Republic of China Army Deploys New U.S.-Supplied Abrams Tanks For First Ever Combat Readiness Drills

The Republic of China Army has deployed its newly procured M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks for their first ever combat readiness exercise, the Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise, marking an important milestone in the integration of the vehicles into frontline operations. Rather than remaining at their home base for training, the tanks were deployed onto public roads and into tactical positions around Taoyuan, simulating a rapid response to a sudden escalation in Taiwan Strait tensions. The exercise formed part of the Republic of China Armed Forces’ five-day nationwide readiness drill, which emphasises rapid transition from peacetime to wartime operations. The tanks conducted combat patrols, occupied defensive positions, and coordinated with engineer units establishing roadblocks and anti-vehicle obstacles. 

Exercises were primarily intended to test how quickly heavy armoured units could deploy from their bases and begin defending key terrain before a potential amphibious or airborne assault. The choice of Taoyuan was strategically significant, as the strategically located city hosts Taiwan Island’s largest international airport, major highways, high-speed rail links, and critical transportation infrastructure connecting Taipei with much of the island’s northern regions. Military planners regard the region as a likely objective during any attempt to rapidly seize political and logistical centres in the event of a new Taiwan Strait war. Deploying Abrams tanks there demonstrated the Army’s intention to use heavy armour to secure vital lines of communication and counter enemy breakthroughs. 

The deployment of Abrams reflects a broader shift in the Republic of China Armed Forces towards more realistic military training rather than scripted exercises, with units increasingly practicing rapid mobilisation, dispersed operations, and joint manoeuvre under conditions designed to mirror the early stages of a Taiwan Strait conflict. Heavy armour, artillery, engineers, and supporting units were integrated into a single defensive framework intended to demonstrate that Taiwan can quickly transition from routine peacetime activities to combat operations in response to little warning. The Abrams’ use in the latest exercises allowed commanders to evaluate how the new tanks perform within the Army’s defensive doctrine and transportation network. Exercises have also provided one of the first opportunities to demonstrated the Abrams’ high mobility and battlefield awareness, including the integration of advanced thermal sights, which are far superior to the obsolete CM-11, M60, M48 and M41 tanks that are also in service. 

The U.S. Department of State first approved the $2.2 billion sale of the tanks to the Republic of China in July 2019, fuelling considerable controversy due to Taipei’s lack of international recognition or of diplomatic relations with the United States. Although deliveries of U.S. military equipment to the Republic of China Armed Forces have consistently faced considerable delays, with backlogs of undelivered equipment having exceeded $21 billion by the end of 2025, the delivery of Abrams tanks, which are less in demand globally than other equipment, has been less affected. The first batch of 38 tanks was delivered in December 2024, followed by second batch of 42 tanks arrived in July 2025, allowing an armoured battalion to be formed equipped with the vehicles on October 31, 2025. 

The M1A2 variant delivered to the Republic of China Army, designated the M1A2T, relies on composite armour supplemented by explosive reactive armour tiles, and lacks any kind of active protection system, leaving its survivability wholly dependant on passive protection and tactical measures such as launching smoke. While the tank’s suitability for the Army’s requirements has been questioned, the Republic of China’s international status has ensured that no countries other than the U.S. were willing to supply main battle tanks. The tanks are considered to be urgently needed due to the ageing and obsolescence of the M60 and CM-11 tanks, with the former in particular facing growing maintenance issues due to their age.