TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As part of its efforts to revamp the military and strengthen joint battalion combat capabilities, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) is developing a new combat vehicle armed with a 105-millimeter cannon.

According to the MND's latest project report, the prototype will be completed this year, while testing will be conducted in 2022 with an initial operational evaluation slated for 2023, Liberty Times reported.

For the 105-mm gun, the MND stated that the National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) had purchased two M68A2 tank cannons from the U.S. in order to study their design. The institute had also requested that the manufacturers provide technical documents, including the mechanical blueprints of the gun, to facilitate the development of the vehicle.

The MND pointed out in the report that in response to the Army’s future deployment needs, the wheeled combat vehicles will be assigned to the joint barracks to carry out first-line strikes and anti-armor missions, according to UDN.

The ministry said the vehicles will be highly mobile, lightweight, and able to respond to incidents quickly. They will also fit into the ministry’s asymmetric warfare strategy once deployed.