[🇵🇰] Pakistan : Heavy Industries Taxila.

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TANK AL-KHALID-I​

• Equipped with Air Conditioner System.
• Enhanced protection against Smart Ammo and other forms of top attacks.
• Improved Muzzle Reference System.
• Solid State Auto Loader (SSAL).
• Improved Radiation Detector.
• Independent and effective Comd & Con system for deeper and long distance operations.
• Nuclear environment sustainable operations and life support system.
• An Indigenously developed tank to have higher strategic and tactical mobility.
• Capable of fighting in built up areas i.e. in urban warfare.

https://hit.gov.pk/defence-tab.php

 

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Foreigner Services Attaches to Pakistan visited Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) on 20th February 2024.

They toured various sections of the factory and had a meeting with Chairman HIT, Lieutenant General Shakir Ullah Khattak.

 

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[H3]Viper Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)[/H3]

Global Defense Insight
December 30, 2023

Unveiled at IDEAS 2018 by Heavy Industries Taxila, the Viper Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) signifies Pakistan's commitment to modernizing its ground forces. With a design versatile enough for potential deployment along the eastern border to counter conventional threats from India or in counter-insurgency operations, this Infantry Fighting Vehicle represents a critical advancement in the Pakistan Army's capabilities.

The Viper Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) harmoniously combines the sturdy APC Saad's chassis with the state-of-the-art Terra-30 combat module, creating an effective and low-cost synergy that boosts both mobility and firepower.

The Chassis

The Viper IFV employs an up-armored Sa'ad APC as its chassis. APC Sa'ad, crafted by APC Factory at HIT, features a flexible design accommodating a German Deutz TCD 2015 V6 engine with 408 HP and automatic transmission. Enhanced survivability is achieved with external fuel tanks and optional Bolt-on armour. Capable of 75 km/h speed, 60% straight slope climb, and water fording, it offers optional features like Add-on armour, Spall Liner, NBC Kit, and Air Conditioning System.

Final dimensions of the production version of IFV are debatable as one vehicle spotted in September 2023 had reduced height and improved rubber tracks. Possibility of a new power pack can't be denied either. Firing ports of the vehicle were also removed as they were not needed.

The Combat Module

2018 prototype had a Slovakian Terra-30 RCWS on it. Pakistan also tested Ukranian BM-7 Parus RCWS for this program, however it was not selected.

The Terra-30 is a Slovakian remote-controlled weapon station manufactured by the Slovakian firm EVPÚ. It is equipped with a 30mm cannon, with options for either the Mk-44 Bushmaster-II or the Russian 2A42 as its main armament. It offers versatility by allowing the integration of 2x launchers of either the Israeli Spike or the Russian Kornet anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system. It also features a 7.62mm machine gun and 4x smoke grenade launchers which can cover 120º at the front of the vehicle.

Dimensions of the system are as following:

• Total Weight: 1,540 kg
• Length (without main gun): 2.24 m
• Height: 0.765 m
• Width: 2.021 m

Combat module also features TV CCD Day camera, Infrared night camera and laser range finder. The turret is full electrically operated and stabilized with traverse on 360º and weapon elevation from -10° to +70º. The version purchased by Pakistan has Russian origin armaments on it.

Current Status

The Viper IFV is currently in serial production, and Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) is actively engaged in refining its design. Additionally, a pilot production batch of the IFV was reportedly delivered to the Pakistan Army for field testing.

 

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[H3]New locally-made MAAZ anti-tank tracked armored vehicle enters service with the Pakistani army[/H3]
15 APRIL 2024

On March 23, 2024, during the Pakistan Day Parade that was held in the city of Islamabad, the Pakistani armed forces have unveiled new combat vehicles that are now in service with the Pakistani army including the locally-made MAAZ, a new anti-tank tracked armored vehicle.

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The new MAAZ anti-tank tracked armored vehicle during the Pakistani Military Day Parade.

During the Pakistani military parade, several new armored personnel carriers (APCs) were displayed as well as the latest generation of Main Batte Tanks (MBTs). One of the new vehicles presented during the military parade is the MAAZ which is an anti-tank version of the Talha, an APC (Armored personnel Carrier based) armed with an anti-tank launcher unit Baktar-Shikan.

According to the military balance, the Pakistani army has a total of 3,200 tracked APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) vehicles including 2,300 M113A1/A2/P, 200 Talha, 600 Italian VCC-1/VCC-2 and 100 Chinese ZSD-63.


The Talha is the first Pakistani-made armored personnel carrier designed and developed by Heavy Industries Taxila, a state-owned defense company located in Taxila, Punjab, Pakistan. It is based on the chassis of the US M113 APC but provides enhanced protection. The primary weapon of the Talha APC is a 12.7 mm machine gun mounted on the roof.

Designed as an APC, the Talha can transport 11 fully equipped infantrymen. It features two firing ports on each side, an improvement over the M113, which lacked this feature. Troops can access and exit the vehicle through a ramp at the rear.

According to our first analysis, the MAAZ, the anti-tank version of the Talha is fitted with the locally-made Baktar-Shikan anti-tank missile firing unit which is based on the Chinese HJ-8 anti-tank missile, manufactured under license by Pakistan since the late 1990s and had a successful first test in July 1997.

The missile of the Baktar Shikan anti-tank weapon system can be equipped with two types of warheads: the standard and the tandem. The tandem warhead is particularly effective against the majority of explosive reactive and spaced armors currently in use. Incorporating a smaller warhead, it neutralizes the protective Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA), allowing the main warhead to effectively penetrate the tank's armor.

The missile features a short, cylindrical body with a hemispherical nose and foldable stabilizing fins at the tail. It has a maximum range of 3,000 meters. The standard warhead can penetrate armor up to 500 mm thick, while the tandem warheads are capable of penetrating armor exceeding 600 mm.

Over the past decade, Pakistan has actively collaborated with foreign countries to advance its combat vehicle capabilities, focusing on expanding its indigenous military production and enhancing the performance of its armored vehicles.

A significant partnership in this realm has been with China, with whom Pakistan shares robust defense ties. This collaboration has particularly focused on the development and ongoing enhancement of the Al-Khalid tank, which is part of the joint MBT-2000 project. While the Al-Khalid tank itself was initiated before the last ten years, continuous upgrades and new iterations of this tank have been part of recent cooperative efforts.

Additionally, Pakistan has engaged with Turkey, another key partner in military production. The two countries have worked together on several defense projects, including the development of armored vehicle systems. These collaborations not only involve the direct acquisition of military equipment but also the sharing of technology and expertise, which is crucial for building Pakistan's local defense manufacturing capabilities.