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Fahd (armored personnel carrier)
Encyclopedia
The Fahd is a 4x4
Egypt
ian armored personnel carrier, designed to fit the requirements of the Egyptian Military. The Fahd APC is relatively lighter, smaller, better armed, and less expensive than other modern APCs. It replaced older APCs in Egyptian service such as the BTR-40
, and the Walid (armored personnel carrier)
(called Waleed in Egypt). It has been used by eight nations including Egypt, besides being used by the United Nations.
The flexible design of the vehicle, its high speed, maneuverability and long range, on road and off road, makes it possible to produce various versions to satisfy various military and security purposes. Variants include the Fahd 240/280 APC, Fahd 280-30 IFV, a command post vehicle, ambulance vehicle, light armored recovery vehicle
, and can be used for anti-riot purposes, mine laying and mine dispensing purposes, making it possible to form independent units capable of dealing with different threats of armor, low-flying targets, and personnel, with common repair duties, and operation. The Fahd consists of a Mercedes-Benz LAP 1117/32 truck (4 × 4) chassis fitted with an armored body. It has a usual APC configuration of placing the driver and the commander on the front, and a large box-like shape, similar to the German Fuchs.
armor
construction giving complete protection against attack by 7.62 mm caliber
AP rounds and shell splinters. The vehicle is equipped with air conditioning. The driver sits at the front of the vehicle on the left side with the commander to the right. Both have forward observation via large bulletproof windows, which can be rapidly covered by an armored shutter hinged at the top, and a side door that opens to the front, featuring a window in its upper part that can also be covered by a shutter as well. Above the commander's position is a single-piece, rear-opening hatch cover. The driver has a forward-facing, roof-mounted day periscope, which can be replaced by a passive periscope for night driving. The troop compartment is at the rear of the hull with the infantry entering via a door in the rear, the upper part of which folds upwards and the lower part downwards to form a step. Over the top of the troop compartment are two rectangular roof hatches hinged in the center that can be locked vertically. The infantry sits on individual bucket seats down the center of the vehicle facing outwards. In either side of the troop compartment are four firing ports with a vision block above so that the troops can fire their weapons from within the vehicle. Either side of the rear door has a firing port with a vision block above. Optional equipment may be fitted on the vehicle, such as an NBC protection system and passive IR among others.
s, each with 1,500 7.62 mm rounds, but other 7.62 mm machine guns can be fitted on the vehicle, such as the FN MAG
.
which weighs 20.9 tons, about twice the weight of the Fahd, yet provides similar protection, and armament.A LAV-25 costs 900,000 US dollars, and carries less passengers.
Below is a comparison of some modern wheeled IFVs including the Fahd:
Based on the latest production Fahd-240, it shares the position and entry doors for the commander and the driver with the APC variant. A 2.5 ton turnable-mounted hydraulic crane is mounted on the roof rear, with a telescopic jib that has 315 degrees of traverse, with the boom being elevated to +70 degrees. The vehicle contains two hydraulic stabilizers for the crane, in which they are lowered to the ground while the crane is being used to provide a more stable platform. The vehicle is 13 tons in weight, and 2.8 meters in height.
The vehicle includes the following specialized equipment for repair duties: an air compressor, electric power unit, battery charger, testing unit, portable drill and grinder, tire repair set, radiator set, tool set, greasing equipment, hydraulic jack, oxy acetylene
set, recovery equipment and a tent.
Along with one tent and dual interior lights, the vehicle is equipped with specialized medical instruments.
The mine layer can create a mine field from 1,500 to 3,000 metres long and 25-30 metres wide from four dispensing modules firing 600 mines per salvo giving a mine density between 0.2 and 1 mine per square meter.
machine guns, as well as other special equipments for command purposes.
The command vehicle is equipped with three-four wireless communication set with antennas and six terminals intercom system, a 10-line telephone exchange and two field telephones powered from a 1.5 kW electrical generator.
Power from the vehicle's 24V DC supply is delivered through an electric slip ring, which features tracks for intercom circuits between gunner and other crew members. The vehicle uses ventilator extraction of firing gases and fumes.
variant of the Fahd, first announced in 1990. It features a BMP-2
turret on the roof of the passenger compartment near the rear. It has a 30 mm automatic cannon
with an effective range of up to 1500 metres against armor, 2500 metres against ground targets, and 3,000 metres against air targets. It has a dual feed, one for HE rounds, the other for AP rounds, which can pierce 18 mm armor at 60 degrees from a range of 500 m. It also has a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun
and an ATGM launcher, capable of launching AT-4 or AT-5 missiles which use SACLOS
guidance, increasing the range at which the Fahd 280-30 can engage armored targets such as tanks to nearly 4000 m. These turret-mounted missiles may be deployed away from the vehicle on a launching tripod. The Fahd-30 carries 500 30 mm rounds for the autocannon, 2,000 rounds for the 7.62 mm machine gun, and five AT-5 missiles. Smoke grenade launchers are standard on this vehicle, with four on each side of the turret. The BMP-2 turret may use appliqué armor. In terms of design it is similar to the Fahd 240, but this variant has three firing ports on each side of the vehicle.
The Fahd 280-30 has a third crewman, a gunner positioned in the turret, in addition to the commander and driver. As a result of the relatively large turret this variant has a reduced passenger capacity; it can carry seven passengers instead of the original ten. The turret is standard-equipped with passive IR and night vision sensors. It also has fire control and stabilization. As a result of the armament on the Fahd 280-30, the IFV can provide fire support to infantry and it is capable of engaging tanks, armored vehicles, low flying aircraft, helicopters and personnel, with the ability to engage in a stationary position, on the move, in day or nighttime conditions, with high accuracy. The unit price is $254,246.
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
, and as a part of UNOSOM
in Somalia
.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Operator
! style="text-align: center; background: #aacccc;"|Number
! style="text-align: center; background: #aacccc;"|Date received
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Status
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Countries
|-----
|
Egypt || 1,400 ||1986–Present || still in service || Producer, and main operator. Operates around 900 Fahd 240s, 235 Fahd 280s w/ BTM-208 turret, and 265 Fahd 280-30s. (See text below for more information)
|-----
|
Kuwait || 110
60
+40 ||1988
1994
1995 || still in service || Second largest operator in 1988. The Fahd was used by the Kuwaiti side during the invasion of Kuwait
, when it lost most of them. Kuwait received more units in 1994, and had most of its captured units returned by Iraq in 1995 (See text below for more information)
|-----
|
Iraq || -- ||1990 || retired in 2003 || Although not supplied by Egypt, Iraq was able to capture most of the Kuwaity vehicles in the invasion of kuwait
. These units were then used by Iraq during the Gulf War
and the 2003 invasion of Iraq
. After the Iraqi invasion in 2003, the new Iraqi army is not reported to be using them.
|-----
|
Bangladesh || 66 ||-- || still in service || The Bangladesh Army
used these vehicles widely in patrolling missions along the Iraq-Kuwait border during UN sanctioned peacekeeping missions.
|-----
|
Algeria || 200 ||1992 || still in service || The only export deal for the vehicle between 1992 and 2006 was to Algeria. The deal was for 53 units of the Fahd 240 APC variant, for use in the internal security role and by the Gendarmerie. Currently, there are 100 units in service with the Algerian forces as of 25-Feb-2008.
|-----
|
Oman
Sudan
Democratic Republic of the Congo || 31
NA
NA || NA (not available) || still in service || The Fahd have been sold to other nations as well including Oman
, Sudan
, and the Democratic republic of Congo. Because Egypt considered the value of its military exports confidential, it omitted this information from its published trade statistics. Yet, Oman is reported to be operating 31 units.
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Organizations
|-----
|
United Nations || -- ||-- || still in service || Alaa Eldin Abdel Azim, manager of military marketing at the Arab Organization for Industrialization
said that the United Nations have bought Fahd vehicles.
|}
, part of Rheinmetall DeTech
) under the designation TH 390. The first prototypes of the vehicle were built in Germany for Egypt. Production was undertaken by the Kader Factory for Developed Industries, part of the Arab Organization for Industrialization
. The production commenced in 1985. The first vehicles have been completed in 1986 to enter service with the Egyptian Army. The Egyptian Army is believed to have placed an initial order for 300 vehicles with an option of further 110. Egypt uses the Fahd for border patrolling, where these vehicles are equipped with extra periscopes, and night vision equipments. The Fahd is also used by the Egyptian police and the central security forces; these vehicles are usually the Anti-riot version or the standard APC variant provided with a box-type shield around the commander's hatch. The vehicle has been used by Egyptian forces in peace keeping missions, and have served with SFOR
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
The military, and paramilitary users of the Fahd in Egypt are:
shows that most of the units that were captured by Iraq were returned to Kuwait as part of the return of property seized by Iraq hand over operations that have taken place from the second of March 1994 to 15 October 1996. A total of forty vehicles have been returned on three phases. See the table above for details. Not all of the vehicles are in active service with the Kuwaiti Army currently.
: Fuchs: VAB
: Al-Fahd
: LAV-25
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian armored personnel carrier, designed to fit the requirements of the Egyptian Military. The Fahd APC is relatively lighter, smaller, better armed, and less expensive than other modern APCs. It replaced older APCs in Egyptian service such as the BTR-40
BTR-40
The BTR-40 is a Soviet non-amphibious, wheeled armoured personnel carrier and reconnaissance vehicle. It is often referred to as the Sorokovka in Soviet service. It is also the first mass-produced Soviet APC...
, and the Walid (armored personnel carrier)
Walid (armored personnel carrier)
The Walid is a wheeled armored personnel carrier based on the BTR-152 and the BTR-40, built by the Arab Organization for Industrialization . It was used by Egypt during the 1967 war with Israel.-Description:...
(called Waleed in Egypt). It has been used by eight nations including Egypt, besides being used by the United Nations.
The flexible design of the vehicle, its high speed, maneuverability and long range, on road and off road, makes it possible to produce various versions to satisfy various military and security purposes. Variants include the Fahd 240/280 APC, Fahd 280-30 IFV, a command post vehicle, ambulance vehicle, light armored recovery vehicle
Armoured recovery vehicle
An armoured recovery vehicle is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle- or mine-damaged as well as broken-down armoured vehicles during combat, or to tow them out of the danger zone for more extensive repairs...
, and can be used for anti-riot purposes, mine laying and mine dispensing purposes, making it possible to form independent units capable of dealing with different threats of armor, low-flying targets, and personnel, with common repair duties, and operation. The Fahd consists of a Mercedes-Benz LAP 1117/32 truck (4 × 4) chassis fitted with an armored body. It has a usual APC configuration of placing the driver and the commander on the front, and a large box-like shape, similar to the German Fuchs.
Design characteristics
The hull of the Fahd is of all-welded steelSteel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
armor
Vehicle armour
Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, missiles, or shells, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include tanks, aircraft, and ships....
construction giving complete protection against attack by 7.62 mm caliber
7.62 mm caliber
7.62 mm caliber is a nominal caliber used for a number of different cartridges. Historically, this class of cartridge was commonly known as .30 caliber, the Imperial unit equivalent, and was most commonly used for indicating a class of full power military main battle rifle cartridges...
AP rounds and shell splinters. The vehicle is equipped with air conditioning. The driver sits at the front of the vehicle on the left side with the commander to the right. Both have forward observation via large bulletproof windows, which can be rapidly covered by an armored shutter hinged at the top, and a side door that opens to the front, featuring a window in its upper part that can also be covered by a shutter as well. Above the commander's position is a single-piece, rear-opening hatch cover. The driver has a forward-facing, roof-mounted day periscope, which can be replaced by a passive periscope for night driving. The troop compartment is at the rear of the hull with the infantry entering via a door in the rear, the upper part of which folds upwards and the lower part downwards to form a step. Over the top of the troop compartment are two rectangular roof hatches hinged in the center that can be locked vertically. The infantry sits on individual bucket seats down the center of the vehicle facing outwards. In either side of the troop compartment are four firing ports with a vision block above so that the troops can fire their weapons from within the vehicle. Either side of the rear door has a firing port with a vision block above. Optional equipment may be fitted on the vehicle, such as an NBC protection system and passive IR among others.
Armament
Up to three weapons may be fitted on to the roof of the Fahd, one on each side of the roof hatches and one to the rear. The armament usually consists of three PK machine gunPK machine gun
The PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
s, each with 1,500 7.62 mm rounds, but other 7.62 mm machine guns can be fitted on the vehicle, such as the FN MAG
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
.
Maneuverability
The Fahd APC has a top speed of 100 km/h (62.1 mph) on-road with a range of 700 km. It has average speed of 65 km/h (40.4 mph) off-road with a range of 450 km. The engine is a Mercedes Benz Diesel OM 366 LA 4-Stroke turbocharged water-cooled diesel engine, capable of providing 280 hp at 2,200 rpm. The vehicle is able to negotiate slopes up to 80%, and side slopes up to 30%, trenches with a width of up to 0.8 m, and vertical obstacle with a maximum height of 0.5 m, and it has a steering radius of 8 m.Comparison with contemporary vehicles
The Fahd APC is relatively lighter, smaller, and better armed than other modern wheeled APCs and IFVs such as the BTR-90BTR-90
BTR-90 is an 8×8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier developed in Russia, designed in 1993 and first shown publicly in 1994. It is a larger version of the BTR-80 vehicle, fitted with a BMP-2 turret...
which weighs 20.9 tons, about twice the weight of the Fahd, yet provides similar protection, and armament.A LAV-25 costs 900,000 US dollars, and carries less passengers.
Below is a comparison of some modern wheeled IFVs including the Fahd:
| Fahd 280-30 | BTR-3 BTR-3 The BTR-3 is an 8×8-wheeled armored personnel carrier was designed by Adcom Manufacturing from UAE in 2000/2001 and manufactured by KMDB in Ukraine. The most significant of exports was to the Myanmar Army which acquired 1,000 BTR-3Us, to be assembled in Myanmar... U |
VBCI Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie The Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie is a French Infantry fighting vehicle designed to replace the AMX-10P. They joined active service in 2008, with 630 vehicles ordered up to 2010... |
LAV-25 | Type-92 IFV WZ551 The WZ551 is a Chinese wheeled armored personnel carrier. It is actually consisted of two families of vehicles with official designations in the People's Liberation Army as Type 90 and Type 92. Roughly 600 WZ551s are in service with the PLA, where they are used by light mechanized infantry units... |
BTR-90 BTR-90 BTR-90 is an 8×8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier developed in Russia, designed in 1993 and first shown publicly in 1994. It is a larger version of the BTR-80 vehicle, fitted with a BMP-2 turret... |
VBM Freccia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Egypt |
 Ukraine |
 Early Modern France |
 Canada |
 Mainland China |
 Russia |
 Italy |
| Weight | 12.5 MT (13.8 ST) | 16.4 MT (18.1 ST) | 26 MT (28.7 ST) | 12.8 MT (14.1 ST) | 12.5 MT (13.8 ST) | 20.9 MT (23 ST) | 26 MT (28.7 ST) |
| Primary armament | 30 mm (1.2 in) 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon 2A42 The 30 mm automatic cannon 2A42, also known as the Shipunov 2A42, is a Soviet/Russian 30 mm automatic cannon. It is built by the Tulamashzavod Joint Stock Company.-Design:... automatic cannon |
30 mm (1.2 in) dual-feed cannon | 25 mm NATO dual-feed cannon | 25 mm NATO M242 chain gun M242 Bushmaster The M242 Bushmaster is a 25 mm chain-fed autocannon. It is used extensively by the US armed forces, as well as by NATO's and some other nations' forces in ground combat vehicles and watercraft... |
25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) Autocannon | 30 mm (1.2 in) 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon 2A42 The 30 mm automatic cannon 2A42, also known as the Shipunov 2A42, is a Soviet/Russian 30 mm automatic cannon. It is built by the Tulamashzavod Joint Stock Company.-Design:... automatic cannon |
25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) Oerlikon KBA |
| Secondary armament | 7.62 mm (0.3 in) FN MAG FN MAG The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the... machine gun |
7.62 mm (0.3 in) coaxial machine gun | 7.62 mm (0.3 in) coaxial machine gun | 2 x 7.62 mm (0.3 in) M240 machine gun | 7.62 mm (0.3 in) coaxial machine gun | 7.62 mm (0.3 in) PKT machine gun grenade launcher |
7.62 mm (0.3 in) coaxial machine gun |
| Missile armament (Range) | AT-5 Spandrel (70-4,000 meters) | AT-5 Spandrel (70-4,000 meters) | - | - | - | AT-5 Spandrel (70-4,000 meters) | Spike LR Spike (missile) Spike is a fourth generation man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile with tandem-charged HEAT warhead, developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and in service with a number of nations.... (200-4000 meters) |
| Road range | 700 km (435 mi) | 600 km (372.8 mi) | 750 km (466 mi) | 660 km (410.1 mi) | 800 km (497.1 mi) | 800 km (497.1 mi) | 800 km (497.1 mi) |
| Maximum on-road speed | 100 km/h (62.1 mph) | 85 km/h (52.8 mph) | 100 km/h (62.1 mph) | 100 km/h (62.1 mph) | 85 km/h (52.8 mph) | 100 km/h (62.1 mph) | 110 km/h (68.4 mph) |
| Maximum capacity | 3 crew + 7 passengers | 3 crew + 6 passengers | 2 crew + 9 passengers | 3 crew + 6 passengers | 3 crew + 9 passengers | 3 crew + 9 passengers | 3 crew + 8 passengers |
Fahd 240
The Fahd 240 is based upon the latest Mercedes Benz LAP 1424/32 chassis. This variant includes a far more powerful engine and a slight increase in armor. It has the same engine as the Fahd. All original Fahds have been updated to this standard, and it is the main variant in service with the Egyptian Army. It weighs 11.6 tons. The seating arrangement and design characteristics are similar to the original Fahd APC. It has a crew of two and can carry ten soldiers. On top of the passenger compartment are two large roof hatches, hinged at the center of the vehicle. They sit facing outward down the center of the vehicle. Each passenger has a firing port, giving four ports on either side of the vehicle. The armament is similar to the original Fahd.Other armament options
- 20mm Auto-cannonAutocannonAn autocannon or automatic cannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannons often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannons are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a...
: The APC variant can be armed with turrets armed with weapons ranging from 7.62 mm machine gun (see Variant with BTM-208 turret) to 20 mm cannon - MILANMILANMILAN " is French and German for "kite bird") is a European anti-tank guided missile. Design of the MILAN started in 1962. It was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire guided SACLOS missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the...
Anti-tank guided missileAnti-tank guided missileAn anti-tank missile , anti-tank guided missile , anti-tank guided weapon or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily-armored military vehicles....
: The APC variant can also be equipped with a MILAN missile vehicle mount to be able to negotiate armor and low flying threats.
Fahd 240 recovery and repair variant
| Max arm length | Four meters |
| Maximum angle of boom elevation | 70 degree |
| Angle of traverse | 315 |
| Slewing speed | 1.5 r.p.m |
| Boom specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lifting capability (ton) | Boom length (meter) |
| 2 | 2.0 vehicle stopped |
| 1.5 | 2.7 at stop |
| 1 | 4.0 at stop |
| 1 | 2.7 with a speed of 15–20 km/h |
| 0.65 | 4.0 with a speed of 15–20 km/h |
Based on the latest production Fahd-240, it shares the position and entry doors for the commander and the driver with the APC variant. A 2.5 ton turnable-mounted hydraulic crane is mounted on the roof rear, with a telescopic jib that has 315 degrees of traverse, with the boom being elevated to +70 degrees. The vehicle contains two hydraulic stabilizers for the crane, in which they are lowered to the ground while the crane is being used to provide a more stable platform. The vehicle is 13 tons in weight, and 2.8 meters in height.
The vehicle includes the following specialized equipment for repair duties: an air compressor, electric power unit, battery charger, testing unit, portable drill and grinder, tire repair set, radiator set, tool set, greasing equipment, hydraulic jack, oxy acetylene
Oxy-fuel welding and cutting
Oxy-fuel welding and oxy-fuel cutting are processes that use fuel gases and oxygen to weld and cut metals, respectively. French engineers Edmond Fouché and Charles Picard became the first to develop oxygen-acetylene welding in 1903...
set, recovery equipment and a tent.
Fahd Ambulance
The ambulance variant is based on the basic Fahd APC design, with modifications for its specialized purpose. The vehicle has the ability to serve four laying patients, and another four sitting patients. The vehicle has a crew of three, these are: driver, physician, and a dresser. The Ambulance variant additional external flasher, and a search light mounted on the rear door for emergency.Along with one tent and dual interior lights, the vehicle is equipped with specialized medical instruments.
Fahd mine laying vehicle
Another conversion of the Fahd APC enables it to become a mine laying vehicle. The mine are of anti-tank type, where these vehicles are used as mobile systems with high maneuverability, and the ability to lay anti-tank mine fields in a short time. The mine laying system used on the Fahd is the Nather-2. The mine laying system is equipped with a control unit that computes the tube firing sequence delay time to set mine densities, and adjusts the required dispensing direction. The mines can be dispensed on right, left and backwards of the vehicle.The mine layer can create a mine field from 1,500 to 3,000 metres long and 25-30 metres wide from four dispensing modules firing 600 mines per salvo giving a mine density between 0.2 and 1 mine per square meter.
Fahd command vehicle
The Fahd command vehicle contains three gun mounts for 7.62 mm caliber7.62 mm caliber
7.62 mm caliber is a nominal caliber used for a number of different cartridges. Historically, this class of cartridge was commonly known as .30 caliber, the Imperial unit equivalent, and was most commonly used for indicating a class of full power military main battle rifle cartridges...
machine guns, as well as other special equipments for command purposes.
The command vehicle is equipped with three-four wireless communication set with antennas and six terminals intercom system, a 10-line telephone exchange and two field telephones powered from a 1.5 kW electrical generator.
Fahd 280 w/ BTM-208 Turret
This IFV variant is essentially a Fahd 240, fitted with a dual-weapon turret that has a 12.7 mm machine gun and a 7.62 mm machine gun. The addition of a turret requires a third crewman, the gunner, but it does not affect the Fahd 240's passenger capacity. The turret is the French BTM-208 turret, produced under license from the French SAMM company. It is air-tight, and provides NBC protection. It incorporates and aiming telescopic periscope, forward–observation, rotating mirror periscope in co-axial alignment with weapons, and five or six bullet-proof glass ports insuring all-round vision and ballistic protection. 200 rounds are provided for the 7.62 mm machine gun, and another 100 for the 12.7 mm machine gun. Elevation limits are -8 and +45, the turret provides 360 degrees of traversion for the weapons. The vehicle has a rotating seat, and an armored hatch for the turret. The machine guns can be fired by means of a foot pedal, freeing the gunner's hands. A central console groups control switches and warning lights governing weapon selection. The addition of a turret increases the vehicle height to 2.85 meters.Power from the vehicle's 24V DC supply is delivered through an electric slip ring, which features tracks for intercom circuits between gunner and other crew members. The vehicle uses ventilator extraction of firing gases and fumes.
Fahd Anti-Riot
The Anti-Riot variant is based on the Fahd 280. The dual weapons installed in the turret are replaced with a water cannon actuated at 180 l/min pump to jet plain, colored or mixed water at a distance of 30-50 m. Grenade launchers are also installed on the turret for firing smoke and tear gas grenades. There is a steel grader in the vehicle front to remove barricades in streets and passes, along with two flashers, multi-tone siren, loud speaker and horn. This variant also has a passenger capacity of ten.Fahd 280-30
The Fahd 280-30 is an IFVInfantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
variant of the Fahd, first announced in 1990. It features a BMP-2
BMP-2
The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following the BMP-1 of the 1960s....
turret on the roof of the passenger compartment near the rear. It has a 30 mm automatic cannon
30 mm automatic cannon 2A42
The 30 mm automatic cannon 2A42, also known as the Shipunov 2A42, is a Soviet/Russian 30 mm automatic cannon. It is built by the Tulamashzavod Joint Stock Company.-Design:...
with an effective range of up to 1500 metres against armor, 2500 metres against ground targets, and 3,000 metres against air targets. It has a dual feed, one for HE rounds, the other for AP rounds, which can pierce 18 mm armor at 60 degrees from a range of 500 m. It also has a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun
PK machine gun
The PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
and an ATGM launcher, capable of launching AT-4 or AT-5 missiles which use SACLOS
SACLOS
SACLOS is an acronym for Semi-Automatic Command to Line of Sight, a second-generation method of missile guidance. In SACLOS, the operator has to continually point a sighting device at the target while the missile is in flight...
guidance, increasing the range at which the Fahd 280-30 can engage armored targets such as tanks to nearly 4000 m. These turret-mounted missiles may be deployed away from the vehicle on a launching tripod. The Fahd-30 carries 500 30 mm rounds for the autocannon, 2,000 rounds for the 7.62 mm machine gun, and five AT-5 missiles. Smoke grenade launchers are standard on this vehicle, with four on each side of the turret. The BMP-2 turret may use appliqué armor. In terms of design it is similar to the Fahd 240, but this variant has three firing ports on each side of the vehicle.
The Fahd 280-30 has a third crewman, a gunner positioned in the turret, in addition to the commander and driver. As a result of the relatively large turret this variant has a reduced passenger capacity; it can carry seven passengers instead of the original ten. The turret is standard-equipped with passive IR and night vision sensors. It also has fire control and stabilization. As a result of the armament on the Fahd 280-30, the IFV can provide fire support to infantry and it is capable of engaging tanks, armored vehicles, low flying aircraft, helicopters and personnel, with the ability to engage in a stationary position, on the move, in day or nighttime conditions, with high accuracy. The unit price is $254,246.
2A42 30mm cannon
The gas-operated gun is a dual feed multipurpose small caliber weapon, that has a dual rate of fire with a minimum rate of 200-300 or 550 rounds per minute (rds/min), where the rapid fire mode assures 800 rds/min. The sustained rate of fire is 200 rds/min, though. The gun is intended for engaging materiel, low flying aircraft, light vehicles, and dismounted infantry. With a muzzle velocity of 960 m/s, the gun is capable of defeating a light Armored Personnel Carrier at a range of 1,500 meters, a soft-skinned vehicle at 4,000 meters, and slow-flying aircraft at altitudes up to 2,000 meters and slant ranges of up to 2,500 meters.Operators and service history
The Fahd have been used by eight countries including Egypt, and the United Nations also bought it. It has also seen service as a part of SFORSFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, and as a part of UNOSOM
UNOSOM
UNOSOM may refer to:* UNOSOM I* UNOSOM II* UNITAF* Operation Provide Relief See also Operation Deliverance, the concurrent Canadian operation...
in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
.
! style="text-align: center; background: #aacccc;"|Number
! style="text-align: center; background: #aacccc;"|Date received
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Status
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
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! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Countries
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Egypt || 1,400 ||1986–Present || still in service || Producer, and main operator. Operates around 900 Fahd 240s, 235 Fahd 280s w/ BTM-208 turret, and 265 Fahd 280-30s. (See text below for more information)|-----
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Kuwait || 11060
+40 ||1988
1994
1995 || still in service || Second largest operator in 1988. The Fahd was used by the Kuwaiti side during the invasion of Kuwait
Invasion of Kuwait
The Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf...
, when it lost most of them. Kuwait received more units in 1994, and had most of its captured units returned by Iraq in 1995 (See text below for more information)
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Iraq || -- ||1990 || retired in 2003 || Although not supplied by Egypt, Iraq was able to capture most of the Kuwaity vehicles in the invasion of kuwaitInvasion of Kuwait
The Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf...
. These units were then used by Iraq during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. After the Iraqi invasion in 2003, the new Iraqi army is not reported to be using them.
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Bangladesh || 66 ||-- || still in service || The Bangladesh ArmyBangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land forces branch and the largest of the three uniformed service of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities in support of Bangladesh's security and defense strategies including defense of the nation's...
used these vehicles widely in patrolling missions along the Iraq-Kuwait border during UN sanctioned peacekeeping missions.
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Algeria || 200 ||1992 || still in service || The only export deal for the vehicle between 1992 and 2006 was to Algeria. The deal was for 53 units of the Fahd 240 APC variant, for use in the internal security role and by the Gendarmerie. Currently, there are 100 units in service with the Algerian forces as of 25-Feb-2008.|-----
|
Oman Sudan Democratic Republic of the Congo || 31 NA
NA || NA (not available) || still in service || The Fahd have been sold to other nations as well including Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, and the Democratic republic of Congo. Because Egypt considered the value of its military exports confidential, it omitted this information from its published trade statistics. Yet, Oman is reported to be operating 31 units.
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! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Organizations
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United Nations || -- ||-- || still in service || Alaa Eldin Abdel Azim, manager of military marketing at the Arab Organization for IndustrializationArab Organization for Industrialization
The Arab Organization for Industrialization is an Egypt-based Arab military organisation established in 1975 by Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to supervise the collective development of the Arab defence industry. Following a gradual deterioration in relations between the...
said that the United Nations have bought Fahd vehicles.
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Egypt
The vehicle was originally designed to fit Egyptian requirements by Rheinmetall Landsysteme (then Thyssen-HenschelThyssen-Henschel
Thyssen Henschel was a German industrial firm and defense contractor. Its products include the TAM medium tank for Argentina, the Mexican Henschel APC and the Marder infantry fighting vehicle....
, part of Rheinmetall DeTech
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defence company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and Unterlüß. The company has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces...
) under the designation TH 390. The first prototypes of the vehicle were built in Germany for Egypt. Production was undertaken by the Kader Factory for Developed Industries, part of the Arab Organization for Industrialization
Arab Organization for Industrialization
The Arab Organization for Industrialization is an Egypt-based Arab military organisation established in 1975 by Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to supervise the collective development of the Arab defence industry. Following a gradual deterioration in relations between the...
. The production commenced in 1985. The first vehicles have been completed in 1986 to enter service with the Egyptian Army. The Egyptian Army is believed to have placed an initial order for 300 vehicles with an option of further 110. Egypt uses the Fahd for border patrolling, where these vehicles are equipped with extra periscopes, and night vision equipments. The Fahd is also used by the Egyptian police and the central security forces; these vehicles are usually the Anti-riot version or the standard APC variant provided with a box-type shield around the commander's hatch. The vehicle has been used by Egyptian forces in peace keeping missions, and have served with SFOR
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
.
The military, and paramilitary users of the Fahd in Egypt are:
- Egyptian ArmyEgyptian ArmyThe Egyptian Army is the largest service branch within the Egyptian Armed Forces and holds power in the current Egyptian government. It is estimated to number around 379,000, in addition to 479,000 reservists for a total of 858,000 strong. The modern army was created in the 1820s, and during the...
- Central Security ForcesCentral Security ForcesThe 350,000 strong Central Security Forces CSF organization is an Egyptian Paramilitary force which is responsible for assisting the Egyptian National Police for the security of governmental fixed sites, foreign embassies & missions, riots & crowds control, publicly crowded events, high risk...
Kuwait
Egypt sold Kuwait 110 vehicles. Kuwait has been reported to operate about 100 units in 1988, where most of the vehicles were captured and/or destroyed by the Iraqi forces. Currently, Kuwait has 60 vehicles, where some more vehicles were received in 1994. A report of the secretary general of the United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
shows that most of the units that were captured by Iraq were returned to Kuwait as part of the return of property seized by Iraq hand over operations that have taken place from the second of March 1994 to 15 October 1996. A total of forty vehicles have been returned on three phases. See the table above for details. Not all of the vehicles are in active service with the Kuwaiti Army currently.
Comparable vehicles
: Type 92WZ551
The WZ551 is a Chinese wheeled armored personnel carrier. It is actually consisted of two families of vehicles with official designations in the People's Liberation Army as Type 90 and Type 92. Roughly 600 WZ551s are in service with the PLA, where they are used by light mechanized infantry units...
: Fuchs: VAB
Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé
The Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé or VAB is an armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle designed by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced.- Design :The VAB was designed as a wheeled troop transporter, complementing the...
: Al-Fahd
Al-Fahd Infantry fighting vehicle
The Al-Fahd is an armoured fighting vehicle used by the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia. It was the first armoured fighting vehicle developed and built in Saudi Arabia...
: LAV-25
See also
- Armored warfareArmoured warfareArmoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
- Armored personnel carrierArmoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
- Infantry fighting vehicleInfantry fighting vehicleAn infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...