CM-12 Tank
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2017) |
| CM-12 Tank | |
|---|---|
 A CM-12 at the ROCA Infantry School | |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin | Taiwan |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1990–present |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Armored Vehicle Development Center |
| Manufacturer | Armored Vehicle Development Center |
| Unit cost | US$ 3.5 million |
| No.built | 100 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 48.5tonnes(53.5short tons;47.7long tons) |
| Length | 6.95 meters (22 ft 10 in) (hull) 9.30 meters (30 ft 6 in) (cannon forward) |
| Width | 3.65 meters (12 ft 0 in) |
| Height | 3.1 meters (10 ft 2 in) |
| Crew | 4 |
Main armament | 105 mm (4.1 in)M68A1gun |
Secondary armament | .50 BMG (12.7×99mm)M2 Browning 7.62×51mm NATOM240 machine gun 7.62×51mm NATOT74 machine gun |
| Engine | ContinentalAVDS-1790-2Cair-cooledTwin-turbodiesel engine 750 hp (560 kW) |
| Power/weight | 15.46 hp/t |
| Suspension | Torsion bar suspension |
Operational range | 203 kilometers (100 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 48 km/h |
TheCM-12 Tankis a modifiedM48A3made for theRepublic of China Armysituated onTaiwan.The Armored Vehicle Development Center (AVDC) used the extra 100fire-control systemunits from the production of theCM-11 Brave Tigerto modify the existing M48A3 tanks of the ROC Army. The modification was completed as of 1993.[1]The CM-12 can be distinguished from the CM-11 by the rounded glacis plates, and from the M48A3 by the105mm M68A1cannon, which is longer than the90mm T139/M3A1cannon on the M48A3 and lacks amuzzle brake,and by the different commander's cupola.
Modifications[edit]
The CM-12 program selected some M48A3 hulls and replaced the petrol engines withdiesel engines,installed a newtransmission,replaced the tracks, and replaced the turret with the CM-11's turret. The modified tank was renamed CM-12.[2]
During the Brave Tiger (CM-11) upgrade program, AVDC received an M48A5 for reference. The idea of the CM-12 was derived from the M48A5. The exterior of CM-12 and M48A5 are similar, but the interior is completely different; the main difference being that replacing the original engine and turret of the M48A3 cost interior fuel capacity, decreasing its range. The CM-12 also has an upgraded fire-control system due to it using the same turret as the CM-11. The M48A5 has no upgraded fire-control system.
The armament of CM-12 is identical to CM-11's. The main cannon is anM68A1 105mm cannon,which can fire ammunition such asarmour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot(APFSDS) Rounds. It can carry up to 60 rounds on board. OneM2HB machine gunis mounted on the commander's cupola, one T74 machine gun on the gunner's cupola, and one coaxialM240 machine guninside the turret.[3]
The protection on CM-12 is outdated, being unable to stop shells fired from the 125mm smoothbore cannon mounted on tanks used by theChinese People's Liberation Armysuch as theType 96,and the material used is inferior to that used on newer tanks, being made of cast steel instead of more modern composite materials. After the great disarmament of Ching Shih ( tinh thật án ) and Ching Chin ( tinh tiến án ), the existing CM-11 and M60A3 TTS tanks are enough for the ROCA, and almost half of the CM-12s are now retired.
-
Close up of the CM-12's turret -
Side view of the CM-12 -
Rear view of the CM-12 -
A ready-to-transport CM-12 -
Soldiers removing machine guns from a CM-12
References[edit]
- ^Tự do thời báo điện tử báo (2018-02-21)."Thích đáng suất không tốt CM12 chiến xa mở rộng phong ấn - chính trị".Tự do thời báo điện tử báo(in Chinese).Retrieved2021-02-22.
- ^"M48 Patton".fas.org.Federation of American Scientists.Retrieved13 December2019.
- ^"CM-11 Brave Tiger (M48H) Main Battle Tank (MBT) - Taiwan".Retrieved2018-11-09.
External links[edit]
Media related toCM-12at Wikimedia Commons
