Mitsubishi Type 89 IFV

Mitsubishi Type 89
Type 89 shoot Oerlikon 35 mm KDE cannon
Type	Infantry fighting vehicle
Place of origin	Japan
Service history
In service	1989–present
Used by	Japan
Production history
Manufacturer	Komatsu Limited and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Produced	1989–present
Number built	120 (2014)
Specifications
Weight	27 tonnes
Length	6.70 m
Width	3.20 m
Height	2.5 m 2.75 m (overall)
Crew	3 + 7
Armor	steel ceramic composite armour
Main armament	35 mm KDE cannon
Secondary armament	2 × Type 79 Jyu-MAT missile, Type 74 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun
Engine	Mitsubishi 6SY31WA Water-cooled 6-cylinder diesel 600 hp at 2,000 rpm
Suspension	Torsion bar
Operational range	400 km
Speed	70 km/h

The Mitsubishi Type 89 IFV (三菱89式装甲戦闘車, Mitsubishi 89-shiki sōkō-sentō-sha^?)(89 FV )is a Japanese infantry fighting vehicle that entered service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in 1989. There were 58 vehicles in service as of 1999^[update] and a total of 120 produced by 2014 with 300 planned. The main armament of the vehicle is an Oerlikon Contraves 35 millimeter KDE cannon.

Development of the Type 89 began in 1980, with four prototypes being produced in 1984. These prototypes were tested until 1986. It was accepted into service and type classified in 1989. When the vehicle entered production, the initial requirement was for around 300 vehicles. The primary contractor for the project was Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with the main subcontractor being Komatsu Limited.

The vehicle is of relatively conventional layout with a welded steel hull. The 600 horsepower Mitsubishi 6SY31WA water-cooled diesel engine located in the front left of the hull. It drives an automatic transmission which in turn drives the track via drive sprockets at the front of the hull. On each side of the hull are six road wheels with an idler at the rear, and three track return rollers. The suspension is a torsion bar system. The driver sits to the right of the engine, with a single-piece hatch above him that opens to the right. The driver is provided with three fixed vision periscopes, and a single traversable periscope in the hatch. A passive night vision periscope can be used in place of one of the day periscopes. A single infantry man sits behind the driver and has a hatch immediately above him with two vision periscopes that provide coverage of the front of the hull, as well as a large spherical firing port on the right side of the hull.