CM-32 Armoured Vehicle

CM-32

CM-32 Armoured Vehicle (mobile-gun platform variant)
Type Armoured vehicle
Place of origin Taiwan (Republic of China)
Production history
Designer Ordnance Readiness Development Center and Timoney Technology Limited
Designed 2002
Manufacturer Ordnance Readiness Development Center
Unit cost US$2million
Produced 2007
Specifications
Weight 22 tonnes
Length 7 m
Width 2.7 m
Height 2.23 m
Crew 2 + 8 passengers
Armor 12.7 mm AP front arc, 7.62 mm AP all around
Main
armament
 30 mm Bushmaster II chaingun, 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, 105 mm rifled gun, or 120 mm mortar
Secondary
armament
 Type 74 7.62 mm machine gun (co-axial)
Engine Caterpillar C12 diesel, 450 hp
Suspension 8×8 wheeled
Operational
range
 800 km
Speed 120 km/h

The CM-32 "Clouded Leopard" (雲豹裝甲車 "Yunpao"), officially Taiwan Infantry Fighting Vehicle (TIFV), is an eight-wheeled armoured vehicle currently being produced for the Republic of China (Taiwan) Army. It is based on the 6x6 CM-31 designed by Timoney Technology Limited of Ireland and is further developed by the Ordnance Readiness Development Center.[1]

According to the Taipei Times, it was named after the clouded leopard to show that the vehicle is "agile and swift".[2]

Design and development

CM-32 APC ver.

The project was launched in 2002, at a cost of NT$700 million (US$21.9 million) per unit.[2]

Mass production started in 2007, with an initial order for 600 units. It is estimated that up to 1,400 CM-32s may end up being in operational service.[3] The armor of the CM-32 provides protection of 7.62 mm AP rounds, while the frontal arc withstands 12.7 mm AP rounds. NBC protection and fire suppression systems are also standard. The V-shaped hull provides protection from landmines and can withstand 12 kg of TNT under any wheel.

The CM-32 is armed with a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher and a 7.62 mm co-axial machinegun, both mounted in a remote weapons station, in its basic APC form. An infantry fighting vehicle variant with a two-man turret is also slated for mass-production in the near future; the turret main armament was originally planned to be a 20 mm T75 revolver cannon combined with improved armor-piercing ammunition acquired alongside the Phalanx Block 1B weapon systems ordered by the Republic of China Navy, but ultimately the 30 mm Bushmaster II chaingun was chosen instead.

In addition to the infantry carriers, other planned variants include command vehicle, NBC reconnaissance vehicle, mortar carrier (can be configured with either a 81 mm or 120 mm mortar), and assault gun (armed with a 105 mm rifled gun).

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jane's Information Group article: "CM-32 enters pre-production phase in Taiwan". Retrieved on August 9, 2007.
  2. 1 2 "Thumbs-up for new armored vehicle". Taipei Times. 2005-01-12. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  3. ↑ Taiwan To Begin Mass Producing Armoured Vehicles. Retrieved on August 9, 2007.

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