The research and design of the Japanese Future Amphibious Vehicle has begun to take shape as the country seeks to shore up defence of remote coral islands to its south.
The vehicle development programme will begin testing the amphibious vehicle in autumn 2019 and hopes to field the first vehicles by 2022, according to a defence official speaking at the International Armoured Vehicle 2019 conference held in Twickenham.
The two requirements for the vehicle are high water speed (HWS) and coral reef area manoeuvrability. Although still in the research phase, the end vehicle will have 3000 HP (2,200kW) class engine, and