Maneuver Combat Vehicle

Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle
Type	8x8 Wheeled AFV/Tank Destroyer
Place of origin	Japan
Production history
Designer	TRDI (Technical Research & Development Institute)
Designed	2007 onwards (though the origins of the program can be traced back to 2004)
Manufacturer	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Unit cost	¥7.1 billion yen
Produced	To start in 2015 (planned)
Number built	200-300 (original requirement)
Variants	Mitsubishi Armored Vehicle - A derived wheeled 'heavy' APC intended to be the baseline for a new family of vehicles including a armored field ambulance and a command & communications vehicle. Still at the concept stage, with a model displayed at the 2014 Eurosatory show.
Specifications
Weight	26 tonnes
Length	8.45 m (27 ft 9 in)
Width	2.98 m (9 ft 9 in)
Height	2.87 m (9 ft 5 in)
Crew	4 (some prototypes equipped with an autoloader had a crew of three)
Main armament	105 mm gun (produced under license by Japan Steel Works)
Secondary armament	12.7mm NATO M2 Browning heavy machine gun, coaxial Sumitomo Type 74 7.62mm NATO medium machine gun
Engine	Diesel 570 hp
Suspension	Wheeled 8 x 8
Operational range	400 km
Speed	100 km/h (62 mph)

The Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle (16式機動戦闘車, Hitoroku-shiki kidou-sentou-sha^?) is a wheeled tank destroyer of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

Type 16 maneuver combat vehicle, which will equip combat units, will be useful for attacks on armored fighting vehicles and personnel, using its large caliber gun, after rapid deployment in response to various contingencies.

For FY2016, the MOD has requested funding for 36 examples of the MCV, to enter service with elements of the 8th Division at Kumamoto, and the 14th Brigade at Zentsūji. Both formations are currently planned for conversion to rapid reaction forces (though these plans, as with the original plans for the MCV [see History], are presently (mid-2015) under review and subject to possible major revision). The intention is for the MCV to act as both as a rapid reaction asset against conventional incursions on the outer islands and as a counter-insurgency vehicle against asymmetrical attacks in urban areas of Japan by enemy special forces, intelligence operatives, or their proxies.

While the MCV is projected to be highly capable, there are doubts about its performance. Weighing 26 tons, it may be too heavy for the rapid air transport it is designed for. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has a requirement for 60 new Kawasaki C-2 transport planes, which can travel 3,023 nmi (3,479 mi; 5,599 km) with a 30-ton payload. One C-2 might struggle to carry one MCV with the maintenance crew and ammunition, with a single squadron of 12 MCVs may needing as many as 20 or more C-2 sorties for transport to a remote island. Even so, advance warning of a combat deployment would have MCVs moved (in theory) with commercially chartered aircraft and high-speed ferries because the potential operating area is fairly close, and driving once landing would take less time to get to the area (again in theory). Although the vehicle uses modular armor, it has a relatively delicate undercarriage and drive system that may be vulnerable to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other underbody blasts (such as from anti-tank mines). Fortunately, since the MCV is designed only for defending against enemy invasion of the home islands, it is unlikely to find itself fighting a lengthy counter-insurgency campaign in a foreign nation, or finding itself forced to drive through enemy minefields while spearheading an invasion of an enemy power. Another point mentioned is that the main gun is manually loaded as a cost-saving measure, requiring a loader that has to work in a vehicle that doesn't have air conditioning. Some express doubts over this, although the Maneuver Combat Vehicle is arguably far from unique in this aspect. Concerns have also however been expressed about a perceived shortfall in the MCV's off-road capability. In 2009 was made resistance testing of shielding shots Carl Gustav M2 HEAT, the frotal shield was developed to resist shots from 30mm to 20m autocannons and sides from 12.7mm machine gun fire.