Taiwan to install 105mm gun and better ammunition on its Leopard AFVs
TAIPEI, ($1=27.73 Taiwan New Dollar) – The Taiwanese army will start integrating a new 105mm cannon, as well as ammunition with much better penetration of its main Clouded Leopard 8×8 AFV, learned BulgarianMilitary.com, citing Focus Taiwan.
- Taiwan pays $750 million for 155-mm self-propelled howitzers
- Taiwan fired a supersonic cruise missile as a warning to China
- Threat to Taiwan: China builds own terrifying apocalypse torpedo
According to the Taiwanese media, the installation of the new gun should begin next month – January 2022, and its tests should begin in March.
According to military sources in the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense, the new 105mm gun is locally produced and has a very important feature – it generates 60 percent less recoil than guns imported from abroad. Sources also say that ammunition has been developed for the new cannon, which has better penetration during shelling.
Military analysts believe that the new Taiwanese 105mm gun for Clouded Leopard 8×8 AFV was made by American design and Washington has permitted for this. BulgarianMilitary.com reminds you that in early June this year Taiwan bought two M68A2 tank guns from the United States. Army Recognition says earlier this year Taiwan’s National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and a U.S. gun manufacturer signed an agreement whereby the United States provided the Taiwanese government with technical documents, drawings, and developments.
Immediately after the signing of this agreement, Taiwan announced that military engineers in the Taiwanese defense industry were beginning to develop a gun for both the Clouded Leopard 8×8 AFV and a new armored vehicle.
More on Clouded Leopard M2
Clouded Leopard M2 is the main combat vehicle of the Taiwanese infantry. As it became clear, the armored vehicle will receive a 105mm cannon, as well as a 7.62 machine gun and a 12.7mm turret machine gun.
Clouded Leopard M2 was designed by Timoney Technology Limited from Ireland and is 8×8. After the initial design in Ireland, the next designs of the machine to its current appearance are carried out at the local level in Taiwan.
Clouded Leopard M2 began as a Taiwanese national project 10 years ago with an initial development cost of nearly $ 22 million. The bumper of the CM-32 provides protection against 7.62 mm AP cartridges, while the front arc withstands 12.7 mm AP. NBC protection and fire extinguishing systems are also standard.
Clouded Leopard CM-32 and CM-33 versions are currently in operation, and mass production of the CM-34 has already begun. The CM-32 and CM-33 are armed with 40mm automatic grenade launchers, while the CM-34 versions are armed with the 30mm ATK 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II orbital gun, which has an effective range of more than 2,000 meters.
***
Follow us everywhere and at any time. BulgarianMilitary.com has responsive design and you can open the page from any computer, mobile devices or web browsers. For more up-to-date news, follow our Google News, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages. Subscribe to our Newsletter and read our stories in News360App in AppStore or GooglePlay or in FeedlyApp in AppStore or GooglePlay. Our standards: Manifesto & ethical princliples.