Taiwan Drills 108 Abrams Tanks in Urban Combat as Han Kuang Simulates Chinese Invasion
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Aug 12
Taiwan Drills 108 Abrams Tanks in Urban Combat as Han Kuang Simulates Chinese Invasion
1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Aug 12
Summary
Taiwan’s 584th Armored Brigade put M1A2T Abrams crews through urban combat drills in Taoyuan, hiding tanks near the island’s main airport and practicing a 15-minute refueling under simulated invasion conditions.
The exercise folded the US-made armor into Han Kuang war games only months after Taiwan received the last of 108 Abrams in April, testing how the tanks would operate in dense city terrain and around key transport hubs.
Those tanks are assigned to Taiwan’s northern theater command, which is responsible for defending Taipei, the main airport and a major commercial port if Chinese forces push inland.
Analysts say the 73-ton Abrams is better suited to ambushes at urban chokepoints than direct tank battles, especially because any fight near Taoyuan or Taipei would likely come after China had gained air superiority.
The drills also address long-running doubts over Taiwan’s 2019 $2.2 billion Abrams purchase, which critics said should have favored lighter asymmetric weapons over heavy armor.