Army of Japan unveils its new MCV 8x8 High Mobility Combat Vehicle armed with a 105mm gun 1110131.

The new 8x8 MCV is motorized with a water-cooled four-cylinder diesel engine developing 570 hp. at 2,100 rpm. The vehicle is able to reach a maximum road speed of 100 km.

The MCV has a combat weight of about 26 tons and measures 8.45 m length, 2.98 width, and 2.87 m height.

The layout of the new 8x8 MCV is very similar to the Italian 8x8 Centauro tank destroyer, but for the MCV the driver is seated at the front of the hull on the right side with the power pack to the left.

The MCV turret is armed with 105mm which is equipped with a thermal sleeve and fume extractor. A 7.62mm coaxial machine gun is mounted to the right side of the main armament. A 12.7mm machine gun is mounted on the loader hatch. At the front part of the commander position, there is a panoramic sight.

The 8x8 MCV is also fitted with a computerized fire control system which incorporates day/night thermal vision for the gunner and commander. A weather sensor made by the French Company Thales is mounted at the top rear part of the turret and laser detectors are fitted at the front. The hull and the turret are equipped with add-on armour to increase protection against new threats of the battlefield as IEDs (improvised explosive device) and RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) rockets.

Since 2008, the Japanese Technical Research & Development Institute of ministry of Defense has made several prototypes. And the latest vehicle was the fourth prototype completed at the end of September 2013. It is scheduled to be tested in 2014 or 2015 by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and deployed in 2016.