TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Army plans to spend NT$836 million (US$25.7 million) on new barrels for its aging M60A3 tanks to extend their life, reports said Saturday (June 29).

The planned upgrade came as the Army is awaiting the delivery of the first 38 out of 108 M1 tanks it ordered from the U.S. The first delivery was expected during the fourth quarter of 2024, the Liberty Times reported.

The military already procured 460 new engines for all of its M60A3 tanks from overseas, but the barrels will be made in Taiwan by the 202^nd Arsenal of the Armaments Bureau. The tanks started service with the Army about 30 years ago, but only about a third of them needed new barrels.

The contract for the parts went into effect in mid-June, with delivery to be completed by the end of 2028. The tanks would also need upgrades to improve accuracy, with Chinese amphibious landing vehicles as their main targets in a possible conflict with China.