TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense announced on Tuesday (March 7) that it has signed a NT$7.245 billion (US$236 billion) deal with RENK America to outfit the military’s fleet of M60A3 Patton tanks with new engines.

RENK America will provide the engine assembly lines to Taiwan’s Army Command, which will set them up at its ordnance development center in Nantou. The process is expected to be completed by 2028.

The tanks are currently equipped with a 750-horsepower engine, but due to the aging vehicles and the long hours of use, its overall performance has declined, Liberty Times cited a military source as saying. The new engines are said to have 1,000 horsepower.

Additionally, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology will upgrade the tanks’ firing, gun control, and sighting system for NT$15.56 million, according to Janes.

Taiwan purchased second-hand M60A3 tanks from the U.S. in 1994 and 1996 and has a total of 460.

The tanks are currently the main mobile artillery force on Kinmen, Penghu, Taitung, and Hualien. In recent Han Kuang exercises, the M60A3 tanks in the aforementioned regions have participated in live fire drills, according to Liberty Times.