Talha [M113]

APC TALHA has been designed and manufactured Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT). The Talha's design is based on the M113, one notable difference being the positions of the engine and driver station. There is a flexibility in the design that the engine compartment can accommodate power pack with 212/265 HP Detroit diesel 6v53/T turbo charged engine. TALHA is an all terrain, amphibious infantry support vehicle with 12.7 mm machine gun as its main armaments. Adequate crew compartment space provides excellent crew comfort. Survivability is enhanced through use of external fuel tanks. Various forms of bolt-on armor can be added to enhance protection of the vehicle. Design of Talha is very close to American M113-A2-Mk1. But at the same time there some major differences, for example Talha's cruising range is 20-25 kilometers more than that of M113. Positions of the engine and driver's station are opposite. In addition to that there are provisions for firing ports and periscopes.

The decision to develop the Talha made after US sanctions imposed on Pakistan made it impossible for HIT to continue manufacturing the M113. Pakistan army has already placed an order for initial 250 of these APCs, which were to be delivered over the period of two years by 2005-06. By one report, the Pakistan army planned to include 2,000 of these machines by the year 2010. The Al-Talha was marketed for export and was displayed at the IDEAS 2002 defence exhibition, Karachi, in 2002.

In November 2004 an Iraqi delegation ordered 44 Talha APCs. In March 2006 the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq (MNSTC-I) finalised the distribution to the Iraqi Army of Pakistan's Heavy Industry Taxila (HIT)-manufactured Talha tracked armored personnel carriers (APCs). Iraq was the first export confirmed customer for the amphibious Talha. Equipped with mounts for 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine guns, the Talha APC was developed by HIT based on the BAE Systems Ground Systems Division (formerly United Defense) M113 APC manufactured in Pakistan on licence. HIT signed a contract with the Iraqi Ministry of Defence in November 2004 for delivery of 44 Talhas, 60 Al Mohafiz Security Vehicles and 300 Aahan Armoured Guard Posts. The total value of the contract is about USD31 million. Following initial deliveries in March 2005, the Iraqi Army distributed 14 Talhas to its 3rd Division, which is responsible for security in north-western Iraq, while the remaining 30 vehicles have been issued to 9th Mechanised Division based in Taji near Baghdad.

The Al-Hadeed ARV is fitted with a roof-mounted hydraulically operated crane that can lift 3 tonnes. A hydraulic winch is mounted in the rear of the vehicle leading out through the lowered rear ramp. It can be used to recover vehicles weighing up to 20 tonnes when the two rear hydraulic stabilisers are lowered. There are at least two fire-support versions of the standard Talha APC. The Mouz is fitted with a pedestal-mounted Swedish Saab Bofors Dynamics RBS-70 laser-guided surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. This can also be removed from the Mouz and deployed on the ground. A roof-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun (MG) is provided for local defence. The Maaz is armed with the locally manufactured 3,000 m range Baktar Shikan anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) and a 12.7 mm MG for local defence.

HIT has also proposed an armoured infantry fighting vehicle (AIFV) based on the upgraded M113 called the Al-Hamza. This has firing ports in the rear troop compartment and a roof-mounted Chinese WAT 314T turret, armed with a 25 mm cannon and 7.62 mm co-axial MG. Finally, there is a stretched load carrier based on a modified M113 series chassis called the Al-Qaswa.