The manufacture of the remaining 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks Taiwan purchased from the US has recently been completed, and they are expected to be delivered within the next one to two months, a source said yesterday.
The Ministry of National Defense is arranging cargo ships to transport the tanks to Taiwan as soon as possible, said the source, who is familiar with the matter.
The estimated arrival time ranges from late this month to early next month, the source said.
Photo: Fang Bin-chao, Taipei Times
The 28 Abrams tanks make up the third and final batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion (US $1.28 billion), that Taiwan purchased from the US under a deal approved by Washington in 2019.
The first batch of 38 Abrams tanks was delivered to Taiwan in December 2024 and was later commissioned into the army’s 584th Armored Brigade in Hsinchu County in late October last year after the required training and testing were completed.
The second batch of 42 M1A2T Abrams tanks was delivered in July, and testing and training are ongoing ahead of their planned commissioning in the second quarter of this year, the source said.
The army operates about 1,000 tanks, including CM11 Brave Tiger and M60A3 models, both of which have been in service for more than two decades.
In addition to procuring the M1A2T tanks, the military has invested in new engines for its M60A3 tanks and upgraded their cannon fire-control systems to provide “hunter-killer” capabilities, allowing a tank to engage one target while tracking another.
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
The manufacture of the remaining 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks Taiwan purchased from the US has recently been completed, and they are expected to be delivered within the next one to two months, a source said yesterday. The Ministry of National Defense is arranging cargo ships to transport the tanks to Taiwan as soon as possible, said the source, who is familiar with the matter. The estimated arrival time ranges from late this month to early next month, the source said. The 28 Abrams tanks make up the third and final batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion
Two Taiwanese prosecutors were questioned by Chinese security personnel at their hotel during a trip to China’s Henan Province this month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. The officers had personal information on the prosecutors, including “when they were assigned to their posts, their work locations and job titles,” MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. On top of asking about their agencies and positions, the officers also questioned the prosecutors about the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, a pact that serves as the framework for Taiwan-China cooperation on combating crime and providing judicial assistance, Liang
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