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Cheetah 105 mm

2023 MODERN WHEELED ARMORED VEHICLE DIRECT-FIRE SUPPORT

History

The Cheetah 105 mm is a Taiwanese 8×8 wheeled armoured direct-fire support vehicle developed for the Republic of China Army. It combines a domestically developed 105 mm gun with a stabilized turret and is intended to provide mobile firepower for territorial defence and counter-landing operations.

The vehicle was jointly developed by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense Armaments Bureau and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology under the Cheetah programme. It is derived from the Clouded Leopard wheeled armoured vehicle family and had passed army testing by 2023.

Development progressed through successive prototypes. The D3 prototype was displayed publicly in 2025, and a refined production-standard configuration was demonstrated in September 2026 ahead of planned series production.

Development and testing

The Cheetah was developed around a 105 mm direct-fire weapon system while retaining the mobility advantages of an 8×8 wheeled chassis. Compared with the earlier D2 prototype of the Clouded Leopard family, the Cheetah's overall profile was reduced by more than 30 cm. The production configuration is about 2.95 m high and is intended to remain below 3 m, depending on tyre pressure.

The 105 mm gun was developed domestically, including the barrel and recoil mechanism. Its recoil force is about 20 tonnes, substantially reducing the load transmitted to the vehicle compared with heavier tank guns. At a range of 1.2 km, the gun was stated to place rounds within a 90 cm diameter circle. Its armour-piercing ammunition was stated to penetrate 500 mm of homogeneous steel armour at 2 km.

The D3 prototype displayed in 2025 formed the basis for the production-standard vehicle. Subsequent refinements included changes to electro-optical equipment before the September 2026 firing demonstration.

On 23 September 2026, a production-standard Cheetah conducted live-fire testing at the Republic of China Army's Southern Combined Training and Testing Center in Tainan. The programme included engagements from stationary and moving positions against both stationary and moving targets. Six 105 mm high-explosive anti-tank tracer rounds were used. One round initially failed to fire, after which the crew applied safety procedures and continued the demonstration.

During a moving-to-static hunter-killer engagement, the vehicle advanced while detecting and engaging a simulated amphibious infantry fighting vehicle at 1,000 m. The turret traversed, locked onto the target and fired while the vehicle was moving.

Design

Mobility and layout

The Cheetah uses an 8×8 wheeled chassis derived from the Clouded Leopard family. Its reduced height is intended to improve movement through urban terrain, underpasses and other constrained routes. The vehicle has a stated maximum road speed of 100 km/h and an operational range of 500 km.

The vehicle is credited with a 60 percent tilt limit, clearance of obstacles up to 45 cm and a water-fording depth of 70 cm. These characteristics support operations across paved roads, rough terrain and urban areas.

Turret and fire control

The turret uses dual-axis stabilization, allowing the main gun to engage targets while the vehicle is moving. The fire-control system supports a hunter-killer mode in which the gunner can engage one target while the commander searches for another. The commander can then take control of the main armament to engage the newly identified target.

The production-standard vehicle incorporates electro-optical equipment for target detection and engagement. Some of these systems were upgraded after the D3 prototype was displayed in 2025.

Armament

The primary weapon is a domestically developed 105 mm rifled cannon. Demonstrated ammunition includes 105 mm high-explosive anti-tank tracer rounds, while displayed ammunition has also included the TC113 fin-stabilized discarding-sabot armour-piercing tracer round and a TC113 105 mm anti-personnel round.

Secondary armament includes a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and a 12.7 mm remote-controlled weapon station. The remote station incorporates automatic ballistic tracking and has undergone hard-kill tests against drones. A 12-barrel smoke grenade launcher is also fitted.

The remote weapon station mount is planned to be modified so that larger weapons, including chain guns or automatic cannon of 25 mm calibre or above, can be accommodated. The M230LF chain gun has been identified as one possible installation.

A quick-release modular anti-drone net is also planned for the vehicle. The net is intended to be moved clear when the main gun is fired, although its final material had not been selected by September 2026.

Program status

The Republic of China Army plans to procure 178 Cheetah vehicles under a programme scheduled from 2027 through 2033. The procurement budget is NT$57.07 billion. The first eight production vehicles are planned for delivery in 2027.

The programme is intended to replace roles previously filled by decommissioned M41D light tanks, including deployments associated with Taiwan's outlying islands and the Hualien-Taitung region. The September 2026 demonstration represented the production-standard configuration being prepared for series manufacture.

Variants

D3 prototype: Prototype displayed in 2025 and used as the basis for the subsequent production-standard configuration.
Production-standard Cheetah: Refined configuration demonstrated in September 2026 with updated electro-optical equipment and intended for series production beginning in 2027.

Operators

Republic of China Army: 178 vehicles are planned for procurement from 2027 through 2033, with the first eight scheduled for delivery in 2027.

Specifications (production-standard Cheetah)

General characteristics

Configuration: 8×8 wheeled armoured direct-fire support vehicle
Height: Approximately 2.95 m, remaining below 3 m depending on tyre pressure
Main armament: 105 mm rifled cannon
Secondary armament: 12.7 mm remote-controlled weapon station and 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun
Smoke system: 12-barrel smoke grenade launcher