Difference between revisions of "M60A1 "D.C.Ariete""

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{{Specs-Card
 
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|code=it_m60a1_ariete
 
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}}
 
 
{{About
 
{{About
 
| about = Italian premium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| about = Italian premium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
−
| usage = other uses
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| usage = other versions
 
| link = M60 (Disambiguation)
 
| link = M60 (Disambiguation)
 +
}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=it_m60a1_ariete
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.-->
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
[[File:GarageImage_M60A1 D.C.Ariete.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] as a purchasable pack and was removed from sale in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]]. It was later re-released as a premium purchasable for Golden Eagles {{ge}} after the [[wt:en/news/6907-special-8th-anniversary-of-war-thunder-en|8th Anniversary sale]].
−
{{break}}
 
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] as a purchasable pack and was removed from sale in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]].
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (hull, turret, roof)
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull roof - engine compartment, hull rear - engine grille)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 108 mm (65°) ''Front Glacis'' <br> 137 mm (55°) ''Lower Glacis - Top'' <br> 117 mm (55°) ''Lower Glacis - Bottom'' || 50 mm ''Front'' <br> 45 mm ''Top'' <br> 50.8 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret base'' <br> 36-70 mm (18-34°) ''Middle'' <br> 36 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' <br> 19 mm (66-82°) ''Belly - Front half'' <br> 13 mm (66-82°) ''Belly - Rear half'' <br> 36 mm ''Rear'' || 25 mm (1°) ''Engine Grille'' <br> 40 mm (26°) ''Lower plate'' <br> 28 mm (59°) ''Lower glacis'' <br> 36 mm ''Hull sides''|| 108 mm (25°) ''Front Glacis'' <br> 36 mm (5°) ''Front'' <br> 20 mm ''Engine compartment'' <br> 76 mm ''Radiator cover''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 215.9 mm (spherical) ''Turret front - Loader side'' <br> 230.9 mm (spherical) ''Turret front - Gunner side'' <br> 127 mm (11-58°) ''Gun mantlet'' <br> 114 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret ring'' || 52.3-142.2 mm (30-41°) ''Front half - Loader side'' <br> 60.5-152.9 mm (18-33°) ''Front half - Gunner side'' <br> 49.8 mm (19-29°) ''Rear half - Loader side'' <br> 53.8 mm (18°) ''Rear half - Gunner side'' || 57 mm (11°) || 48 mm (16°) ''Front'' <br> 25.4 mm ''Centre & Rear''
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || 35 mm (0-30°) || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 26 mm (34-44°) || 26-35 mm (conical) ''Outer ring'' <br> 30 mm ''Centre''
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
 +
* Belly armour is 19 mm thick in the front, 13 in the rear.
 +
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 5 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 +
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 +
 
 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,162|rbMinHp=663}}
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|M68 (105 mm)}}
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M68 (105 mm)|105 mm M68]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 63 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 21.4 || 29.6 || 36.0 || 39.8 || 42.4 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 13.4 || 15.8 || 19.1 || 21.2 || 22.5
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
 
 +
* '''M728 APDS''' (Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot) is capable of easily penetrating the majority of the foes it meets, but these rounds do require finesse as to their placing. Because the shell lacks an explosive filler, the best bet is to try and either knock out the majority of the enemy tank's crew or to destroy the enemy by ammo or fuel detonation by hitting their respective storage capacities. This, of course, requires knowledge about the vehicles the M60A1 may face - so be sure to use the game's X-Ray view in the hangar and analyse the potential foes for their weak spots! Also, keep in mind that with increased armour thickness the amount of shrapnel shrinks.
 +
* '''M393A2 HESH''' (High-Explosive Squash Head) works very differently from other shell types. It ignores any angle, except for ricochet and deals damage by metal-flakes which are blown off inside the armour by the exterior explosion. Basically, the fighting compartment is showered in metal rain. Currently, only true armour thickness (as opposed to the line of sight thickness) will provide sufficient means of protection, benefitting the USSR turret designs and in general German tanks. Like all high-explosive shells, the fuse is very sensitive and can be set-off by most objects e.g. fences, trees, pillars.
 +
* '''M456 HEATFS''' (High-Explosive Anti-Tank Fin-Stabilised): The knowledge of enemy vehicle layouts gained from the stock shell (M728), will be handy to use for the M60A1's fullest potential - as the M456 is a round that can penetrate most vehicle's armour frontally. Like the APDS shot, increased armour thickness results in a reduced amount of shrapnel after penetration. Unlike APDS it has one downside: Given that it is a chemical energy round, its fuse is highly sensitive in regards to its practical application in battle. As a result, virtually anything, such as trees or even a fence, will set it off prematurely, so the HEATFS round cannot fire through obstructions with this kind.
 +
* '''M416 Smoke'''
 +
 
 +
{{:M68 (105 mm)/Ammunition|M728, M393A2, M456, M416}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_M60A1_(AOS).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M60A1 (AOS) (identical)]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.15.1.70''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''63''' || 49&nbsp;''(+14)'' || 38&nbsp;''(+25)'' || 17&nbsp;''(+46)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+59)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+62)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
 +
* Racks 3*, 4* and 5* are first stage ammo racks. They total 37 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.
 +
* These racks are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 4 - 5 - 1 - 2.
 +
* If you pack 17&nbsp;''(+46)'' shells, it will keep the front hull and the turret rear empty of ammo.
 +
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from non-essential into ready racks. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
 +
* When refilling from racks 1 and 2, the refill order of ready racks is 5 - 4 - 3.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 +
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 +
{{main|M85 (12.7 mm)|M73 (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M85 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M85]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle || 900 (180) || 626 || -9°/+60° || ±180°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M73 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M73]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 6,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
Just like other M60s, you might not want to head-on with your opponents. Instead, flank around and attack from the side. While having better armour than other medium tanks at this BR, it is not thick enough to block incoming shells like a heavy tank. The heavier armour will sometimes save your life but do not rely on it. You might want to use appropriate camouflage and camouflage decorations to avoid enemy detection due to the unique shape and high recognisability.
 +
 
 +
The mobility of the M60 is nothing special from the tech tree family. You don't have the mobility like a Leopard due to the trade-off of much better armour. The mobility is good enough to perform flanking and transfer to a better attack position. Get to an ideal attack position and be patient. You will get your reward.
 +
 
 +
M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" has four different shells, M728 APDS shell, M393A2 HESH shell, M456 HEATFS shell and M416 Smoke shell. Compared to its American predecessor [[M60]], the Italian version replaces the M392A2 shell with the M728 shell. Compared to M392, M728 has worse 90° penetration but has superior angled penetration. This characteristic makes the M728 shell perform better when against angled armoured targets. You should use M728 against most medium and heavy armoured targets and switch to M456 only when dealing with lightly armoured targets and heavily armoured targets that M728 is not able to penetrate. The smoke shell is like any other smoke shell, but as the tank has access to smoke grenades, it is not as useful, though can still be used when the smoke grenades are expended or to annoy enemy tanks.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Powerful gun
 +
** Very accurate gun at long ranges when upgraded
 +
** Good stock shell (APDS)
 +
** HEATFS and HESH shells available
 +
* Decent turning capability
 +
* Very good stock turret traverse speed
 +
* Great off-road speed (but not as great as [[Leopard_I|Leopards]] and [[T-10M]]s)
 +
* Sloped armour can be quite bouncy at range
 +
* Once fully upgraded it offers very sharp handling and manoeuvrability
 +
* Excellent acceleration when fully upgraded
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Very high profile, made worse by the M19 commander's cupola
 +
** Commander's cupola armour is very large and very thin, can be penetrated easily by APCBC and HEAT rounds
 +
** Enemy shells can bounce off the turret roof (due to the angle) and could enter the cupola
 +
** Commander's .50 cal HMG is slower in manoeuvrability and not as effective compared to earlier vehicles due to the cupola
 +
** .50 cal coverage is limited due to the commander's cupola
 +
* Sides are at most 70 mm thick, they can be penetrated easily
 +
* Turret ring can be penetrated by even autocannons
 +
* Front is vulnerable to HEAT and the more powerful APHE ([[T-10M]], [[Maus]]) at close range
 +
* No armour-piercing shells with explosive filler
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->[[File:M60A1 Frontal.jpg|left|thumb|Italian M60A1 from the front]]
 +
The M60 is a second-generation main battle tank made by the USA. It is the fourth and last generation of the Patton family and replaced the M48. It officially entered service in 1962, the first user being none other than the US Army. The story of the Italian M60 begins during the late stages of the Cold War. During the early sixties, the Italian army's tank arsenal did not appear up to standard, mainly due to having to entirely rely on America and other allies for military equipment, due to some laws surrounding the production of military arms. In fact, hundreds of tanks dating back to the Second World War were still being actively used in nearly all frontline units. Some of these units would include vehicles such as the M4 Sherman, M24 Chaffee, M36 Jackson, M10 Wolverine and the M26 Pershing. These tanks were now completely obsolete in the modern warfare setting; the leading vehicles of the Warsaw Pact, such as the T-54 and T-55, had already surpassed them in nearly every way. Thus the Italian Army Staff (SME) therefore deemed it necessary to improve the operational capability of the national tank component by following two lines of action. The first one was to continue the introduction of M47s from other NATO armies, which had usually been obtained at very favourable prices, even despite having to entirely rely on foreign countries. The other line of action was to keep on introducing newer vehicles at a modest rate, with modern performance and the ability to compete with the best and latest main battle tanks coming out of the Warsaw Pact. In general, there was a need for a more powerful MBT, that even the M47, one of the most powerful tanks they had at the time, couldn't be on par with. The M47, in fact, although being appreciated by its users for its sturdiness, ease of use, decent mobility and enough firepower to deal with most modern tanks at the time, it sadly did not fully satisfy the requirements of the "Ariete" and "Centauro" divisions. This meant that something had to be done, and had to be done fast.
 +
[[File:M60A1 Side.jpg|thumb|Italian M60A1 from the side]]
 +
During that period of time, Italy did not actually end up having much choice to pick from. Choices would be restricted to the US M60, the British 37t Chieftain and Vickers, and the so-called "standard" tanks at the time would still be under heavy development in France and West Germany, which would come out with AMX-30 and the Leopard 1 MBTs. The British solution was absolutely not favoured, as the Italian high command deemed the tanks to be too slow and heavy for the Italian operational environment and generally didn't go hand in hand with the Italian doctrine at the time. In addition, they also evaluated the lifespan and potential upgrades that could be done at a later date to keep the tanks in service for as long as possible, and the only one to really yield positive results would end up being the American M60.
 +
[[File:M60A1 Tracks.jpg|thumb|Italian M60A1 from the rear]]
 +
After a long evaluation test period, and training with the machine to familiarize the future users of the vehicle, the Italian army would possess 200 M60A1s by the 1970s, license-produced by OTO Melara in Italy, and an additional 100 from excess USA-EUR stocks. The M60 in Italian service was used by several armoured divisions, including the Armored Division Ariete, 32nd Armored Brigade Mameli, 60th Armored Battalion Pinerolo, 20th Tank Battalion Pentimalli, 8th Tank Battalion Secchiaroli, and 10th Tank Battalion Bruno. They would widely be used in a lot of theatres of war in which Italy was involved, such as Lebanon in Operation LIBANO 1 and LIBANO 2, and more famously they also partook in the Somalia intervention where M60 tanks would be used on the frontlines of the conflict. Eventually, even the M60 would be gradually phased out with the end of the Cold War, not only because multiple countries had started to work on more advanced vehicles, but also because a lot of militaries at the time had started to quickly downsize their stockpile of tanks as the threat of a Soviet invasion no longer loomed. It would be completely replaced by [[Ariete|C1 Arietes]] by the 2000s, however, in 2017, Leonardo, an Italian defence company, had presented an upgrade to the M60 tank known as the Leonardo M60A3 upgrade, which heavily modernized the M60 tank, to make it suitable for the modern setting. This was primarily done to allow countries who still used the M60 tank to receive an upgrade which would extend the life of the M60 even longer, by upgrading key aspects of the tank that made it unsuitable for the current setting. Such changes included a new engine, a new 120 mm cannon, thermal imaging devices and improved armour.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_m60a1_ariete Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|zoBPU0n65_A|'''The M60 family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:17 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|lRBuTPdZRqo|'''Underwhelming Premium: M60A1 "D.C.Ariete"''' - ''Virus''|mSmTeanf6wg|'''M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
 +
* [[M60 (Family)]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Chrysler Defense}}
 
{{Italy medium tanks}}
 
{{Italy medium tanks}}
 
{{Italy premium ground vehicles}}
 
{{Italy premium ground vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 21:37, 20 January 2023

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
This page is about the Italian premium tank M60A1 "D.C.Ariete". For other versions, see M60 (Disambiguation).
M60A1 "D.C.Ariete"
it_m60a1_ariete.png
GarageImage M60A1 "D.C.Ariete".jpg
ArtImage M60A1 "D.C.Ariete".png
M60A1 "D.C.Ariete"
Italy flag.png Italy
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
8.0 8.0 8.0
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:7 480 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The M60A1 132ª Divisione corazzata "Ariete" is a premium rank V Italian medium tank with a battle rating of 8.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.85 "Supersonic" as a purchasable pack and was removed from sale in Update 1.87 "Locked On". It was later re-released as a premium purchasable for Golden Eagles Ge icon.png after the 8th Anniversary sale.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull108 / 70 / 40
Turret230 / 49 / 57
Crew4 people
Visibility142 %

Armour type:

  • Cast homogeneous armour (hull, turret, roof)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull roof - engine compartment, hull rear - engine grille)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 108 mm (65°) Front Glacis
137 mm (55°) Lower Glacis - Top
117 mm (55°) Lower Glacis - Bottom 		50 mm Front
45 mm Top
50.8 mm (cylindrical) Turret base
36-70 mm (18-34°) Middle
36 mm (60°) Bottom
19 mm (66-82°) Belly - Front half
13 mm (66-82°) Belly - Rear half
36 mm Rear 		25 mm (1°) Engine Grille
40 mm (26°) Lower plate
28 mm (59°) Lower glacis
36 mm Hull sides		 108 mm (25°) Front Glacis
36 mm (5°) Front
20 mm Engine compartment
76 mm Radiator cover
Turret 215.9 mm (spherical) Turret front - Loader side
230.9 mm (spherical) Turret front - Gunner side
127 mm (11-58°) Gun mantlet
114 mm (cylindrical) Turret ring 		52.3-142.2 mm (30-41°) Front half - Loader side
60.5-152.9 mm (18-33°) Front half - Gunner side
49.8 mm (19-29°) Rear half - Loader side
53.8 mm (18°) Rear half - Gunner side 		57 mm (11°) 48 mm (16°) Front
25.4 mm Centre & Rear
Cupola 35 mm (0-30°) 26 mm (34-44°) 26-35 mm (conical) Outer ring
30 mm Centre

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 19 mm thick in the front, 13 in the rear.
  • Mudguards and storage boxes are 5 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB53 / 13 km/h
RB and SB48 / 12 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
2 back
Weight48.0 t
Engine power
AB1 431 hp
RB and SB750 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB29.8 hp/t
RB and SB15.6 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 53 13 48 1,162 1,431 24.21 29.81
Realistic 48 12 663 750 13.81 15.63

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB3 209 Sl icon.png
RB3 367 Sl icon.png
SB4 964 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts620 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 400 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 710 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 140 / 210 / 250 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 214 / 214 / 214 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement it.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_usa_HESH_ammo_pack
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_us_M416_Smoke_ammo_pack
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_usa_HEAT_FS_ammo_pack
Mods tank rangefinder.png
Rangefinder

Armaments

Rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder

Main armament

105 mm M68 cannon
Ammunition63 rounds
First-order37 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.7 → 6.7 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: M68 (105 mm)
105 mm M68 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 63 -10°/+20° ±180° N/A 21.4 29.6 36.0 39.8 42.4 8.71 7.71 7.10 6.70
Realistic 13.4 15.8 19.1 21.2 22.5

Ammunition

  • M728 APDS (Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot) is capable of easily penetrating the majority of the foes it meets, but these rounds do require finesse as to their placing. Because the shell lacks an explosive filler, the best bet is to try and either knock out the majority of the enemy tank's crew or to destroy the enemy by ammo or fuel detonation by hitting their respective storage capacities. This, of course, requires knowledge about the vehicles the M60A1 may face - so be sure to use the game's X-Ray view in the hangar and analyse the potential foes for their weak spots! Also, keep in mind that with increased armour thickness the amount of shrapnel shrinks.
  • M393A2 HESH (High-Explosive Squash Head) works very differently from other shell types. It ignores any angle, except for ricochet and deals damage by metal-flakes which are blown off inside the armour by the exterior explosion. Basically, the fighting compartment is showered in metal rain. Currently, only true armour thickness (as opposed to the line of sight thickness) will provide sufficient means of protection, benefitting the USSR turret designs and in general German tanks. Like all high-explosive shells, the fuse is very sensitive and can be set-off by most objects e.g. fences, trees, pillars.
  • M456 HEATFS (High-Explosive Anti-Tank Fin-Stabilised): The knowledge of enemy vehicle layouts gained from the stock shell (M728), will be handy to use for the M60A1's fullest potential - as the M456 is a round that can penetrate most vehicle's armour frontally. Like the APDS shot, increased armour thickness results in a reduced amount of shrapnel after penetration. Unlike APDS it has one downside: Given that it is a chemical energy round, its fuse is highly sensitive in regards to its practical application in battle. As a result, virtually anything, such as trees or even a fence, will set it off prematurely, so the HEATFS round cannot fire through obstructions with this kind.
  • M416 Smoke

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
M728 APDS 265 263 252 240 228 216
M393A2 HESH 127 127 127 127 127 127
M456 HEATFS 400 400 400 400 400 400
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
M728 APDS 1,426 4.53 - - - 75° 78° 80°
M393A2 HESH 732 11.2 0.1 4 4.31 73° 77° 80°
M456 HEATFS 1,174 10.5 0.05 0.1 1.27 65° 72° 77°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Screen radius
(m) 		Screen deploy
time (s) 		Screen hold
time (s) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
M416 732 11.6 16 5 25 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M60A1 (AOS) (identical)
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
63 49 (+14) 38 (+25) 17 (+46) 4 (+59) 1 (+62) No

Notes:

  • As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
  • Racks 3*, 4* and 5* are first stage ammo racks. They total 37 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.
  • These racks are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 4 - 5 - 1 - 2.
  • If you pack 17 (+46) shells, it will keep the front hull and the turret rear empty of ammo.
  • Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from non-essential into ready racks. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
  • When refilling from racks 1 and 2, the refill order of ready racks is 5 - 4 - 3.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M85 machine gun
Ammunition900 rounds
Belt capacity180 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate626 shots/min
Vertical guidance-9° / 60°
7.62 mm M73 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition6 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
Main articles: M85 (12.7 mm), M73 (7.62 mm)
12.7 mm M85
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 900 (180) 626 -9°/+60° ±180°
7.62 mm M73
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 6,000 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

Just like other M60s, you might not want to head-on with your opponents. Instead, flank around and attack from the side. While having better armour than other medium tanks at this BR, it is not thick enough to block incoming shells like a heavy tank. The heavier armour will sometimes save your life but do not rely on it. You might want to use appropriate camouflage and camouflage decorations to avoid enemy detection due to the unique shape and high recognisability.

The mobility of the M60 is nothing special from the tech tree family. You don't have the mobility like a Leopard due to the trade-off of much better armour. The mobility is good enough to perform flanking and transfer to a better attack position. Get to an ideal attack position and be patient. You will get your reward.

M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" has four different shells, M728 APDS shell, M393A2 HESH shell, M456 HEATFS shell and M416 Smoke shell. Compared to its American predecessor M60, the Italian version replaces the M392A2 shell with the M728 shell. Compared to M392, M728 has worse 90° penetration but has superior angled penetration. This characteristic makes the M728 shell perform better when against angled armoured targets. You should use M728 against most medium and heavy armoured targets and switch to M456 only when dealing with lightly armoured targets and heavily armoured targets that M728 is not able to penetrate. The smoke shell is like any other smoke shell, but as the tank has access to smoke grenades, it is not as useful, though can still be used when the smoke grenades are expended or to annoy enemy tanks.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Powerful gun
    • Very accurate gun at long ranges when upgraded
    • Good stock shell (APDS)
    • HEATFS and HESH shells available
  • Decent turning capability
  • Very good stock turret traverse speed
  • Great off-road speed (but not as great as Leopards and T-10Ms)
  • Sloped armour can be quite bouncy at range
  • Once fully upgraded it offers very sharp handling and manoeuvrability
  • Excellent acceleration when fully upgraded

Cons:

  • Very high profile, made worse by the M19 commander's cupola
    • Commander's cupola armour is very large and very thin, can be penetrated easily by APCBC and HEAT rounds
    • Enemy shells can bounce off the turret roof (due to the angle) and could enter the cupola
    • Commander's .50 cal HMG is slower in manoeuvrability and not as effective compared to earlier vehicles due to the cupola
    • .50 cal coverage is limited due to the commander's cupola
  • Sides are at most 70 mm thick, they can be penetrated easily
  • Turret ring can be penetrated by even autocannons
  • Front is vulnerable to HEAT and the more powerful APHE (T-10M, Maus) at close range
  • No armour-piercing shells with explosive filler

History

Italian M60A1 from the front

The M60 is a second-generation main battle tank made by the USA. It is the fourth and last generation of the Patton family and replaced the M48. It officially entered service in 1962, the first user being none other than the US Army. The story of the Italian M60 begins during the late stages of the Cold War. During the early sixties, the Italian army's tank arsenal did not appear up to standard, mainly due to having to entirely rely on America and other allies for military equipment, due to some laws surrounding the production of military arms. In fact, hundreds of tanks dating back to the Second World War were still being actively used in nearly all frontline units. Some of these units would include vehicles such as the M4 Sherman, M24 Chaffee, M36 Jackson, M10 Wolverine and the M26 Pershing. These tanks were now completely obsolete in the modern warfare setting; the leading vehicles of the Warsaw Pact, such as the T-54 and T-55, had already surpassed them in nearly every way. Thus the Italian Army Staff (SME) therefore deemed it necessary to improve the operational capability of the national tank component by following two lines of action. The first one was to continue the introduction of M47s from other NATO armies, which had usually been obtained at very favourable prices, even despite having to entirely rely on foreign countries. The other line of action was to keep on introducing newer vehicles at a modest rate, with modern performance and the ability to compete with the best and latest main battle tanks coming out of the Warsaw Pact. In general, there was a need for a more powerful MBT, that even the M47, one of the most powerful tanks they had at the time, couldn't be on par with. The M47, in fact, although being appreciated by its users for its sturdiness, ease of use, decent mobility and enough firepower to deal with most modern tanks at the time, it sadly did not fully satisfy the requirements of the "Ariete" and "Centauro" divisions. This meant that something had to be done, and had to be done fast.

Italian M60A1 from the side

During that period of time, Italy did not actually end up having much choice to pick from. Choices would be restricted to the US M60, the British 37t Chieftain and Vickers, and the so-called "standard" tanks at the time would still be under heavy development in France and West Germany, which would come out with AMX-30 and the Leopard 1 MBTs. The British solution was absolutely not favoured, as the Italian high command deemed the tanks to be too slow and heavy for the Italian operational environment and generally didn't go hand in hand with the Italian doctrine at the time. In addition, they also evaluated the lifespan and potential upgrades that could be done at a later date to keep the tanks in service for as long as possible, and the only one to really yield positive results would end up being the American M60.

Italian M60A1 from the rear

After a long evaluation test period, and training with the machine to familiarize the future users of the vehicle, the Italian army would possess 200 M60A1s by the 1970s, license-produced by OTO Melara in Italy, and an additional 100 from excess USA-EUR stocks. The M60 in Italian service was used by several armoured divisions, including the Armored Division Ariete, 32nd Armored Brigade Mameli, 60th Armored Battalion Pinerolo, 20th Tank Battalion Pentimalli, 8th Tank Battalion Secchiaroli, and 10th Tank Battalion Bruno. They would widely be used in a lot of theatres of war in which Italy was involved, such as Lebanon in Operation LIBANO 1 and LIBANO 2, and more famously they also partook in the Somalia intervention where M60 tanks would be used on the frontlines of the conflict. Eventually, even the M60 would be gradually phased out with the end of the Cold War, not only because multiple countries had started to work on more advanced vehicles, but also because a lot of militaries at the time had started to quickly downsize their stockpile of tanks as the threat of a Soviet invasion no longer loomed. It would be completely replaced by C1 Arietes by the 2000s, however, in 2017, Leonardo, an Italian defence company, had presented an upgrade to the M60 tank known as the Leonardo M60A3 upgrade, which heavily modernized the M60 tank, to make it suitable for the modern setting. This was primarily done to allow countries who still used the M60 tank to receive an upgrade which would extend the life of the M60 even longer, by upgrading key aspects of the tank that made it unsuitable for the current setting. Such changes included a new engine, a new 120 mm cannon, thermal imaging devices and improved armour.

Media

Skins
Videos
The M60 family discusses the M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" at 2:17 - War Thunder Official Channel
Underwhelming Premium: M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" - Virus
M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" Tank Review - Napalmratte

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Chrysler Defense
MBTs 
M48 Patton  M48A1
M60  M60 · M60A1 (AOS) · M60A2 · M60A1 RISE (P) · M60A3 TTS
M1  XM1 (Chrysler) · M1 Abrams
Export 
M48  M48A2 C · M48A2 G A2 · ␗M48A1 · Magach 1 · Magach 2
M60  ␗M60A3 TTS · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" ·
Note  Chrysler Defense was purchased by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) in 1982.

Italy medium tanks
  Italy
M13/40  M13/40 (I) · M13/40 (II) · M13/40 (III)
M14/41  M14/41 · M14/41 (47/40)
M15/42  M15/42
M16/43  Celere Sahariano
P26/40  P40 · P40 "G.C. Leoncello"
OF-40  OF-40 · OF-40 Mk.2A · OF-40 (MTCA)
Ariete  Ariete (P) · Ariete · Ariete PSO · Ariete AMV
Germany  ▄Pz.III N · ▄Pz.IV G · ▄Leopard 1A5
Allied powers  ▄Sherman I Composito · Sherman Ic · ▄Sherman Vc · ▄Sherman V · M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M26A1 · M47 (105/55) · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete"
  Hungary
Turán  Turan I · Turan II · Turan III
Germany  ◔Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2A7HU
USSR  ◔T-72M1

Italy premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  L6/40 (31 Rgt.) · Toldi IIA · AUBL/74 HVG · VRCC · Centauro RGO
Medium tanks  M13/40 (II) · Turan II · M14/41 (47/40) · Celere Sahariano · P40 "G.C. Leoncello" · ▄Sherman I Composito · ▄Pz.IV G
  M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" · OF-40 (MTCA)
Heavy tanks  Tigris
Tank destroyers  Breda 90/53 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · Zrinyi I

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