APC Talha

APC-Talha
Type	Armoured personnel carrier
Place of origin	Pakistan
Service history
Used by	Iraq, Pakistan
Production history
Designer	Heavy Industries Taxila
Designed	1998
Manufacturer	Heavy Industries Taxila
Produced	2002
Specifications
Mass	12
Length	5.55
Width	2.54
Height	2.52
Crew	8
Armor	?
Main armament	12.7 mm machine gun
Secondary armament	none
Engine	Diesel
Power/weight	?
Suspension	torsion bar
Operational range	320
Maximum speed	?

Al-Talha is an armoured personnel carrier designed and manufactured by the Pakistani Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) using Ukrainian made engines. The vehicle is a modernised American M113-A2-Mk1.

There are several provisions for firing ports and periscopes. The army of Pakistan plans to deploy 2,000 of these by year 2010.

History

The Al-Talha had been seen in the IDEA 2002 exhibition in Karachi in 2002 after it was produced.

The decision to develop the vehicle was taken, because it was almost impossible to build more M113's due to US sanctions (the PA have more than 850 in service). The PA will now receive some 150 Talha or Al-Talha APC's; total number planned is 2,000. The design is clearly based on the M113, but the positions of the engine and driver's station are switched.

Variants

• Al-Hadeed - Recovery vehicle based on a Talha APC.
• Al-Hamza - Armored infantry fighting vehicle.
• Al-Maaz - Variant fitted with the Baktar Shikan anti-tank missile.
• Al-Qaswa - Logistics vehicle.
• Al-Saad - Six roadwheel personnel carrier version.
• Al-Sakb - Logistics support and command vehicle.
• Al-Talha - Five road-wheel personnel carrier version.

Iraqi Interest

In November 2004 an Iraqi defence delegation paid a visit to Pakistan and showed interest in the vehicle and ordered 44 of them.

See also

• List of modern armoured fighting vehicles
• Heavy Industries Taxila
• Pakistani Arms Industry

External links

• IDEAS defence exhibition, Pakistan