New CM-34 8x8 IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle of Taiwanese Army

According to a tweet released by Kevin McCauley, the Taiwanese armed forces (also called the Republic of China Army or RoCA) have started training with the new CM-34 8x8 IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) at the RoCA's Southern District Joint Test Centre.

New Taiwanese-made CM-34 perform live firing at the RoCA's Southern District Joint Test Centre. (Picture source mesotw.com)

In January 2019, the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense has announced that Taiwan will begin mass production of its indigenous CM-34 "Clouded Leopard" 8x8 armored vehicles. It is planned to build 284 vehicles.

The design of the vehicle is very similar to the previous version of wheeled armored vehicle CM-32 also produced locally by the Taiwanese defense industry. The CM-34 is based on the 6×6 CM-31 designed by Timoney Technology Limited of Ireland and is also manufactured locally by the Ordnance Readiness Development Centre.

The hull of the CM-34 protects the crew against the firing of small arms 7.62mm around the vehicle while the frontal arc withstands 12.7 mm AP rounds. It has a V-shaped hull that provides protection against mine blast and can withstand 12 kg of TNT under any wheel.

The CM-34 is divided in three main parts with the driver sits at the front of the vehicle on the left side and has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear. The engine is to the right of the driver with the air inlet and outlet louvers in the top of the hull. The vehicle is fitted with a two-man turret armed with Orbital ATK Mk 44 Bushmaster II 30 mm dual-feed automatic cannon. The second armament includes one coaxial machine gun mounted to the right of the main armament and one 7.62mm machine gun mounted on the roof of the turret. Six smoke grenade launchers are mounted on each side at the front of the turret.

The CM-34 has a crew of three including a driver, commander, and gunner and can carry eight infantrymen at the rear of the vehicle.