The Type 87 Reconnaissance Combat Vehicle, also simply known as "RCV" and nicknamed Black Eye (ブラックアイ), is a 6x6 wheeled

reconnaissance vehicle A reconnaissance vehicle, also known as a scout vehicle, is a military vehicle used for forward reconnaissance. Both tracked and wheeled reconnaissance vehicles are in service. In some nations, light tanks such as the M551 Sheridan and AMX-13 ...

designed and manufactured by

Komatsu Limited or () is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures construction, mining, forestry and military equipment, as well as diesel engines and industrial equipment like press machines, lasers and thermoelectric generators. Its headquart ...

and employed exclusively by the

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...

. The JGSDF continued to commission new units up until as recently as 2013.

History

After World War II, the United States provided the newly-created Japan Ground Self-Defense Force with a number of variants of the

M8 Greyhound The M8 light armored car is a 6×6 armored car produced by the Ford Motor Company during World War II. It was used from 1943 by United States and British forces in Europe and the Pacific until the end of the war. The vehicle was widely export ...

armoured car. However, a relatively small number of these were employed due to concerns about the poor quality of roads in Japan, as many Japanese roads were unpaved and poorly maintained, limiting the feasibility of wheeled vehicles for military service. By 1982, Japanese infrastructure had greatly improved, motivating the development of the first

armoured fighting vehicle An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour, generally combining operational mobility with offensive and defensive capabilities. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked. Examples of AFVs are tanks, armoured cars ...

developed and manufactured by Japanese industry for the Japanese armed forces, the successful Type 82 'Shikitsu' Command Vehicle. Tests for the Type 87 began in 1985 and the Type 87 would later finish developed by Komatsu based on the earlier Type 82.

Features

The Type 87 accommodates five crew members, two of which occupy the powered-traverse turret located in the center of the hull. The vehicle's door is on the left of the main body. The hull is made out of steel and is fully

welded Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by using high heat to melt the parts together and allowing them to cool, causing fusion. Welding is distinct from lower temperature techniques such as bra ...

, and utilizes many of the same automotive components of the Type 82 and features

power steering A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds. Hydrauli ...

. The main armament is a Japanese version of the Oerlikon Contraves 25 millimeter autocannon produced under licence, which can fire various kinds of ammunition at up to 600 rounds per minute. Its armor, while sturdy enough to protect the vehicle and crew against

small arms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...

fire and grenade shrapnel, will not protect against heavier ordnance. It is well armed for its class but lacks truly amphibious capabilities, being only able to ford up to of water.

Gallery

File:Japanese - Type 87 Scout - 1.jpg File:Japanese - Type 87 Scout - 4.jpg File:Japanese - Type 87 Scout - 2.jpg File:Japanese - Type 87 Scout - 3.jpg File:Type 87 ARV in Yokosuka 2017.jpg

References

External links

{{commons category, JGSDF Type 87 Reconnaissance Vehicle
www.army-technology.comwww.tanks-encyclopedia.comperfiles.elgrancapitan.orgwww.deagel.com
Armoured cars of Japan Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Wheeled amphibious armoured fighting vehicles Wheeled reconnaissance vehicles Reconnaissance vehicles of Japan Six-wheeled vehicles Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s