Alabama turned 100 obsolete M-60 tanks into artificial reef structures in 1994 through a project called REEF-EX. The tanks were prepared and inspected before deployment, then placed in two offshore reef areas at depths of 70 to 110 feet. The project was intended to add hard structure to a Gulf seafloor dominated by soft bottom; available state accounts do not establish how many tanks remain intact or what fish occupy them today.
Why put obsolete tanks underwater?
The project began in 1993, when the military was considering ways to demilitarize obsolete tanks. Alabama’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources says the idea was presented to its Marine Resources Division, which developed an operating plan to use the tanks as artificial reefs.
The habitat rationale is broader than this one project. The federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement describes much of the Gulf’s natural bottom as flat clay, mud and sand, with relatively little natural hard-bottom reef habitat. Artificial structures can add shelter and surfaces where marine life can find food. That explains the general purpose of reef construction; it is not evidence of a measured ecological effect from these particular tanks.
Alabama’s reef program also describes habitat-use opportunities for juvenile gray triggerfish and red snapper across its broader reef-building work. That context should not be mistaken for a survey documenting either species on the 1994 tanks.
#1 Best Overall
- This plastic model requires assembly and painting. Adhesives, tools, paints, etc., sold separately
- 1/35 scale unpainted plastic model assembly kit
- Finished Size: Total length 10.6 inches (270 mm), Total width 4.1 inches (10
- Car Chief Doll with 3 different decals
- A set of approximately 30 accessories, including vehicles such as tank shells used by the U.S. Military Upper Forces during the 1980s and 90s
Where and when were the tanks deployed?
Alabama’s historical account records three deployments in the Hugh Swingle and Don Kelly North artificial reef areas, at depths of 70 to 110 feet:
| Deployment | Date | Tanks |
|---|---|---|
| First | June 1, 1994 | 6 |
| Second | Late July 1994 | 58 |
| Final | September 26, 1994 | 36 |
| Total | 1994 | 100 |
The Alabama Gulf Coast Reef and Restoration Foundation also describes 100 M-60 tanks deployed in 1994 at 70 to 110 feet. Its page spells the second area “Don Kelley North”; the state history uses “Don Kelly North,” which is used here.
Rank #2
- Highly accurate static display model.
- Scale: 1: 35
- Length 259 mm
- Package Weight: 1.234 pounds
What happened before the tanks went into the water?
According to the state’s account, representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, Alabama Department of Environmental Management and the state’s Marine Resources Division inspected the first six tanks on May 19, 1994. The account says oils, hydraulic fluids, fuel and other hazardous materials were removed, as were munitions and radioactive materials, and that other EPA requirements were met. It describes similar inspections for the later deployments.
Those are the state’s historical descriptions of the preparation and inspection process. They are not a current, independent certification of each tank’s condition.
Rank #3
- This plastic model requires assembly and painting. Adhesives, tools, paints, etc., sold separately
- 1/72 scale unpainted plastic assembly kit
- Finished Size: Total length approx. 5.1 inches (130 mm)
- Includes 3 types of decals
- This is a mold from the older ACE model
Are the tanks still intact, and are fish living on them now?
The state gives a conservative estimated reef lifespan of 50 years. That is an estimate of intended service as reef structures, not a guarantee that every tank remains intact or functional. The state and foundation accounts cited here do not provide a current tank-by-tank condition report or a fish-count survey specific to these sites.
So the careful answer is that the tanks were deployed to serve as artificial reefs and were expected to last for decades. The available accounts do not verify the present condition of all 100 tanks or establish current fish occupancy. A general explanation of how artificial reefs may provide habitat cannot substitute for monitoring data from these particular sites.
Rank #4
- Scale: 1: 35
- Length 200 mm
What the project shows about obsolete equipment
REEF-EX repurposed decommissioned military hardware as underwater infrastructure rather than treating disposal as the only end-of-life option. The conversion depended on preparation, contaminant removal and inspection before deployment, as well as a suitable permitted reef location. Its documented intent is clear; claims about long-term ecological performance require site-specific observations beyond the historical deployment record.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Model scale
- Is assembly required: True
- Item package quantity: 1.0
- Delivery weight: 536 g
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
