{
  "id": "m48-patton",
  "name": "M48 Patton",
  "aliases": [],
  "domain": "land",
  "country": "USA",
  "category": "Main battle tank",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 1952,
  "operators": [
    "USA",
    "GRC",
    "KOR",
    "LBN",
    "MAR",
    "POL",
    "PRK",
    "THA",
    "TUR"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 8,
  "summary": "The M48 Patton is an American first generation main battle tank (MBT) introduced in February 1951. It was designed as a replacement for the M26 Pershing, M4 Sherman variants and M46 Pattons used in the Korean War, and as the successor to the M47 Patton.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 4,
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 3.63,
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 3.09,
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "combat_weight_t",
      "v": 48.99,
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "1 x Teledyne Continental AVDS-1790-2D 1",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_hp",
      "v": 750,
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "road_range_km",
      "v": 499,
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_road_kmh",
      "v": 48,
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Fording depth, without Preparation",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "1.22 m",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Fording depth, with Preparation",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "2.44 m",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Elevation",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "-9 deg to 19 deg",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Computerized FCS",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Yes, The fire control system included a rangefinder, mechanical ballistic computer, ballistic drive, and gunner's periscope. Collectively, these mechanical devices resembled in miniature the fire control systems used in naval gunnery. Only ",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thermal Sight Tank Commander",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "thermal sights (Taiwanese and Turkish M48s only)",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rangefinders",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "There are two basic types of optical rangefinders, stereoscopic and coincidence. With a stereoscopic model range determination occurred by measuring the distance from the observer to a target using the observer's capability of binocular vis",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Ballistic Computer",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "M13 electro-mechanical ballistic computer. The mechanical ballistic computer made a more accurate computation of range possible by mathematically accounting for such factors as vehicle cant and ammunition type. Many developmental range find",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hull Armor",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "hull front: 101/120 mm hull sides: 76 mm hull rear: 44 mm hull top: 57 mm",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Turret Armor",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "turret front: 110 mm turret sides: 76 mm turret rear: 50 mm turret top: 25 mm",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "NBC Protection",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "limited protection",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Smoke Equipment",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "M339 smoke grenade dischargers; engine smoke-laying system",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "main_armament",
      "v": "M68, 105mm",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "label": "Secondary armament",
      "v": "M73 Machine Gun; M60D; The M60D is a mounted variant of the standard M60. It can be mounted on boats, vehicles and as a pintle-mounted door gun",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "range_max_km",
      "v": 4,
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Maximum firing range"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "Rifle",
      "role": "105 mm ammunition",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {},
      "qty": "54 Rounds"
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "M48",
      "text": "M48: Differed from the M47 in having yet another new turret design and a redesigned hull, doing away with the bow machine gun position, featuring the M41 90 mm gun. These turrets give the M48 its distinctive non-M26 styl",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "M48C",
      "text": "M48C: Over a hundred original production hulls were found to be lacking correct ballistic protection and were relegated to training as the M48C.",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "M48A1",
      "text": "M48A1: New driver hatch and M1 commander's cupola, allowing the M2HB .50 caliber machine gun to be operated and reloaded from within the vehicle.",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "M48A2",
      "text": "M48A2: Improved powerpack and transmission, redesigned rear plate, and improved turret control.",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "M48A2C",
      "text": "M48A2C: M48A2s with an improved rangefinder, M17, new ballistic drive and bore evacuator for the main gun, and the auxiliary tensioning wheels were deleted.",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "M48 AVLB",
      "text": "M48 AVLB: M48A2 chassis, fitted with a scissors-type bridge. All later upgraded to A3 standard.",
      "src": [
        "weg-m48-patton"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "tank",
  "image": {
    "file": "m48-patton.jpg",
    "thumb": "m48-patton-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net).",
    "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:At_Museum_of_American_Armor_2024_014.jpg",
    "title": "File:At Museum of American Armor 2024 014.jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY-SA 4.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/m48-patton.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-m48-patton": {
      "title": "M48 Patton American Main Battle Tank (MBT)",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/M48_Patton_American_Main_Battle_Tank",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}