However, more than five thousand Pattons remain in service in the armies of nineteen countries. The M60 Patton was the mainstay of the U.S tank fleet in the 1960s and 1970s, before being replaced by the M1 Abrams tank currently in service. 1952. Showcase of all combat tanks used by both sides of the Vietnam Conflict of 1955-1975. The M60 is a belt-fed machine gun that fires the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge (similar to .308 Winchester), which is commonly used in larger rifles. The M60 was retained in the vehicle-mounted role and the general-purpose role due to its greater power and … In the 1980s, the M60 was partially replaced by the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon within the infantry squad. Original Vietnam-Era M60 at the Range April 27, 2019 Ian McCollum General Purpose MGs , Slow motion , Video 107 The M60 was the first modern American military machine gun, developed from the operating system of the German FG-42 and the feed system of the German MG-42 in the years after World War Two. It is now found primarily in U.S. Reserve and National Guard units. Meet the Patton: Why the M60 Tank Is Still A Killer After Decades on … An infantry machine-gun section officially consisted of three soldiers: the gunner, the assistant gunner, and the ammunition carrier. It is generally used as a crew-served weapon and operated by a team of two or three individuals. 9. 10. M-60 main battle Tank Specifications PURPOSE: The M60 tank is designed to function as one of the main assault vehicles of an Armor/Mechanized Infantry/Infantry Division. Israeli M60 tank captured by Egypt in 1973. The M60s continued to serve in American service all the way to the Gulf War in Operation Desert Storm in the Marine Corps and Air Force, however, at the time the newer M1 Abrams in service were already replacing the M60 tanks. NORINCO Type 59. The tank has provided proven battlefield performance over four decades and has been continuously advanced and upgraded with advanced weapon control, ammunition, applique … NORINCO Type 62 (WZ131) Light Tank Combat Vehicle. PT-76. ... M60 (Patton) Main Battle Tank (MBT) 7. The Armored Vehicle Launch Bridge, commonly referred to as the "Bridge tank" was mounted on an M60 tank hull, and the M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle was an M60 tank … M60 in Vietnam, 1966. The M60-based AVLB and the M728 CEV were the only variants of the M60 deployed to Vietnam. The M60 in American service were first deployed in Vietnam, but only as engineer vehicles or bridge layers. The M60 served in several major conflicts such as the Iraq-Iran War, Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and, of course, Vietnam where engineering versions were used to lay bridges and a variant known as the M728, designated as a Combat Engineer Vehicle it was equipped with a 165mm gun used to destroy fortified … Amphibious Light Tank Combat Vehicle. During the Vietnam War, the M60 received the nickname "The Pig" due to its size.. Vietnam [edit | edit source]. It was involved in the only tank vs. tank battle between the US Army and the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War, the Battle of Ben Het in 1969, when several M48 Patton medium tanks fought 10 North The M48 Patton medium tank was the most common United States tank to be used during the Vietnam War. Main Battle Tank (MBT) 8. 1959. The M60 saw its widest use with American infantry forces on the ground in Vietnam. This tank is still in service in over 22 countries world wide. 1963. 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