Fahd

   The Fahd wheeled APC was developed in response to an Egyptian Army requirement by Thyssen-Henschel of Germany. The resulting vehicle was known as TH 390. The prototypes were manufactured in Germany. Thereafter production switched to state-owned factories in Egypt, from 1985 onwards, where the Fahd gradually replaced a whole host of older APC types in service. The basic Fahd has been exported, often in an internal security configuration, with customers including Algeria and Kuwait, Oman and Zaire. The vehicles delivered to Kuwait were captured by Iraq during their invasion.

   The Fahd is essentially a box-type armored steel body built onto the chassis of a Mercedes-Benz 1117/32 4x4 truck, with extensive use being made of readily available commercial components where possible.

   The large body is highly amenable to alternation for a number of purposes so, apart from the basic APC carrying ten troops who enter through a door at the rear, the Fahd can be adapted to become a police or internal security vehicle or act as a minelaying vehicle with banks of mine dispenser tubes installed on a flat bed rear body.

   As an APC the Fahd is well provided with vision devices for the occupants and air conditioning is standard, as is a central tyre inflation system to allow the vehicle to cross sand and other soft terrain. The roof can be used to mount various types and sizes of turret armed with weapons from 7.62-mm MG to 20-mm cannon.

Variants

   Fahd 30, fitted with complete turret and armament of the BMP-2 IFV. This turret conversion changes the Fahd into a potential IFV. First announced in 1990, the Fahd 30 turret comes complete with roof-mounted ATGW;

   Command vehicle;

   Armored ambulance;

   Recovery vehicle;

   Internal security vehicle;

   Specialized missile carriers.