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A current model of the Cloud Leopard armored vehicle. CNA file photo
Taipei, July 6 (CNA) A military munitions factory has won a contract to produce anti-tank rounds for the new variant of Taiwan's locally-developed armored vehicles called the Cloud Leopard, which will be mounted with 105mm mortars.
According to a notification of award posted on the government's procurement website, the 209th Arsenal, responsible for the development of the Cloud Leopard, will procure anti-tank munitions from the 202nd Arsenal, which produces artillery shells.
Both armament factories are under the supervision of the Armaments Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
The contract, worth NT$14.02 million (US$498,000), involves the production of armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot tracers (APFSDS-Ts).
This ammunition will be used to test two 105mm tank guns purchased overseas, which will be delivered in September and installed on two Clouded Leopard prototypes.
Military officials have told CNA that the new tank guns will have 70 percent less recoil compared with ones of the same caliber currently used in Taiwan, making the Clouded Leopard more stable when firing.
Once they are mass produced the new Clouded Leopards with 105mm tank guns will be deployed to various Combined Arms Battalions.
Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a senior analyst at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told CNA in a phone interview Tuesday that the 105mm tank gun, when partnered with APFSDS, will be capable of penetrating 250mm tank armor from a distance of 2 kilometers.
This will strengthen the Clouded Leopard's anti-landing capabilities during an enemy assault, he said.
(By Matt Yu and Emerson Lim)
Enditem/AW
Taiwan military to produce anti-tank rounds for new armored vehicle - Focus Taiwan
Taipei, July 6 (CNA) A military munitions factory has won a contract to produce anti-tank rounds for the new variant of Taiwan's locally-developed armored vehicles called the Cloud Leopard, which will be mounted with 105mm mortars.
