Taiwan’s decision to cancel its Clouded Leopard tank appears to be an instance of strategic myopia.
Taiwan’s Armaments Bureau recently confirmed that the nation’s army rejected a 105mm gun-equipped, wheeled Leopard tank prototype. According to the Armaments Bureau, the new wheeled armored vehicle had inadequate firepower. For Taiwan, their island democracy is increasingly under the thumb of their Chinese neighbors, who appear intent on conquering the democratic redoubt—and soon.
Therefore, Taiwan will need every weapon system it can get. Of course, it requires weapon systems that can pack a punch—especially since that country’s defense industrial base, like so many other Western defense industrial bases, struggles to produce large numbers of weapons.
Thus, the Taiwanese need to rely upon quality. A lack of firepower on any armored vehicle, with a Chinese invasion about to occur at any moment, is most unhelpful.
Beginning in 2019, the “Clouded Leopard Project” was authorized by Taiwan’s Armaments Bureau for a cost of around $24 million. This program produced two prototypes, with a third under construction. Taiwan’s military had envisioned the third unit having increased firepower. It did not. The Taiwanese Army demanded that the 105mm gun be replaced with a 120mm caliber cannon. But the designers did not heed this request, and the project was scrapped.
How Did the Clouded Leopard System Fail?
Taiwan’s Armaments Bureau had partnered with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. But during its operation, the Clouded Leopard project was mostly the exclusive interest of now-retired Vice Minister of Armaments Hsu Yen-pu. Following Hsu’s retirement, no one else within Taiwan’s top brass appeared willing to champion the program, given its shortcomings and the availability of comparable systems from abroad. This was especially the case after the Taiwanese received roughly three dozen U.S.-built M1A2T tanks, which are equipped with the superior 120mm guns.
To be clear, there were real reasons that the Clouded Leopard designers pushed back against the Armaments Bureau’s request for a larger cannon. The more powerful the cannon on a wheeled vehicle, the heavier the vehicle is, affecting its speed and its ability to cross certain types of terrain. Moreover, a larger gun has higher recoil, compromising the vehicle’s stability.
None of these problems are insurmountable. But they require redesigns—redesigns that would have delayed production of the Clouded Leopard well beyond its desired 2025 completion date.
Still, the Clouded Leopard Project was not something that Taiwan should have easily canceled. At its core, it was an indigenous weapons development program. If the Chinese were to attack the island, they would likely blockade it first, cutting off Taiwanese access to foreign goods—and, crucially, foreign military support. Under those circumstances, Taiwan would need to have a localized defense industrial base that could continue producing the necessary components to resist Beijing’s onslaught.
The Taiwanese Army Cannot Be a Miniature U.S. Army
The abrupt cancellation of the Clouded Leopard program was made easier because of the arrival of the US-build M1A2T tanks. But unlike the Clouded Leopards, these American systems are not built on the island. Their supply chains and replacements would have to come from beyond Taiwan—and Taiwan would lose access to these things if the Chinese decided to blockade.
That’s to say nothing of the fact that the M1A2T is a behemoth. At 60 tons, this powerful American system will be a heavy burden on Taiwan’s local infrastructure—causing more damage and being less effective in combat against Chinese forces, simply because it is too big and heavy. The Clouded Leopard, weighing much less than the American tanks, was meant to be more agile and more deployable than its heavier, U.S.-built counterparts.
So Taiwan’s decision to cancel its Clouded Leopard tank appears to be an instance of strategic myopia. As an invasion approaches, one hopes that they will rediscover the need for cheap, maneuverable platforms that are easy to produce in large numbers and maintain with minimal outside assistance.
The Clouded Leopard Project would have provided that. But Taiwan’s leaders seem to have outsourced their strategic planning to their chronically ambivalent and distracted American partners—rather than think about how best to defend themselves.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
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