Maneuver Combat Vehicle

Maneuver Combat Vehicle
Type Wheeled Tank Destroyer
Place of origin  Japan
Specifications
Weight 26 tonnes
Length 8.45 m (27 ft 9 in)
Width 2.98 m (9 ft 9 in)
Height 2.87 m (9 ft 5 in)
Crew 4
Main
armament
 105 mm cannon
Secondary
armament
 12.7 mm MG, 7.62 mm MG
Engine Diesel
570 hp
Suspension Wheel 8 x 8
Operational
range
 400 km
Speed 100 km/h (62 mph)

The Maneuver Combat Vehicle (機動戦闘車 kidou-sentou-sha) is a wheeled tank destroyer of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

Overview

The maneuver combat vehicle, which will equip combat units, will be useful for attacks to armored fighting vehicles and personnel using a large caliber gun after rapid deployment in response to various contingencies.[1]

The Maneuver Combat Vehicle is part of an new armored vehicle strategy that prioritizes light air-transportable firepower. The number of main battle tanks will be reduced from 760 to 390, with most remaining tanks to be concentrated on the islands of Hokkaido and Kyushu. Some 200-300 MCVs will be procured and airlifted to islands where it is needed. The smaller, lighter, and faster MCV can be redeployed quicker to better defend the outlying islands.[2] This represents a shift in Japanese armored vehicle structure from one designed to repel a Soviet invasion from the north to a more mobile force aimed at possibly defending against a Chinese invasion of the southern island chain.[3]

While the MCV is projected to be highly capable, there are doubts about its performance. Weighing 26 tons, it may be too heavy for the rapid air transport it is designed for. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has a requirement for 60 new Kawasaki C-2 transport planes, which can travel 3,023 nmi (3,479 mi; 5,599 km) with a 30-ton payload. One C-2 might struggle to carry one MCV with the maintenance crew and ammunition, with a single squadron of 12 MCVs may needing as many as 20 or more C-2s for transport to a remote island. Even so, advanced warning of a combat deployment would have MCVs moved with commercially chartered aircraft and high-speed ferries because the potential operating area is fairly close (a high-speed vessel could get MCVs to Nansei Shoto in 24–48 hours, depending on location and sealift preparation), and driving once landing would take less time to get to the area. Although the vehicle uses modular armor, it has a relatively delicate undercarriage and drive system that may be vulnerable to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other underbody blasts. Also, the main gun is manually loaded as a cost-saving measure, requiring a loader that has to work in a vehicle that doesn't have air conditioning.[3]

History

The Technical Research & Development Institute of Japan's Ministry of Defense had made several prototype vehicles since 2008. They unveiled their fourth Mobile Combat Vehicle (MCV) prototype on 9 October 2013. Testing is scheduled to begin in 2014 or 2015, and be deployed by the JGSDF in 2016.[4][5] 99 MCVs are planned to be introduced by the end of FY 2018.[3]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ TRDI 2011 Pamphlet pp.8 Department of Ground Systems Development
  2. ↑ Japan going light on tanks in new defense plan - Asia.nikkei.com, 22 November 2013
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Japan To Emphasize Military Mobility With MCV - Defensenews.com, 12 October 2014
  4. ↑ Army of Japan unveils its new MCV 8x8 High Mobility Combat Vehicle - Armyrecognition.com, 11 October 2013
  5. ↑ Japanese MCV Combat Vehicle Design Unveiled - Armedforces-Int.com, 11 October 2013

External links