The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is reshaping to adapt to the changing balances in the region.
One of the symbolic names of this process is the Type 16 manoeuvre combat vehicle, shortly
MCV. Japan is adapting to the world trend of wheeled tank destroyers/fire support vehicles.
However, this island country has different geographical conditions and security concerns
than the rest of the world. For this reason, the Type 16 brings many questions in the minds.
As the Weapons Detective, we are investigating the Type 16 and the questions it raises.
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The Type 16 MCV is one of the most prominent indicators
of the changing tactical thought of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Of course, the
transformation is imperative to keep up with the times. Yet, this new vehicle brings some
serious questions to the minds. So, analyzing the Type 16 would be useful not only to understand
the current military situation in the Asia-Pacific region but also to do an important mental
exercise. To better understand the Type 16, let's briefly
look at the history of the tanks in Japan. Before the Second World War, the Imperial
Japanese Army was considering the tank as an infantry support vehicle, not an independent
weapon system. Japanese tanks had low armour protection and relatively small calibre guns.
Because the Type 89 I-Go medium tanks and the Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks had no significant
opponents, they did their duties successfully during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
After the defeat in the 1939 Battles of Khalkhin Gol, the Japanese realized that their tank
designs and doctrine were obsolete. Japan would either develop new tanks that
could compete with the USSR or shift their expansion plans towards Southeast Asia and
the Pacific islands, where there were weaker armoured units.
They chose the second path and prioritized the production of warships and aircraft.
At the beginning of the Pacific War, the performance of the existing tanks was sufficient.
Yet, the US M4 Sherman tanks changed the balances. So, after 1943, Japan began to work on new
tanks such as the Type 3 Chi-Nu and Type 4 Chi-To.
But, the material shortages and other production priorities prevented to produce a meaningful
amount of these tanks. Japan deployed all of them in the home islands against a possible
Allied invasion, so the Type 3 Chi-Nu and Type 4 Chi-To never saw combat.
After the end of the Second World War, Japan had to accept dismantling the Imperial Japanese
Army. However, because of the rising Cold War, the
USA allowed establishing the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in 1954.
As the name implies, this was a self-defence force. In other words, Japan could not send
troops abroad. In the beginning, Japan acquired World War
II vintage surplus tanks from the USA. In 1955, Tokyo started an indigenous tank development
programme. Six years later, the Type 61, which was the
fruit of this programme, entered service. Later, Japan has continued its tank development
works with the Type 74, Type 90, and the Type 10.
Throughout this process, the next generation tanks have replaced the old generation.
However, the Type 16 has broken this tradition. The main factor behind the Type 16 is more
economical than modern battlefield requirements. Japan developed the Type 90 as the replacement
of the Type 74. But, it was a far much more expensive tank than its predecessor. So, Japan
could only produce less than 350 Type 90s. Yet, there were nearly 900 Type 74s.
The Type 10 which was developed to replace the Type 90, is even more expensive. Because
of the cost problem, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force can not have a similar amount of Type
10 as the Type 74. So, instead of tanks in infantry fire support
missions, Japan took the option of using a more economical system under consideration
in the early 2000s. In 2003, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
began to study a wheeled armoured vehicle with a 105mm gun.
Japan also evaluated other wheeled tank destroyers/fire support vehicles on the market at that time.
However, since none of these systems meets the criteria of size, weight, and compatibility
with existing ammunition determined by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Tokyo decided
to develop an indigenous vehicle. Four years later, full-scale development works
began. The prototype of the new vehicle unveiled
on October 9, 2013. It entered the service in 2016 with the name
Type 16 MCV. The four-person crew of the Type 16 consists
of the commander, driver, gunner, and loader. It is 8.45 metres long, 2.98 metres wide,
and 2.87 m high. The combat weight of the vehicle is 26 tons. 570-horsepower turbocharged
diesel engine provides a maximum road speed of 100 kilometres per hour. The range of the
Type 16 is 400 kilometres. The vehicle can negotiate 0.6-metre vertical steps, 2-metre
trenches and can ford to a depth of 1.2 metres. It has a 105mm rifled main gun as well as
one 12.7mm and one 7.62mm machine guns. Unit and operating costs of the Type 16 is
considerably lower than the Type 10. Because the tracks could damage the roads,
transporting a tracked vehicle from one region to another requires a tank carrier vehicle.
The tanks have higher fuel consumption than wheeled vehicles.
Besides, the high vibration caused by the tracks increases the risk of malfunction in
the vehicle's mechanical parts in the long run.
The maintenance requirement of the Type 16 is so much easier than a tank. This factor
gives the vehicle a high combat readiness rate.
Of course, the tracked vehicles have the better off-road capability.
But, the possible combat areas on Japan islands are generally urbanized.
The 8x8 wheeled vehicles also have high off-road performance.
Japan is one of the early users of the hydropneumatic suspension system.
This system provides the extra off-road capability. Many recent wheeled and tracked vehicles use
this type of suspension. Yet, the Type 16's suspension is composed
of hydraulic cylinders and double wishbones. It is unclear why Japan did not prefer the
hydropneumatic suspensions for the new vehicle. Thanks to its weight and size, the Type 16
has an easy tactical deployment advantage. The C-2 cargo aircraft or a commercial ferry
can carry it. A wheeled tank destroyer/fire support vehicle
has lower ballistic protection than a main battle tank. Yet, they are not an element
of an armoured punch. They set up ambushes and use hit-and-run tactics. So, light armour
protection is enough for them. Even so, the Type 16 offers good protection for its crew.
The front of the hull and turret are resistant against 20 to 30mm armour-piercing ammunition.
The sides can withstand 14.5mm rounds. The ballistic tests show that the Type 16
is also resistant against anti-tank weapons such as the Carl Gustav M2.
The protection level can be increased with the use of modular armour plates. These modular
plates are easy to replace if damaged. There are laser warning receivers on the left
and right of the turret front. But, they have a detection range of only 180 degrees.
The Type 16 has no special design against improvised explosive device and mines. But
the protection level against such threats can be increased with additional armour packages
if demanded. To saving money and weight, the Japan Ground
Self-Defense Force did not prefer an autoloader for the Type 16.
Thanks to the commander's panoramic periscope, the vehicle has a hunter-killer engagement
capability. The Type 16 can fire accurately while on the
move. Its indigenously designed 105mm rifled gun
has a unique muzzle brake/compensator, consisting of rows of nine holes bored into the barrel
in a spiral formation. So what do these features tell us?
The Type 16 is the child of the same tactical thought as the Italian Centauro tank destroyer.
During the First Cold War, the Italian Army concentrated its armoured units in the north
of the country against a possible attack from the Warsaw Pact.
The enemy could only come from the south by amphibious landing or airborne operation.
This meant the enemy would not have been able to land a massive armoured unit on Italian
soil in the early stage of the invasion. Also, in those years, the Soviet naval infantries
used the PT-76 light tanks and the T-55 main battle tanks, while the Soviet airborne divisions
used the BMD armoured vehicles. With its 105mm gun, the Centauro could easily
deal with these vehicles. In the case of a surprise attack, the Italian
Army would quickly dispatch its wheeled tank destroyers to the required area. The aim was
to gain time by countering and stopping the enemy's first attack.
During this time, the army would send the tanks to the area for a larger-scale engagement.
Today, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is planning to use the same doctrine as the
Italian's. In the case of a possible Chinese or Russian attack, the Type 16s will counter
and stop an amphibious or airborne assault. Using gained time, Japan will redeploy its
tanks to the combat area. On paper, everything looks good. But, Japan
has different geographical condition than Italy.
The Mediterranean was far from the mainland of the USSR. So, the presence of the Soviet
naval forces in the region was limited. Yet, especially China can fully concentrate
its air and naval forces near the Japanese coasts.
So, the real defenders of Japan will be the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Japan
Air Self-Defense Force. For Japan, losing air and naval superiority
means losing the war as was seen in the World War II.
As a matter of fact, neither China nor Russia cannot perform an amphibious or airborne operation
successfully without achieving air or naval superiority.
In a scenario where China manages to control the air and sea, it would not be possible
for Japan to redeploy its Type 16s from one island to another by using its C-2s.
Then, would the Type 16 be really useless in possible fighting? Actually, this is not
the case. In a possible war with China, the front will
be very scattered. On the other hand, both sides have to concentrate
their forces on specific areas. In peripheral areas, a vehicle like the Type
16 can provide some degree of tactical flexibility. And please don't forget that possible Chinese
supremacy would be short-lived. The USA would quickly change the balance by
dispatching its mighty navy to the region. In the meantime, by using Type 16, Japan could
keep some strategically important islands or at least prevent China from gaining full
control. Of course, these are all doomsday scenarios.
Nobody even wants to imagine such a war. It would not only destroy the current world
order but also the use of nuclear weapons would be inevitable.
Some of our viewers may mention that Italy successfully uses its Centauros in peacekeeping
operations abroad. Can Japan similarly use its Type 16s? Actually,
this is not a meaningful question for a country that does not send combat troops abroad.
Our analysis is that even though it is a good vehicle, the Type 16 has a psychological value
rather than tactical. While Japan has reduced the number of tanks, it is trying to prove
to both the Japanese public and the world that it keeps its ground combat power at the
same level thanks to this vehicle. However, as we have mentioned before, the Japan Maritime
Self-Defense Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force are the real defenders of this country,
as it should be for an island state. Thanks for watching our video. And please
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