TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Army has commissioned the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to develop two sighting systems for its M60A3 Patton tanks, Army Chief of Staff Chen Chien-yi (陳建義) said on Monday. 

The defense ministry is overhauling 460 aging Patton tanks, which have been in service since the 1990s. The NT$8 billion (US$ 243.01 million) upgrades include new engines, fire control systems, gun control systems, sighting systems, and gun barrels, Liberty Times reported. 

According to the Army, the procurement of AVDS-1790-8CR engines will continue until 2028, while the other equipment will be received earlier.

Several M60A3 TTS tanks were spotted conducting live-fire training near the military’s Jiupeng base in Pingtung on Tuesday, but it was unclear whether these were upgraded vehicles, per Liberty Times.

Under the supervision of the MND and the Armaments Bureau, testing and verification are expected to be completed by October.  Once upgraded, the tanks will have greater horsepower, improved accuracy, and better operational readiness.