TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s military plans to prioritize deployment of Cheetah armored vehicles to units stationed on outlying islands such as Kinmen to fill the capability gap left by the retirement of M41D light tanks in June.
The move would help maintain overall defensive capabilities, Liberty Times reported.
The M41D light tanks have temporarily been replaced by M60A3 Patton tanks, which have greater firepower but reduced mobility due to their heavier weight.
The Army plans to acquire 178 Cheetahs through a force development program set to run from 2027 to 2033, according to Liberty Times.
The Cheetah’s turret can hold 16 rounds, while an additional 17 can be stored inside the vehicle. Its reconnaissance system supports all-weather operations and can identify vehicles at distances of 2,500 meters and personnel at 1,500 meters, according to CNA.
The turret system features dual-axis servo stabilization, allowing the vehicle to fire while moving. The main gun can penetrate 500 mm steel plates at a range of 2,000 meters.
The vehicle also incorporates a hunter-killer capability similar to that of the M1A2T Abrams tank, helping shorten engagement times and improve attack efficiency, per CNA. It has a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour and a range of 500 kilometers.
