The Japanese Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) estimated budget request for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), released on 30 August 2024, is the largest ever at JPY 8,538.9 billion (EUR 53.65). Within the budget the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) is requesting a variety of armoured vehicles.
Firstly, three types of Common Tactical Wheeled Vehicle (CTWV), developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and based on the Type 16 Manoeuvre Combat Vehicle (MCV), have been requested. This includes two types of Type 24 CTWV: 18 examples of the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) variant, known as the Type 24 Armoured Wheeled Combat Vehicle (AWCV), at a cost of JPY 21.8 billion; and eight examples of the self-propelled mortar variant, which is called the Type 24 Mobile 120 mm Manoeuvre Mortar (MM), for JPY 8.3 billion. Procurement of both types will begin this year.
Additionally, six examples of the reconnaissance variant have been requested for the first time this year at a cost of JPY 9 billion. These will be deployed from the next financial year, so the variant has not been given a type designation at this stage, although it will probably be named the Type 25 Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle.
The Type 24 AWCV has a crew of three and can carry eight troops. The vehicle is 8.1 m long, 3.0 m wide, 2.9 m high and employs an unmanned turret to reduce weight that is equipped a Bushmaster Mk 44 30 mm cannon as its main weapon and a 7.62 mm Mk 52 chain gun as a co-axial machine gun. The Type 24 MM has a crew of five, a length of 8.1 m, a width of 3.0 m, a height of 2.7 m and is armed with the Thales 2R2M 120 mm mortar system.
The reconnaissance variant, meanwhile, has a crew of five, a length of 8.7 m, a width of 3.0 m and a height of 2.9 m. It features a manned turret that, as with the Type 24 AWCV’s unmanned turret, is armed with a Bushmaster Mk 44 30 mm cannon and a 7.62 mm Mk 52 chain gun as a coaxial machine gun. The vehicle’s surveillance equipment comprises a simplified version of Elbit’s Multi-Sensor Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (MRSS).
All three variants have a combat weight of around 26 tonnes, a maximum speed exceeding 100 km/h and will use the 10TanK NetWork (10TKNW) network used by Type 10 main battle tanks (MBTs) and Type 16 MCVs.
It is expected that 150 Type 24 AWCVs, 100 Type 24MMs and 120 reconnaissance types will be procured in total.
The JGSDF has also requested 28 Patria AMV XP 8×8 armoured vehicles for JPY 22.5 billion as the successor to its Type 96 8×8 armoured personnel carriers in a procurement that was initiated from FY23. The MoD intends these to be produced under licence by Japan Steel Works, but the Ministry of Finance (MoF) remains concerned about the slow pace of procurement and the soaring costs associated with local production. For this reason the MoF has admitted that the initial cost of AMV XP production for FY24 will be JPY 15.8 billion, although the MoF will only permit this amount if it used for procurement by direct import. Although high-level negotiations between the MoD and the MoF on this issue are ongoing, an MoD official has confirmed that all AMV XPs procured under the upcoming budget will be imported.
Meanwhile, the JGSDF has also requested 15 Type 16 MCVs at a cost of JPY 15.6 billion, 14 Type 19 wheeled 155 mm self-propelled howitzers for JPY 14 billion and 12 Type 10 MBTs at a cost of JPY 23.1 billion. On 28 June 2024 the MoD’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) also launched a call for information from companies in relation to an upgrade programme for the Type 10 MBT.
From FY25 the MoD will start mothballing obsolete JGSDF equipment such as older armoured vehicles, with JPY 700 million requested for the building of storage facilities. Systems likely to be mothballed include Type 74 and Type 90 MBTs as well as M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems.
