Reef-Ex is a joint military operation that was designed to provide obsolete war tanks and vehicles for reef construction. In 1985 the program successfully deployed 58 vehicles, including Sheridan tanks of NJ in addition 34 vietnam-era tanks were deployed as artificial reefs on the sandy ocean floor off Long Island, NY and New Jersey.

       (REEFEX) is a joint Department of Defense program benefiting the military as well as America's coastal economies. Under REEFEX obsolete combat armament such as M-60 and M-48 tanks and M-113 armored personnel carriers are submerged as artificial reefs, attracting sea life and increasing commercial and recreational fishing and scuba diving opportunities. Before any of the vehicles could be used to construct the reefs, Reserve component soldiers and sailors drain all fluids and remove components such as the engines, transmissions and hydraulic systems. This way the vehicles will not pollute or cause any damage to the environment they are now deployed to aid.

       Steve Heins of New York's DEC worked with the Army under REEFEX to obtain 34 vehicles for local Long Island reefs. His year long project was successful when on September 18th 1 M-60 and 4 M-551 tanks were pushed off a barge onto the Shinnecock reef site. A few hours latter 3 M-60s and 5 M-551's splashed into the water onto the Moriches reef site. Due to sever weather the balance of the tanks deployment was delayed. On August 25 qty 2 M-551 tanks and 5 M-113 armored personnel carriers were pushed into the sea on Fire Islands Reef. The Navy barge then steamed west and pushed 2 M-551's and 5 M-113 onto the Jones Beach reef and 1 M-551 and 5 M-113's onto the Atlantic Beach reef site. Divers have already visited the new underwater attraction at the Fire Island site and report the tanks sitting upright and within easy swimming distance of each other. The entire project was filmed and will air as an episode of Dan Berg's DIVE WRECK VALLEY television series, which airs on Sports Channel cable network.

 Bill Figley of New Jerseys division of Fish & Game has also obtained surplus army tanks for its artificial reef program. To date many of these tanks have been sunk just off Manasquan Inlet.

Underwater Photo by Herb Segars: An M60 Army tank on the Axel Artificial Reef off Bayhead, New Jersey, USA. The M60 Patton main battle tank is now primarily found in US Reserve and National Guard units, but served as the primary US main battle tank for two decades prior to the introduction of the M1. Developed from the M48 Patton series, the M60 was fitted with a 105mm main gun and manned by a four-man crew. Criticized for its high profile and limited cross-country mobility, this durable tank proved reliable and underwent many updates over its service life. Initially produced in 1960, over 15,000 M60s were built by Chrysler and first saw service in 1961. Production ended in 1983, but 5,400 older models were converted to the M60A3 variant ending in 1990.

Army Tanks artifical reef. Photo by Dan Berg	Side Scan sonar image of the tanks on the bottom. Jones Beach artifical reef site. Image by Capt. Dan Berg	Army Tanks artifical reef. Photo by Dan Berg	Side Scan sonar image of the tanks on the bottom. Jones Beach artifical reef site. Image by Capt. Dan Berg
Army Tanks artifical reef. Photo by Dan Berg

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