Taiwan is using Frankenstein-style tanks made with old Patton designs to guard the gateway to its capital

A CM-11 tank stands watch over the mouth of the Tamsui River from a fixed position. Matthew Loh for Business Insider Taiwan is practicing guarding its crucial Tamsui River with CM-11 Brave Tigers. These tanks were first assembled over 30 years ago, from Cold War-era parts supplied by the US. Unlikely to stand toe-to-toe against Chinese tanks, they're being used in fixed positions in choke points. TAIPEI — About a four-minute walk from the metro station, Taiwanese troops slipped into the Tamsui River on an American-made M3 amphibious bridging vehicle, dropping pontoons and clusters of barrels rigged to explode. On the shore, six retirees in gym slacks and tennis shoes were winding down their early morning Taichi, unaware that a group of main battle tanks — built with designs as old as they are — watched over the scene.