The Taiwanese government is developing two new military vehicles to boost its capabilities amid increasing tensions with China, Taipei Times reported on Tuesday.
One of the combat vehicles under development is based on the CM-32 Clouded Leopard, an eight-wheeled armored vehicle with a 12.7-millimeter Browning M2 heavy machine gun.
The fighting vehicle will be equipped with a 105-millimeter gun.
The second is a four-wheeled tactical reconnaissance vehicle set to replace the country’s outdated M113 armored carrier and multi-role Humvee.
Components for the tactical reconnaissance vehicle prototype are scheduled to arrive in June. All systems are expected to be integrated by October.
Development assessments of three other prototypes will be conducted in 2024. Taiwan plans to produce more than 300 vehicles if the prototypes pass military requirements.
Achieving Self-Sufficiency
According to the Taipei Times report, developing two new indigenous vehicles for the Taiwanese armed forces is part of a policy to achieve “self-sufficiency” in defense.
Components for the tactical vehicles will be sourced locally, while foreign contractors will make the engines, reportedly achieving a self-sufficiency rate of 89 percent.
Funding for the new vehicles is included in the country’s annual defense budget, which indicates that 560 million new Taiwan dollars ($19.5 million) will be allotted for the research and development of military vehicles for reconnaissance and battle duty.
