M60 Patton Medium Tank

M60 Patton Medium Tank. . Eight years after the M48 tank entered production, improvements in available technology coupled with the Soviet Union's deployment of the 100 mm gun-equipped T55 main battle tank mandated the need to design a new American up-gunned tank. In addition to a better engine, thicker armor, and a better fire control system, the new M60 mounted the British L7 rifled 105 mm gun. In the American army the L7 would be renamed the M68. The M68 gun was produced for more than 35 years, making it our longest serving tank gun. A Xenon searchlight is also mounted to the gun mantle. This searchlight gave tank platoons night fighting capability at ranges up to a mile in both the visible light and infrared spectrums. The M60 also carries the name of Patton because it is a direct derivative of the M46 Patton tank., Vehicle Specifications , Armament: 1 x 105 mm M68 rifled cannon, 1 x.50 caliber M85 machinegun with 900 rounds, 1 x 30 caliber M219 machinegun with 5,950 rounds , Fire control range finder type: Coincidental, M17 , Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, loader, and driver) , Weight: 102,000 lbs empty , Speed: 30 mph , Maximum effective weapons range: 4,700 m , Maximum armor thickness: 230 mm (angle equivalent) , Production: more than 12,000 , Year entering service: 1960, Captions , (Photo #1) Searchlight tank platoon illuminating targets for a firing platoon