The M60A2 was an experimental American main battle tank introduced in 1972 as a specialized variant of the M60 tank series. Developed during the Cold War, the vehicle was intended to give U.S. armored units the ability to defeat heavily armored Soviet tanks at longer ranges using guided missiles. The tank was quickly nicknamed the “Starship” by its crews because of its futuristic appearance and the large number of advanced electronic systems integrated into its design. Unlike earlier M60 models, the M60A2 used a unique low-profile turret that housed a combined 152 mm gun/launcher, capable of firing both conventional ammunition and the MGM-51 Shillelagh anti-tank guided missile.

The central feature of the M60A2 was its missile system. The Shillelagh missile allowed the tank to engage enemy armor at ranges beyond those achievable with conventional tank guns of the period. After launch, the missile was guided to the target using an infrared command system controlled by the gunner. This capability was intended to counter the increasing armor protection of Soviet tanks such as the T-62 and later models. In addition to the missile system, the tank incorporated improved optics, rangefinding equipment, and stabilization systems designed to increase accuracy and target acquisition.

Despite these technological innovations, the M60A2 suffered from several operational challenges. The missile system proved complex and expensive to maintain, and the electronics were often unreliable under field conditions. The 152 mm gun/launcher also created logistical complications because it required specialized ammunition that was not shared with other tanks in U.S. service. Crews found the system difficult to operate effectively, and maintenance personnel struggled to keep the advanced electronics functioning reliably during training and deployment.

Mechanically, the M60A2 retained much of the basic chassis and mobility of the standard M60 tank. The vehicle weighed about 52 tons and was powered by a 750-horsepower Continental AVDS-1790 diesel engine, allowing it to reach speeds of roughly 48 km/h. It operated with a four-man crew consisting of commander, gunner, loader, and driver. While the tank’s armor protection remained similar to earlier M60 variants, the new turret design and sophisticated electronics made the vehicle significantly more complex than its predecessors.

The M60A2 served primarily with U.S. Army armored units stationed in Europe and the United States during the 1970s, where it was intended to counter Warsaw Pact armored formations in the event of a large-scale conflict. However, its operational career proved relatively short. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the U.S. Army began replacing the M60A2 with improved conventional gun tanks such as the M60A3, which offered more reliable fire-control systems without the complexity of missile technology.

Although the M60A2 never achieved the success originally envisioned, it remains an important step in the evolution of modern armored warfare. The tank demonstrated both the potential and the limitations of missile-equipped armored vehicles and helped inform later developments in advanced fire-control systems, digital targeting equipment, and long-range anti-armor capabilities. In this sense, the “Starship” represents an ambitious technological experiment during a period when militaries around the world were exploring new methods of defeating increasingly sophisticated armored threats.