Accra:American-made M1A2T Abrams tanks will take part in Taiwan's Lien Yung military exercise for the second time starting next month. These tanks, operated by the Army's 584th Armored Brigade, have been transported to the Joint Operations Training Base in Pingtung County in preparation for the drills scheduled from late November through December.

According to Focus Taiwan, the month-long joint military exercise in southern Taiwan will involve the tanks testing combat coordination. The M1A2T Abrams tanks were first included in a major Taiwanese military drill during the annual Han Kuang exercises in August, which are the country's primary military exercise. The Lien Yung drills, the second-largest, serve as a significant test of coordination among the Army, Navy, and Air Force in repelling an invading enemy.

Conscripts, who are completing their mandatory one-year military service, will also participate in the Lien Yung drills this year. Su Tzu-yun, director of the Division of Defense Strategy and Resources at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, noted that while the Abrams tanks are currently operated only by volunteer soldiers, it is crucial for conscripts to engage in large-scale live-fire exercises to enhance their training.

Taiwan procured 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks from the United States under a deal approved in 2019, costing approximately US$1.45 billion. Of these, 38 tanks were commissioned in October 2025, and another 42 in April this year, while the remaining 28 are still undergoing testing and preparation for service.