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 acquisition program is scheduled to run from 2027 through 2033, beginning with an initial delivery of eight vehicles in 2027. Annual deliveries are expected to increase as Taiwan works to replace its retired M41D light tanks. The older vehicles had previously been deployed across Taiwan’s outlying islands and in the eastern Hualien-Taitung region. The procurement follows the successful evaluation of the Cheetah’s final prototype last year. Co-developed by the Armaments Bureau and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, the Cheetah is an 8×8 armored vehicle with a lowered 2.9-meter (9.5-foot) profile. It can reach a maximum speed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour and has an operational range of 500 kilometers (311 miles). Its primary weapon is a 105mm rifled cannon, supported by a 12.7mm remote weapon station, a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, and a 12-barrel smoke grenade launcher. A dual-axis stabilized turret enables the vehicle to fire while moving, while its integrated hunter-killer target acquisition system provides capabilities comparable to those incorporated into the M1A2T Abrams main battle tank. In combat, the Cheetah is reported to be capable of penetrating 500 millimeters (20 inches) of steel armor at a distance of 2,000 meters (6,562 feet). The vehicle also has a 60-percent tilt limit, can clear obstacles up to 45 centimeters (18 inches) high, and can ford water up to 70 centimeters (28 inches) deep. The Cheetah procurement is part of a wider Taiwanese military modernization effort amid increasing pressure from Beijing. The defense budget also allocates 10.7 billion New Taiwan dollars ($337.2 million) for 4,647 light tactical vehicles. Separately, 79.5 billion New Taiwan dollars ($2.5 billion) is earmarked to replace CM21 armored personnel carriers with 410 wheeled combat vehicles equipped with 30mm and 40mm weapons.
