The M-60P armoured personnel carrier was first seen in public during a parade held in the former Yugoslavia in 1965, and for a short period was called the M-590.

Its engine is an Austrian Steyr diesel, which also powers the former Yugoslav GJ-800 artillery tractor (which in turn is based on the Hungarian K-800 light tracked artillery tractor). Its suspension is based on the Soviet SU-76 self-propelled gun, which was supplied to the former Yugoslavia in the immediate post-Second World War period. This has long been phased out of front-line service.

The vehicle is no longer being marketed by Yugoimport - SDPR. The M-60P was supplemented by the M-80 series, which are covered in a separate entry. As far as it is known, the M60P series have never been upgraded or enhanced. As these vehicles were built many years ago, their long-term effectiveness is now in doubt. Description

The hull is made of all-welded steel providing the crew with protection from small arms fire and shell splinters. The highest level of protection is over the frontal arc of the M-60P APC.

The driver sits at the front of the hull on the left side and has a single-piece rear-opening hatch cover with an integral day periscope, which can be replaced by an infra-red (or more recently image intensification) periscope for driving at night. The co-driver is seated on the right side of the hull and also has a hatch cover with an integral day periscope that opens to the rear. The co-driver also operates the bow-mounted 7.92 mm machine gun which is based on the German 7.92 mm MG42 weapon.

The commander sits to the rear of the driver and has a single-piece hatch cover. This has an integral day periscope that can be traversed through a full 360°. The machine gunner sits to the rear of the co-driver and has a cupola that can be traversed through 360°. The cupola has a two-piece hatch cover that opens either side of the machine gunner, giving him some protection when he is using the .50 (12.7 mm) M2 HB machine gun which is mounted on the forward part of his cupola. A tripod carried on the right side of the hull enables the .50 (12.7 mm) M2 mm machine gun to be used in a ground role.

The infantry sits on bench seats down either side of the hull and enters and leaves the vehicle by twin doors in the hull rear. There are also hatches in the roof of the troop compartment. There are three firing/observation ports provided in each side of the hull and one in each of the rear doors. A replacement road wheel is carried on the left side of the hull rear and a jerrican is carried on the right side of the hull rear.

The torsion bar suspension either side consists of five single rubber-tyred road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front and the idler at the rear, and three track-return rollers. The running gear is outside the hull armour and its top part is normally covered by a light sheet metal guard.

The M-60P APC is not amphibious and is not fitted with an NBC system. Variants

Mounted on top of the hull on the left side are two 82 mm M60A recoilless rifles on a rotating mount with a mechanical traverse and elevating mechanism. The gunner has a suspended seat that moves with the rifles and a single-piece hatch cover that opens forwards. To the right of the mount is a hatch for the loader. The M-60PB has also been observed with the recoilless rifles mounted on the right side of the hull top.

The 82 mm M60A recoilless rifles have a maximum range of 4,500 m and a maximum rate of fire of 4 to 5 rds/min. They have an elevation of +6°, depression of -4° 30' with a prohibited zone of action of 76° in the plane of the anti-aircraft machine gun and 135° to the rear of the vehicle.

Effective range when engaging stationary targets is 1,500 m, and 1,000 m when engaging moving targets. The HEAT projectile will penetrate 250 mm of conventional steel armour at an angle of 90° with dispersion being 2 m at 500 m and 4 m at 1,000 m. The HEAT projectile itself weighs 4.2 kg, and the complete round weighs 7.2 kg; 10 rounds are carried. The M-60PB carries one less crew member than the basic M-60P APC.

It is also probable that there are other versions of the M-60 such as ambulance, command and radio vehicles. Recent information has also indicated that there is an 82 mm self-propelled mortar version of this vehicle.