Republic of China Army’s U.S. Abrams Tanks See Delivery Delayed: Female Operators at the Core of PR Efforts

Following reports on February 2 that the last of 108 Abrams tanks on ordered for the Republic of China Army had completed production, it was reported that the final batch of 28 vehicles would be delivered in March. The latest reports have indicated that delivery is now expected in April, with the tanks set to be unloaded at Taipei Port, and made fully operational by May. Although this delay alone is relatively minor, broader delays to U.S. arms deliveries have caused a major scandal in Taipei, with outstanding backlogs of arms sales having reached over $21.45 billion by late 2025. Major delays to the delivery of 66 F-16 Block 70 fighters, as the most high profile and high cost acquisition made, have drawn particularly harsh criticisms, with just a single fighter having been delivered since orders were placed in 2019.

M1A2 Abrams tanks began deliveries to the Republic of China Army in December 2024, with 38 arriving in a first batch which was assigned to the 3rd Combined Arms Battalion of the 584th Armoured Brigade. Training for crews at the Hukou Armor Training Command began in early 2025, while a second batch of 42 tanks arrived in July that year, after which the Army operationalised the vehicles on October 31. Local officers have noted that the tanks provide “a major leap forward in firepower, mobility and protection” over Cold War era M60 tanks, particularly prising their“hunter-killer” capabilities, which allow “the gunner to engage a target while the commander uses an independent thermal sight to locate the next one” to increase engagement efficiency. 

The Republic of China Army has recently provided considerable publicity to the roles being played by female personnel in operating newly procured M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks. Particular attention has been provided to female tank platoon leader from the University Reserve Officer Training Corps Liu Jingyao, who has earned the title of the third “Steel Flower” in the M1A2 fleet, who serves with the 269th Brigade’s Lion Force, after having graduated from the Department of Foreign Languages at Shih Chien University and the Army Academy’s ROTC Class of 2013. Female soldiers are reported to be playing key roles in the Army's replacement of its Cold War era tanks with the M1A2, and demonstrating professionalism and prowess. Efforts to promote female personnel appear to be part of broader efforts to bolster recruitment, with associations with the high profile new tanks potentially bolstering this recruitment drive.