Taiwanese 'CM' Armoured Vehicle Designations

[Apophenia]

I was trying to make sense out of the often-contridictory online information about Taiwan's 'CM' ('China Military') series of designations for armoured vehicles. This 'CM' series of designations was introduced in the late 1980s - prior to which, like most Taiwanese weapons, locally devised/adapted armoured vehicles received a 'T' or Type designation. [1]

The 'CM' ('China Military') series of designations was introduced in the late 1980s. Unlike the older Type designations, the 'CM' series is not date-based. Rather, this system groups together vehicles of related types. The CM1x series is for main battle tanks; CM2x for vehicles based on a domestic M113A1 copy; and CM3x for wheeled Yunpao (Clouded Leopard) variants. Thus far, there is no sign of any 'CM-4x' series.

'CM' Designation Presentation

ROK Army 'CM' designations will be seen both with and without hyphens between the letters and type numbers. For continuity here, I have chosen to go without hyphens. I have also chosen to use sub-type suffixes following the US DOD style. However, especially in older sources, one will often see a slash between the type and sub-type portions of the designation - so CM21/A1 as opposed to the CM21A1 which I use.

Does anyone know of other 'CM' designation? Or can forum members add other Taiwanese designation systems?

_____________________________________________

CM1x series Main Battle Tanks

CM11 - 1990 Yong-Hu (Brave Tiger); M60/M48A2 hybrid main battle tank
- CM11 : M60A3 hull, M48A2 turret; M68A1 105 mm gun; ERA trialled*
-- * At least 2 x CM11s fitted with Blazer-style turret ERA in late 2014
-- Surplus M60 hulls, some sources say CM11s used the M48A5 turret**
-- ** Perhaps meaning M68A1 gun brings M48A2 to M48A5 standards?
- CM11 : Army Ordnance Industry Development Centre (AOIDC) project
- CM11 : aka DOD designation M48H (for Hybrid); ~450 x CM11 conv.
-- CM11 fleet intended to supplement M60A3 TTS (Tank Thermal Sight)
-- CM11 intended to be replaced with imported US M1A2T Abrams

CM12 - 1992 Yong-Hu (Brave Tiger); upgraded M48A3 main battle tank
- CM12 : CM-11 features incorporated onto M48A3 hull;* ~100 x conv.
- CM12 : AOIDC (now Joint Service Ordnance Industry Devel't Centre)
-- * Including 105mm M68A1 rifled gun, advanced fire control system
-- * Some sources say fitted 100 x entire turrets surplus to CM conv.
- CM12: To be retired; half of CM12 fleet was stored in poor condition

_____________________________________________

CM-2x series Tracked Carriers

CM-2x - 1979 domestic copy/development of US tracked M113A1 APC
-- M113A1 repair programme led to Project Wancheng for reverse-eng.
-- Wancheng No. 1 : Mortar carrier; US 4.2-inch (107 mm) M106
-- Mortar later changed to 120 mm Type 63 (as CM-22A1 prototype)
-- Wancheng No. 2 : Light tank armed with turret from M24 Chaffee *
-- * Drivetrain re-arranged with engine compartment moved to rear
-- Wancheng No. 3 : 126 mm Kung Feng (Worker Bee) IV MRLS
-- 6 x M113 MRLS conv. followed but CM21 MRLS poss. never realized
-- NB: Wancheng No.4 was an off-topic M48A1 to M48A5 update

CM21 - 1979 amphibious APC/AIFV; local M113 copy/development*
-- * Design 1978; prototype 1979; CM21 IOC with ROC Army 1982
- CM21 : 215 hp Perkins TV8-640 diesel; 1 x 12.7 mm Browning M2
- CM21 : Sim. to M113A1; add-on steel armour bays filled with PU
- CM21 : Dist. by AIFV-style rear hull; large rear external fuel tanks
- CM21 : 2 crew + 12 dismount; 2 x rear firing ports per hull side
- CM21A1: 1982; 300 hp GMC 6V53 diesel; 1 x 12.7 mm Browning
- CM21A1: Fitted with heavier add-on armour** than on base CM21
-- ** Side 'net' armour akin to German 'gummi' perforated panels
- CM21A2: IFV variant;** 'net' armour replaced side add-on panels
-- ** Tested with GIAT Dragar 25 mm gun turret; not accepted

CM22 - 1987 CM21-based mortar carrier; 107 mm or 120 mm mortar
- CM22 : Unclear if sub-type desig. applied for different mortars
-- Derived from the Wancheng No. 1 development prototype (qv)
- CM22 : 1 x T62 107 mm mortar;* similar to the US M106A2 carrier
-- * The Type 62 is a Taiwanese copy of the US M30 rifled mortar
- CM22 : 1 x T63 120 mm mortar;** similar to US M106A3 carrier
-- ** Type 63 is Taiwanese copy of Soltam K5 smoothbore mortar

CM23 - 198(?) CM21/CM22-derived 81 mm mortar carrier variant
- CM23 : The 81 mm T75 mortar fires through open roof hatches
- CM23 : Externally identical to the US M113-derived M125A1
- CM23A1: (??) Listed as possible 81 mm mortar carrier desig.

CM24 - 1988 self-propelled artillery ammunition re-supply vehicle
- CM24 series: Only very distantly related to the original CM21s*
- CM24 series: Cab-forward; 7 x roadwheels (with return rollers)
- CM24 series: 325 hp Cummins LTA-10C diesel; Allison MT654CR
-- * Boxy, straight-sided body; faceted uppermost armour panels
-- * Full windscreens; faintly resembles a US M993 MLRS vehicle
- CM 21 : Ammo resupply (42 x rounds 203 mm) for M110A2 SPs
- CM24A1: Ammo resupply (90 x rounds 155mm) for M109A SPs

CM25 - 1987 anti-tank guided missile carrier variant of CM21A1*
- CM25 : Roof-top ATGM launcher with/ access through hatches
-- CM25 likely orig. intended for domestic Kuen Wu 1 ATGM
-- Kuen Wu = Reverse-engineered 9M14/AT-3 Sagger ATGM
- CM25 : 1 x BGM-71 ATGM (iTOW or TOW-2B) + 12.7 mm HMG
- CM25 : aka Tuo shì feidàn che (For 'TOW Missile Vehicle')
-- * CM25 has a 'boxier' hull** fitted with bulky add-on armour
-- ** ie; lacking the AIFV-style facets on its rearmost hull sides
- CM25 : Used only by ROC Marine Corps (the Army uses M113s)
- CM25 : Polyurethane-filled side armour also improves buoyancy

CM26 - 199? Armoured Command Post Carrier; raised rear deck
- CM26 : Essentially identical to the US M113-derived M577A1*
- CM26 : Much-enlarged rear compartment; APU above engine
-- * Distinguished from M577 by early M113A1-style engine cover

CM27 - 1994 artillery tractor; much revised/lengthened CM21 hull
- CM27 : Gun tractor, gun crew carrier, and ammunition limber
- CM27 : Similar to the CM24;* 6 roadwheels per side; L 6.73 m
-- * Shorter hull; raised rear hull roof to accommodate gun crew
- CM27A1: Improved and higher-powered base CM27 development

Seemingly undesignated CM2x variants and proposals included the base vehicle fitted with 126 mm Kung Feng IV MRLS; [2] 20 mm or 30 mm autocannons; [3] flamethrower carrier (akin to the US M132 'Zippo'); battlefield ambulance; and 'ute'-style cargo carrier.

_____________________________________________

CM3x Yunpao series Wheeled Carriers

CM3x - Yunpao (Cloud/Clouded Leopard) family of wheeled AFVs
- CM3x : Intended to replace V-150s, M113s, & CM2x series vehicles

CM31 - 1993 Yunpao development prototypes with 6x6 drivetrain
- CM31 : 6x6 'IFV' prototypes based on the Irish Timoney Mark 8
- CM31 : 1 x 350 hp Cummins (Kan Ming) 6CTA8.3 V6 diesel engine
- CM31 : 1st prototype; APC; 2+10; 1 x 12.7 mm M2 or 40 mm AGL
- CM31 : 2nd prototype; SAM; 4 x TC-1L launcher turret on flat deck
-- All 6x6 CM31 development was eclipsed by the 8x8 CM32 by 2006

CM32 - 2007 Yunpao 8x8 TIFV (or Taiwan Infantry Fighting Vehicle)
- CM32 : CM31 evolution; rights bought from Timoney Technology
- CM32 : 2 x prototypes had Delco turrets with M242 Bushmasters
- CM32 : ORDC T75 power-operated 2-man turret; 20 mm + 7.62 mm
- CM32: 410 hp Caterpillar C12;* Allison HD4070P Ecomat 7-spd auto
-- * JDW says Caterpillar C9 diesel but that's a lower powered engine
- CM32 (RCWS): ORDC T96 RCWS (with 40 mm AGL + 12.7 mm HMG)
- CM32 (MOR): Mortar carrier; semi-automatic 81mm mortar system
- CM32 (APC): Armoured Personnel Carrier variant; see CM33 (below)
-- TIFV & APC collectively called 'CM32/33 Wheeled Armored Vehicle'
- CM32 (IFV): 30 mm MK44 Bushmaster gun; see the CM34 (below)
- CM32 (MOB): Mobile Gun System variant; 105 mm or 120 mm gun

CM33 - 2007 Yunpao APC; ORDC T96 Remote Weapon Station (RWS)*
- CM33 : Dedicated APC variant of 'modular' CM-32 Yunpao series
-- * 1 x 40 mm T91 AGL (US MK19 copy) + 1 x 7.62 mm T75b GPMG
-- NB: topwar.ru reports a 'CM32 APC' with designation "SMZZ" [4]

CM34 - 2019 Yunpao IFV; armament 30 mm MK44 Bushmaster gun
- CM34 : More heavily-armed; dedicated Infantry Fighting Vehicle*
-- * By contrast, CM32 TIFV might be a 'Section Carrier' elsewhere

Lumped under the CM32 designation (aka 'Yunpao I') are a range of proposed variants. These include the APC (which emerged as the CM33) and IFV (which emerged as the CM34). Others include a "direct-fire platform" (105 mm M68A1 with 32 rounds) and a "120 mm breech-loaded mortar" carrier (presumably semi-automatic). A SHORAD variant would be armed with the TC-1L (Tien Chien 1L or Sky Sword 1L) - the ground-launched version of a local AIM-9 equivalent. Other potential variants include NBC recce; CP; battlefield ambulance, and a mobile repair/recovery team vehicle.

Then there is the 2017 'Yunpao II' M2 prototype being touted as a more 'modular' type. The rear compartment of Yunpao II can be fitted out as an APC (12.7 mm); IFV (12.7 mm + 40 mm AGL); DFSV (105 mm or 120 mm gun); mortar carrier (81 or 120 mm Mobile Mortar System); C2; or battlefield ambulance. The emphasis seems to be on gaining export sales. So, it may be that none of these Yunpao II variants are aimed at the ROC armed forces - which would explain the dearth of appropriate military designations.

_____________________________________________

[1] Taiwanese Type numbers were/are taken from years of development (based on the 'Republic' or Mínguó calendar). That ROC calendar began in 1912 - the year that the Republic of China was established. Thus, for example, the Type 64 light cavalry tank was adopted by the ROC Army in the year of the Republic 64 (or 1975 in the Gregorian calendar).

Lesser ROC vehicle modifications usually only received local sub-type letters to distinguish them - eg: M41D for ROC M41A3 Walker Bulldog light tanks given diesel conversions and other updates.

[2] This Kung Feng IV MRLS proposal may not have proceeded beyond the Wancheng No. 3 prototype and the 6 x M113A1 MRLS conversions.

[3] These calibres may have been considered alongside the tested Giat Dragar turret and its Model 811 25 mm autocannon. Such proposals may relate to the mention of a fire support variant.

[4] Obviously 'SMZZ' was just a typographic garbling of the transliterated 'CM' and the numerals '33'.