Several countries in Asia are now self-sufficient in the design, development and production of almost all types of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), tracked and wheeled, but in some key areas such as engines, transmission and weapons some still rely on foreign contractors or manufacture these under licence.
Malaysia and Singapore have recently purchased fleets of main battle tanks (MBTs) from overseas while other countries, such as the Republic of Korea (ROK), have designed their own MBTs and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to meet their local operational requirements.
A number of contractors facing the general downturn in defence expenditure in Europe are now looking to Asia to help fill their production lines, but in many countries these requirements are now being met by local production.
China is in the vanguard of this armour build-up. Over the last 15 years the country has made rapid progress in the design, development and production of AFVs ranging from MBTs through to light and medium tracked and wheeled vehicles.
The large size of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its rolling acquisitions mean that only part of its fleet of AFVs is of the latest design and for this reason many older AFVs are often upgraded to extend their operational life. In the case of MBTs this usually includes a larger calibre gun, improved ammunition, upgraded fire-control systems (FCS) and greater protection.
In the past China has been a major exporter of AFVs to the Middle East – especially Iran and Iraq – but in recent years the emphasis has shifted to Africa and Asia.
( http://www.janes.com/news/defence/idr/idr100817_1_n.shtml )
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