The first shipment of 38 M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks from the United States (U.S.) has arrived in Taiwan. The tanks, part of a $2 billion arms deal approved in 2019, were delivered via a special-purpose cargo ship that docked at Taipei Port early on Sunday.

According to Taiwanese media, the tanks were offloaded at the Port of Taipei and are set to be transported to Hsinchu County, approximately 84 kilometers (52 miles) southwest of Taipei. The vehicles will be inducted into the Army Installation and Training Department located in Hukou Township, where training operations will commence following the Spring Festival holiday on January 29 next year. 

Along with the 38 Abrams tanks, the delivery also included four M88A2 armored recovery vehicles, designed to assist with maintenance and recovery tasks on the battlefield. To facilitate the arrival and transfer, operations at the port were temporarily suspended from 6 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday to ensure smooth logistics.

The M1A2T variant of the Abrams tank is a specialized version tailored for Taiwan’s operational requirements. The sale, approved under then-US President Donald Trump in 2019, is part of Taiwan’s broader initiative to replace its aging fleet of tanks, including the CM-11 Brave Tiger and M60A3 TTS tanks.

The Taiwanese military currently operates 450 CM-11 Brave Tiger tanks, which combine the M60 chassis, M48 Patton turret, and M1 Abrams fire control system, first inducted in 1990. Additionally, the Taiwanese Army operates 460 M60A3 TTS tanks, based on the American M60 platform first introduced in 1959.

The Abrams tanks will initially be assigned to the Taiwanese Army’s 584th Brigade as part of the replacement process. Two additional shipments of 42 tanks each are scheduled for delivery in 2025 and 2026, completing the total order of 108 M1A2T tanks.