Background
The CTWV is based on the MAV (Mitsubishi Armoured Vehicle), which development was initiated in the early 2010s, and was unveiled in 2014 at Eurosatory. [3] It is derived from the Type 16 from which it shared 80% of the components. [4]
The vehicles in service that will be replaced by the new vehicles will be stored. The Japan government plans an important budget to store and preserve the vehicles, as well as keep and maintain the spare equipment. It is a change in the policy, as up to now, the JGSDF tended to dismantle and scrap the existing equipment. [5]
Type 96 successor
This vehicle base was initially developed for the "Improved Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier" programme, as a successor of the Type 96 armoured personnel carrier.
In January 2018, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries received a contract for the construction of a prototype of the "Common Tactical Wheeled Vehicle System Design A", a variant based on the Type 16 manoeuvre combat vehicle. [6] [7] In February 2018, a contract was signed with Komatsu Ltd. for the "Common Tactical Wheeled Vehicle System Design B" prototype, a variant of the NBC reconnaissance vehicle . [7]
Initially, the offer by Komatsu was selected, but due to problems with the armour and other elements, the programme was cancelled. [7]
A new programme for the replacement of the Type 96 was put in place, and is known as the "next generation armoured vehicle". The main variant will be an armoured personnel carrier, but there will also by command-and-control vehicles, armoured ambulances, logistics support vehicles and engineer variants. [7] The offers made for this programme include:
- MAV (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries), the APC variant of the Common tactical wheeled vehicle [7]
- Patria AMVXP [7]
- LAV 6.0 by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada and Sojitz Aerospace [7]
The offer of GDLS was dropped because it was incapable to provide a prototype for testing in the timeline required by the JSDF. During the testing the Patria AMVXP proved its superiority and it was selected in December 2022.
CTWV programme
In December 2019, the JSDF ordered prototypes of three new variants of the MAV under the "Common Tactical Wheeled Vehicle" programme: [2]
- Type 24 Wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicle [8]
- Type 25 Reconnaissance and Surveillance Vehicle [8]
- Type 24 Mobile 120 mm Mortar [8]
This family of vehicles has been ordered to equip the Rapid Deployment Regiment of the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force, able to quickly be deployed in case of an urgent need. A total of 370 armoured fighting vehicles of this family are expected to be ordered. [9]
Type 24 Wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicle
This variant is a wheeled highly mobile infantry fighting vehicle for the JGSDF.
Type 25 Reconnaissance and Surveillance Vehicle
This variant is designed to succeed to the Type 87 RCV in the JGSDF. The testing of the prototype was going on in 2023. [10]
Type 24 Mobile 120 mm Mortar
This variant will be replacement of the 120mm mortar RT (license-built version of the MO-120 RT). The vehicle has a roof opening system for a Thales 2R2M mortar platform firing at 360°. On the sides, there are storage spaces for the shells and for the propellers. [5]
