China Showcases New Military Vehicle But It Appears To Be A Clone Of The US ABV

Chinese state television released footage of a new armored vehicle that is designed to clear pathways through the battlefield. The Chinese government did not release any details about the vehicle's capabilities but it looks very similar to the Assault Breacher Vehicle, or ABV, that is used by the United States Marine Corps.

According to a report by Defense Blog, initial analysis by military intelligence reveals that the new war machine is visually a replica of the vehicle that the Marines currently use to clear minefields and detonate IEDs from a distance. The vehicle is on a tracked chassis and appears to have a weapons loadout that is similar to its U.S. counterpart, including a mine-plow and line charges as well as a unique turret.

The American ABV is built on the same chassis as the M1A1 Abrams tank and carries two crew, a commander and a driver. It is designed to carry out several missions that all provide safe passage through hostile terrain for troops and other vehicles. The American version is also able to be controlled remotely, meaning no person has to be present in the vehicle for its operation.

A Marine source familiar with ABV operations told the International Business Times that it is highly unlikely that the Chinese have progressed as far as the U.S. with the new machine but they would not be surprised if the machine were able to function similar to that of the American version. The Chinese have been known to attempt to acquire U.S. military intelligence and fabricate vehicles that from the outside appear to be very similar.

The race to bolster the military ranks with new vehicles and technology has been on between the United States, Russia and China for quite some time. However, this is an area where the U.S. has moved forward in leaps and bounds that neither the Chinese nor the Russians can keep pace.

The United States military does not seem to be worried at the Chinese clone because the People's Liberation Army is behind in the times in this department, and the U.S. has equipped its ground forces with advanced fighting vehicles such as the M1A2 Abrams that is finishing testing. These vehicles include new advanced weaponry that can't be matched at present.