CM-12 Tank


The CM-12 Tank is a modified M48A3 for Republic of China Army situated on Taiwan. The Armored Vehicle Development Center used the extra 100 Fire Control System units from the production of the CM-11 to modify the existing M48A3 tanks of the ROC Army. The modification was completed before 1993.

Modifications

The CM-12 program selected some M48A3 hulls and replaced the petrol engines with diesel engines, installed a new transmission and replaced the turret with the CM-11's turret. The modified tank was renamed CM-12.
During the Brave Tiger Case, AVDC received a M48A5 for reference. The idea of the CM-12 derived from M48A5. Some of the M48A3 received modifications and were upgraded to M48A1/A2. The exterior of CM-12 and M48A5 are similar, but the interior is completely different; the main difference that replacing the engine and turret of M48A3, cost interior fuel capacity, decreasing its range.
The Armament of CM-12 is identical to CM-11's. The main cannon is a M68A1 105 mm cannon, which can fire ammunition such as Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot Round. It can carry 60 rounds on board. One M2HB machine gun is mounted on the commander's cupola, one T-74 machine gun on the gunner's cupola, and one coaxial M240 machine gun inside the turret.
The protection on CM-12 is outdated, and the material used is inferior to newer tanks. After the great disarmament of Ching Shih and Ching Chin, the existing CM-11 and M60A3 TTS are enough for ROCA, therefore almost half of the CM-12s are now retired.