Taiwainese CM-34 armored vehicles production to start this year.

Twelve year after the production of the first CM-32, Taiwan will begin mass production of its indigenous CM-34 "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicles in 2019 and is scheduled to have produced 284 other CM-34 by 2023, a Ministry of National Defense (MND) official said Monday. The CM-34 will be also manufactured by the Ordnance Readiness Development Centre.

The CM-34 Clouded Leopard 8x8 TIFV Taiwan Infantry Fighting Vehicle. (Picture source : Internet )

Four prototypes of the armored vehicle, officially called the "Taiwan Infantry Fighting Vehicle" (TIFV), passed pre-mass production tests on the 19th October, allowing it to enter mass production.

The prototypes have passed all 62 categories in the primary pre-mass production tests, but failed in two categories in secondary tests.

Improvements have since been made, so the MND has decided to proceed with mass production of the vehicle model equipped with a 30mm chain gun, the official said.

He said that Taiwan has ordered Orbital ATK 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II cannons to be mounted on the vehicle.

Compared with the CM-32 models that are armed with 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, the 30mm cannon has better anti-tank capabilities and can fire several accurate rounds in rapid succession.