US troops in S.Korea deploy new battle tanks

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, February 08, 2004

US troops in S.Korea deploy new battle tanks

Dozens of high-tech US M1A1 Abrams battle tanks have arrived at a major American combat unit in South Korea to strengthen its war capability, said the US troops on Feb. 7.

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Dozens of high-tech US M1A1 Abrams battle tanks have arrived at a major American combat unit in South Korea to strengthen its war capability, said the US troops on Feb. 7.

The new tanks arrived at Camp Casey, the headquarters of the 2nd Infantry Division deployed near the inter-Korean border, last Thursday to replace the division's older tanks, the US Forces Korea (USFK)'s newspaper Stars & Stripes said.

The fresh tanks have a similar armor package, maneuvering capabilities and weapons ranges as the older ones, but hold a host of additional high-tech features, said the paper.

The new tanks are powered by 1,500-horsepower jet engines and equipped with digital control systems, better engine functions and lasers less harmful to the eyes.

"The M1A1 is the best tank in the world. It is very exciting getting updated and new models. It will improve the combat readiness and maintaining the 'fight tonight' posture," the paper quoted Maj. Bob Finnegan, a logistics officer, as saying.

This is the first batch of the new M1A1 deployment to South Korea, the paper said, without saying how many more are coming.

The division's old tanks, also M1A1 models, which arrived in 1995, will be returned to the United States, Finnegan said.

Under a Seoul-Washington agreement, the infantry division is tobe relocated to south of Seoul in two stages from 2006. However, the realignment plan has triggered security concerns among South Koreans.

About 37,000 American troops are stationed in South Korea.

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