Indigenously Developed 'Wheeled Tank' Approved for Mass Procurement! Army to Spend $57 Billion on 178 Units, Replacing Aging Tanks

To strengthen high mobility and firepower, the Army will allocate TWD 57.07 billion 156.9 million from 2027 to 2033 to procure wheeled tanks, marking the official approval of the 105mm wheeled assault gun (Project Leopard) developed by the Armaments Bureau. The military also revealed that these wheeled tanks will be deployed to outlying islands and the Hualien-Taitung region.

Today, the Ministry of National Defense delivered key budget documents to the Legislative Yuan, including the 'Fiscal Year 116 Ministry of National Defense Budget,' the 'Ministry of National Defense 115th Year Report on China's Military Power,' and the 'Five-Year Force Development and Policy Plan Report.'

According to the budget documents, the Army plans to acquire 'wheeled tanks' with high mobility, strong firepower, precise digital fire control, and protection equivalent to or exceeding homogeneous armor resistant to penetration, enhancing the ground forces' mobile strike and rapid response capabilities, and adapting to terrain operations in outlying islands and the Hualien-Taitung region. The Army stated that the procurement of 178 wheeled tanks and associated equipment will require TWD 57.07 billion 156.9 million, to be included in the budget from FY 116 to FY 122. In the next fiscal year, the Army will initially acquire eight wheeled tanks and associated equipment, with a budget of TWD 2.85 billion 453 million.

Regarding expected outcomes, the Army stated that after acquiring the wheeled tanks, they will replace the current M41D tanks deployed in outlying islands and the Hualien-Taitung region. With high mobility, flexible deployment, and rapid reinforcement capabilities, the new tanks will create local superiority. In combined infantry and armored operations, their combat effectiveness will significantly increase. During regional defense, they will protect key infrastructure such as major ports and airports, delay and deter enemy actions, cover the main forces' withdrawal to successive defensive positions, and consolidate combat power in outlying islands and the Hualien-Taitung region.

The D2 prototype of the wheeled tank (see photo) was criticized for being too tall, while the D3 prototype features a reduced height. (Photo credit: Chen Yu-kai)

The Armaments Bureau developed the 105mm wheeled assault gun and built D1 and D2 prototypes. The D3 prototype made its debut at last year's defense exhibition. The D1 and D2 prototypes were previously criticized for being too tall. Although they passed Army evaluations, concerns about height remained, leading to the development of the D3 prototype. After redesign, the D3's height has been reduced to under 3 meters and successfully passed Army evaluation.

With the reduced height, the vehicle's engine layout and internal space have been optimized. The turret can store 16 tank shells, and the interior can hold 17 more. The observation system enables all-weather operations, capable of identifying vehicles at 2,500 meters and personnel at 1,500 meters. The turret system features dual-axis servo stabilization, enabling firing on the move, and can penetrate 500mm of steel armor at 2,000 meters. Additionally, it features a Hunter-Killer function similar to the M1A2T tank, reducing engagement time and increasing attack efficiency.