IDEX 2017: the increase in purchases of armored combat vehicles in the Middle East
The modular armored vehicle Armored Modular Vehicle 8x8L of the Finnish company Patria with an installed turret from the Russian BMP-3 is in service with the UAE army
The countries of the Middle East and North Africa continue to improve their capabilities in the field of armored combat vehicles (BBM), buying new platforms or upgrading their outdated models in order to extend their service life.
Qatar replaces its obsolete main battle Tanks (MBT) of French origin AMX-30 with the latest MBT Leopard 2A7 + from the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, its factory in Munich is currently engaged in the production of 62 of these machines.
This is the most advanced version of the MBT Leopard 2, which has ever been deployed, it has many improvements. These include the installation of the newest booking kit, a remote-controlled combat module on the roof, armed with an M12,7 HB 2-mm machine gun, auxiliary power unit and the Rheinmetall L120 X-gun smoothbore, which can fire the latest generation of ammunition.
Qatari contract also includes 24 155-propelled m / 52 CLB howitzer PzH 2000, 32 reconnaissance armored Fennek (4x4) and part of new armored Dingo Heavy Duty (4x4), which is the first Qatar customer.
MBT Leopard 2A7 + for Qatar shoots from its 120-mm smoothbore gun Rheinmetall L55, which can fire a high-explosive fragmentation programmable projectile Rheinmetall DM11
Under the contract with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, the German company FFG will supply Qatar with six Wisent 2 support vehicles based on the hull of the Leopard 2 tank. In addition, Qatar receives 11 special kits from Pearson Engineering. These are four engineering, three evacuation and four sets for making passes, which will allow to re-equip the Wisent 2 for various tasks that are provided by the military doctrine of Qatar.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia operates a large fleet of 399 MBT M1 A2S Abrams manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems. Last year, the US Department of Defense approved the sale of another 153 MBT M1 A2S plus 20 BREM M88. The series production of M1 A1 / M1A2 Abrams tanks has been completed, but the modernization of the vehicles is still ongoing at the state plant in the US city of Lima.
In addition to Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, M1 Abrams tank operators are Egypt (assembled M1A1 at an Egyptian tank factory), Iraq (M1 A1SA), Kuwait (M1 A2) and Morocco (M1 A1SA).
Saudi Arabia is also the largest operator of the M113 series armored personnel carriers and its variants delivered by the United States. For several years, the Turkish company FNSS Savunma Sistemleri has upgraded the M113 BTR to the improved standard M113A4 on production lines in Saudi Arabia; currently more than 1000 machines are back in service with an extended life.
Upgrading to the M113A4 standard includes the installation of a new diesel power unit and cooling system, an upgraded torsion bar suspension that improves driving performance, a new driver’s workplace and a night vision device, new external fuel tanks on each side of the aft ramp with a power drive. Machines also have an increased level of protection, including hinged passive armor and internal splinterproof baffles.
In addition to upgrading the base BTR M113, several special options were upgraded, including the M577 command post, a mobile ATGM with TOW missiles, an 120-mm mortar, and the M548 cargo variant.
Saudi BNR M113, upgraded by Turkish company FNSS Savunma Sistemleri to the improved standard M113A4 and equipped with a new turret with a 12,7-mm machine gun M2 HB
Saudi National Guard (SANG) continues to expand its capabilities through the acquisition of 136 self-propelled 155-mm / 52 klb CAESAR artillery units from Nexter Systems based on the Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG chassis (6X6) and a full set of ammunition, including XNHIMX chassis and ammunition, including XNHIMX chassis and ammunition, including XN-CHAMXXX155 artillery, and a full set of ammunition, including XN-CHAM chassis of the Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG (XNUMXXXNUMX). attacks from above.
SANG also accepts deliveries from General Dynamics Land Systems Canada of the latest Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) armored vehicles in 8x8 configurations equipped with various weapon systems, including NEMO machines manufactured by Patria, a Finnish company NEMO.
The German company Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles was very successful with its Fuchs 2 armored personnel carrier (6x6), which was developed on its own initiative for the export market. Compared with the original version of Fuchs, the Fuchs 2 has a larger volume, greater payload and better protection.
Algeria signed a contract with the Germans for the supply of 980 BTR Fuchs 2, the first 54 vehicles have already been delivered from the Kassel plant, and the rest should be assembled in Algeria, but the complete power unit comes from Germany.
UAE using Fuchs 2 armored vehicle when performing specialized WMD intelligence missions
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) accepted deliveries of 32 Fuchs 2 machines in three configurations for use in special reconnaissance missions of the PKO. Kuwait also ordered Fuchs 12 machines for WMD intelligence, three machines are currently manufactured at the Kassel plant.
Russia was already a major supplier of BBM to the Middle East; infantry fighting vehicles BMP-3 production Kurganmashzavod were sold in large quantities in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE also bought a batch of Finnish-made AMV armored vehicles in the 8x8L configuration, on which a BMP-3 turret was installed. This turret is armed with an 100A2 70 cannon (also a laser-guided missile launcher), an 30A2 twin-gun 72-mm and a PCT 7,62-mm machine gun.
Materials used:
www.idexuae.ae
www.shephardmedia.com
www.janes.com
www.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
Information