The development of the M60 tank began in 1956 when the US Army sought to improve the design of the M48 tank and standardize the equipment issued to armored units. Up until this point the tank battalions of the early 1950s had been equipped with a wide array of different tanks, including the M4, M24, M41, M47, M48 and Ml03. These tanks were arranged in light, medium and heavy tank battalions or regiments. The M4, M24 and M41 were designated as "light tanks" because of their 76mm gun. The M47 and M48 were designated as "medium tanks" due to their 90mm guns, and the "heavy tank" was the Ml03 with its 120mm gun. This wide variety of armor caused a logistical nightmare when it came to replacement parts and repair. It was also difficult to guarantee that the right type of tank unit would be deployed in battle, rather than what happened in World War II where M4 Shermans were pitted against the larger and more powerful German PzKpfw VI Tiger or PzKpfw V Panther tanks. Army strategists knew that a 76mm gunned tank had no real stopping power and was of little use against most Soviet-produced tanks.
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