rear-mounted drive wheel with removable gear rims (lantern gear), idler wheel; individual torsion suspension; hydraulic shock absorbers on the 1st. 2nd and 6th hardpoints; caterpillar with a width of 710 mm, rubber-coated with RMSH of parallel type and removable asphalt pads.
MAX SPEED, km/h: 48.3.
POWER RESERVE, km: 480.
OVERCOME OBSTACLES: climb angle, hail. - 30. moat width. m - 2.6. wall height, m ​​- 0.91, ford depth, m - 1.2 (with OPVT - 5 m).
COMMUNICATIONS: VHF telephone, simplex radio station AN/VRC-12, intercom.