The Republic of China Army has allocated 57.07 billion New Taiwan dollars ($1.7 billion) in its 2027 defense budget to procure 178 domestically produced Cheetah 105mm wheeled armored vehicles.
The planned acquisition, spanning 2027 through 2033, begins with an initial batch of eight platforms next year.
Deliveries will scale up annually to replace Taiwan’s decommissioned fleet of M41D light tanks previously positioned across the East Asian country’s outlying islands and the eastern Hualien-Taitung region.
The announcement comes after the successful evaluation of the Cheetah’s final prototype last year.
The Cheetah Armored Vehicle
Co-developed by the Armaments Bureau and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, the Cheetah is an 8×8 platform featuring a lowered 2.9-meter (9.5-foot) profile, a top speed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour, and 500-kilometer (311-mile) operational range.
In addition to its 105mm rifled cannon, the vehicle is armed with a 12.7mm remote weapon station, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, and a 12-barrel smoke grenade launcher.
Its dual-axis stabilized turret allows firing on the move, while an integrated “hunter-killer” target acquisition system mirrors capabilities found on the M1A2T Abrams main battle tank.
During combat, the Cheetah can penetrate 500 millimeters (20 inches) of steel armor at 2,000 meters (6,562 feet).
Additional features include a 60-percent tilt limit, 45-centimeter (18-inch) obstacle clearance, and 70-centimeter (28-foot) water-fording depth.
More Ground Systems Expected
The Cheetah program forms part of a broader force modernization effort amid escalating pressure from Beijing.
Beyond the announcement, Taipei’s defense budget outlines 10.7 billion New Taiwan dollars ($337.2 million) to adopt 4,647 light tactical vehicles and a separate 79.5 billion New Taiwan dollars ($2.5 billion) to replace CM21 armored personnel carriers with 410 30mm and 40mm wheeled combat variants.
Taiwan’s new infantry vehicle prototype. Photo: Taiwan MND