The M1A2T Abrams tanks that Taiwan purchased from the US participated in a combat readiness exercise in Hsinchu yesterday, marking the first time they had operated outside their base.
The army's 584th Armored Brigade conducted a battalion-level exercise to test troops' ability to respond to contingencies and protect key facilities, the Military News Agency reported.
Photo courtesy of the the Military News Agency
The drill involved the deployment of M1A2T main battle tanks alongside a range of armored and support vehicles, including CM32, CM33 and CM34 infantry fighting vehicles, CM22 mortar carriers and Humvees equipped with TOW anti-tank missiles, the agency said.
Through the use of live troops, real terrain and actual vehicles, the exercise aimed to deepen battlefield familiarity while demonstrating the armored unit's mobility and combat capabilities, the report said.
Before dawn, personnel completed checks of equipment, communications and vehicles, it said.
After receiving orders, the brigade commander delivered a mission briefing and issued operational instructions before leading the convoy out of the base, the agency added.
Upon arrival at the target area, the unit moved into tactical positions to conduct force protection tasks, it said.
By simulating realistic combat scenarios, troops familiarized themselves with the surrounding terrain, while continuing to refine joint operations and inter-unit coordination, the report said.
The exercise also served to assess commanders' ability at all levels to apply tactics and respond to changing situations, the report said.
Taiwan in 2019 earmarked NT$40.52 billion (US$1.29 billion) to procure 108 M1A2T tanks from the US.
It has received 80 of the tanks, with the remaining 28 scheduled to arrive in the first quarter of next year.
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