M60A3 TTS

M60A3 TTS

M60A1 RISE (P)

120S

M60A3 TTS

M60A1 RISE (P)

120S

USA

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.0	9.0	9.0

Class:

Medium tank

Research:190 000

Purchase:520 000

Description

The 105 mm Gun Tank M60A3 TTS is a rank VI American medium tank with a battle rating of 9.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind".

Very similar to the previous M60A1 RISE (P), the M60A3 TTS differs with the addition of a thermal sight for the gunner, a laser rangefinder replacing the original optical version, and access to better rounds. Weight, protection, mobility, and other characteristics are virtually the same as its predecessor - this tank holds no surprises. At its rank, the M60 platform begins to show its age, being much slower than a number of contemporary MBTs like the Leopard A1A1 while not having enough armour to resist APFSDS rounds. It is best used with caution as a support or backup tank, where its good gun and thermals are effective and its deficiencies are less apparent.

General info

Survivability and armour

The armour layout of the M60A3 TTS is the same as the M60A1 RISE (P). The ERA is very apparent, and each panel offers 370 mm of protection against chemical rounds and a measly 5 mm of protection against kinetic rounds. This is enough to stop the majority of HEAT-FS rounds that the M60A3 will encounter, but only for the first hit. Impacts from chemical rounds will destroy large swathes of panels, and follow up shots can be lethal. Many ATGMs, particularly those with tandem warheads, can overcome the ERA and damage the tank since the M60 does not have composite armour underneath, so incoming missiles should still be avoided or otherwise dealt with. It should also be noted that the ERA coverage has some gaps, particularly around the turret ring and the gunner's sight.

The underlying base armour is similar to the layout originally featured on the M60A1 (AOS). It consists entirely of cast and rolled homogeneous armour. The frontal hull armour and turret cheeks are fairly thick and can generally shrug off fire from Soviet APHE rounds and autocannons, but the gun mantlet is modeled as having only 127 mm of CHA (with some sloping) and is a major weak point. The turret ring is another weak zone, only 114 mm thick and fairly large in size. The commander's cupola bulges from the top of the turret and is lightly protected, making it an attractive target for APHE and high-calibre HE rounds.

With no specialized protection against APDS or APFSDS rounds, the M60A3's armour should not be trusted. Even weaker chemical rounds can slip between the gaps of the ERA panels with some luck. Considering the tank's unimpressive mobility, enemy flankers are a real concern as well, and nearly every weapon at the M60A3's rank can penetrate the hull sides. Surviving hits should be a pleasant surprise and not an expectation.

Armour type:

• Cast homogeneous armour
• Rolled homogeneous armour (Rear roof, Engine grille)

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	108 mm (66°) Front Glacis 137 mm (54°) Lower Glacis	36 - 70 mm	25 mm (1°) Engine Grille 40 mm (31°) Top 28 mm (61°) Bottom	36 mm Front 20 mm Engine deck
Turret	215 + 50.8 mm (1-43°) Turret front left 230 + 50.8 mm (4-50°) Turret front right 127 mm (8-57°) Gun Mantlet	215 - 49 mm	57 mm	48 mm Front 25.4 mm Center
Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Cupola	127 mm	70 mm	50 mm	101.6 mm

Notes:

• Tracks are 30 mm thick while suspension wheels are 20 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 19 mm in the front, 13 mm in the rear.
• 15 mm RHA plate between the engine and crew compartment.

Mobility

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	53	13	52.6	1,162	1,431	22.09	27.21
Realistic	48	12		663	750	12.6	14.26

Armaments

Main armament

105 mm M68					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	63	-10°/+20°	±180°	Two-plane	21.40	29.65	36.00	39.81	42.35	8.70	7.71	7.11	6.70
Realistic					13.40	15.75	19.13	21.15	22.50

Ammunition

The M60A3 TTS has the same ammunition selection as the M1 Abrams. The M735 APFSDS and M456A2 HEAT-FS rounds come as stock choices, which is refreshing compared to the stock APDS on the M60A1 RISE. Of these two, M735 is better against most tank targets since it has much higher velocity, will not prematurely detonate on trees and fences, and will cut straight through opponents without decent composite armour. The HEAT-FS is useful for hull-breaking light targets like IFVs and SPAAs but is more difficult to aim and will struggle against opponents with any ERA and composite armour. The post-penetration damage is not any better, so only a few HEAT-FS rounds should be kept in reserve for use against light targets.

The unlockable M393A2 HESH round has potentially more post-penetration damage than the other options, however it has the worst ballistics, the lowest penetration, and is the most difficult to use as a result. For best results, it should be aimed at hull or turret sides and roofs, taking care not to hit ERA, composite armour, or spaced armour. Still, the HEAT-FS is much more user-friendly for taking out light targets. HESH might be helpful in the occasional unusual situation where a small portion of an enemy tank is exposed, but its crew members are not close enough to the line of fire to be damaged by the APFSDS or HEAT-FS. The final unlockable ammunition choice is the M774 APFSDS round, which costs 600 SL per shot and has all-round improved statistics from the M735 round. In particular, it enjoys significantly better angled penetration. If financial cost is not a factor, it should be the M60A3's ammo type of choice.

The M416 smoke shell is available too. Obviously, it is not good at damaging enemies, but it can be used to cover advances and blind entrenched targets.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
M735	APFSDS	353	350	342	333	322	312
M393A2	HESH	127	127	127	127	127	127
M456A2	HEATFS	400	400	400	400	400	400
M774	APFSDS	357	355	347	338	328	319

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile Mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
M735	APFSDS	1,501	3.7	N/A	N/A	N/A	76°	77°	80°
M393A2	HESH	732	14.85	0.4	0.1	4,306	73°	77°	80°
M456A2	HEATFS	1,173	10.5	N/A	0.1	1,270	65°	72°	77°
M774	APFSDS	1,509	3.4	N/A	N/A	N/A	78°	80°	81°

Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile Mass (kg)	Screen radius (m)	Screen deploy time (s)	Screen hold time (s)	Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
M416	730	11.4	20	5	25	50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M60A3 TTS

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
63	50 (+13)	48 (+15)	27 (+36)	13 (+50)	1 (+62)	No

Ammo racks litter the interior of the M60A3 TTS. Avoid taking enough ammunition to fill the turret bustle ammo rack, this way penetrating shots to the turret are less likely to destroy the tank instantly. There is a considerable amount of ammunition in the turret basket, and there will always be ammunition stored on the sides of the driver since those are the first ammo racks to be filled. Emptying the turret and turret basket will increase survivability by a fair amount.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M85
Mount	Capacity (Belt capacity)	Rate of fire (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
Pintle	900 (200)	625	-9°/+60°	±180°

7.62 mm M240
Mount	Capacity (Belt capacity)	Rate of fire (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
Coaxial	5,950 (200)	750	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

The M60A3 TTS lacks the mobility to arrive first on the front lines or easily flank, but the unimpressive protection means that advancing steadily in the open is not a safe proposition either. It is best to follow teammates, stay close to cover, and take advantage of the thermal sight to scan for opponents. A quick glance through the gunner's scope can reveal hidden enemies from afar. The armour and mobility issues are less important if one can consistently catch targets off guard and shoot first, and if the rest of the team is causing a ruckus, all the better. Keep an eye out for flankers and avoid staying out of cover for long.

Thermal sights are very helpful and not quite ubiquitous at the M60A3's rank, but they are not uncommon either. IFVs like the Begleitpanzer 57, BMP-3, and Type 89 have them and can spot the M60A3 easily. Thankfully, these targets are more reliant on ATGMs for long distance combat, which are easier to avoid than APFSDS rounds. They will still pack a huge punch upon a successful hit, so do not stand still. The premium AMX-30 Super, Leopard A1A1 (L/44), and Type 74G all boast thermal sights and superior mobility, making them difficult targets indeed. The only real way to deal with them is to shoot first. It is also possible for the M60A3 TTS to encounter its cousins in the China tree, the M60A3 TTS (China) and CM11. The former does not have ERA and is even more vulnerable while the latter has even worse mobility in exchange for superior firepower; these three tanks all make easy targets for one another.

The MBT-70 currently shares a battle rating with the M60A3 TTS. They are very different tanks and can cover each other's weaknesses to some extent when used as a lineup; when high mobility and aggressive pushes are needed, the MBT-70 (or its devolved sibling, the XM-803) can be used, and when thermal sights and firepower are needed the M60A3 can pick up the slack. None of these options have very good armour, but few opponents at their rank do.

Modules

Tier	Mobility		Protection	Firepower
I	Tracks		Parts	Horizontal Drive	M393A2
II	Suspension	Brake System	FPE	Adjustment of Fire	M416	NVD
III	Filters		Crew Replenishment	Elevation Mechanism	Smoke grenade
IV	Transmission	Engine	ESS	Artillery Support	M774	Laser rangefinder

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Same ammo selection as the M1 Abrams
• Stock M735 APFSDS round
• Good quality thermal sight
• ERA offers decent chemical protection
• Has a laser rangefinder

Cons:

• Not very mobile
• Large target
• Armour is virtually useless against APFSDS
• ERA coverage has significant gaps
• Turret ring, gun mantlet, and cupola are all notable weak spots

History

The M60

The M60 tank, a descendant of the Patton series of tanks, was the mainstay of US armoured forces for much of the Cold War. It saw much combat in various conflicts like the Yom Kippur War, Iran-Iraq War, and the Gulf War, performing well against Soviet contemporaries like the T-62. Several versions of the M60 were used by the US military, and the last of them was the M60A3.

M60A3

Development

During the 1970's there was a rapid advancement in anti-tank technology, and with the failure of the M60A2 program to produce a sufficient fighting vehicle an upgrade of the M60A1 series was necessary. In 1976, a program to do just that was initiated; the intention was to increase the turret armor and to modernize and improve the technological systems in the tank. The product of the program was the M60A3 tank, a significant improvement over the M60A1 series. Despite the improvement over the earlier M60 models, the M60A3 was viewed as a stop-gap measure, as the M1 Abrams was already being developed and was planned to enter service in 1981.

M60A3 Passive

This was the first model of the M60A3 series; it was known simply as the M60A3, but was also known as the M60A3 Passive in order to better distinguish it from the later M60A3 TTS. The M60A3 was based on the M60A1 RISE Passive tank, but with a number of upgrades for the turret - most notably changes to the armor and fire control system. The armor on the turret face was increased to 276 mm and the armor on the gun mantlet was changed to 330 mm. The M60A1 RISE Passive tanks uses a coincidence rangefinder and the mechanical M19 ballistic computer. The M60A3 received the M21 fire control system which includes an AN/VVS2 flash-lamp pumped ruby-laser rangefinder for the commander and gunner, solid-state M21E1 gun data computer, improved stabilization mechanism, improved electrical system, and an improved solid-state analog data card bus. The M10A2E3 ballistic drive is an electro-mechanical unit.The commander received an M36E1 passive periscope and the gunner received an M32E1 passive sight. The hydraulic fluid in the turret was changed to a type that was non-flammable. The M60A3 turret was mounted on the chassis of the M60A1 RISE Passive hull, with the same AVDS-1790-2D RISE engine and CD-850-6A transmission, with a Halon fire-suppression system. A total of 748 M60A3 Passive tanks were built, and all were later upgraded to the M60A3 TTS standard.

M60A3 TTS

The M60A3 TTS was an improved model of the earlier M60A3. The gunner received an AN/VSG2 Tank Thermal Sight (TTS), which was the only major improvement over the M60A3 Passive. 304 M60A3 TTS tanks were built (with production ending in 1983), 1,391 of the US Army M60A1 RISE tanks were converted to the M60A3 TTS standard by the Anniston Army Depot and Mainz Army Depot by 1990, and all 748 US Army M60A3 tanks were also upgraded to the TTS standard by 1984.

Media

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See also

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• reference to the series of the vehicles;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

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