M60A2

The M60A2 was a variant of the United States M60 tank, notable for its 152-mm gun/launcher. This weapon was designed to fire both conventional ammunition and the Shillelagh guided antitank missile. This dual capability aimed to provide tanks with both close-range firepower and long-range accuracy.1

However, the M60A2 faced challenges. The Shillelagh missile system proved to be costly, unreliable, and had a slow rate of fire. By the early 1970s, advancements in armor-piercing, fin-stabilized, discarding-sabot (APFSDS) ammunition and improved fire-control systems made the gun/launcher concept less advantageous. Consequently, the M60A2's unique armament system was largely abandoned in favor of more conventional tank guns. The M60 tank itself, which the M60A2 was based on, was armed with a U.S.-made version of the 105-mm gun.12