Al-Fahd Infantry fighting vehicle
Encyclopedia
The Al-Fahd is an armoured fighting vehicle
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....

 used by the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia. It was the first armoured fighting vehicle developed and built in Saudi Arabia. The vehicle is produced by the Abdallah Al Faris Company for Heavy Industries, which is based in Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...

.

The Al Fahd is available in three configurations: The AF-40-8-1; an armoured personnel carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...

 (APC) or infantry fighting vehicle
Infantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...

 (IFV) variant, and the AF-40-8-2; an armoured fighting/reconnaissance vehicle
Reconnaissance vehicle
A reconnaissance vehicle, also known as a scout vehicle, is a military vehicle used for forward reconnaissance.- Design :Smaller caliber weapons help reduce the vehicle's profile and noise signatures...

 (AFRV).

Mobility

The AF-40-8-1 and AF-40-8-2 are similar in terms of 8-wheeled hull configuration, suspension and transmission. Internally, however, the vehicles differ in both engine type and engine placement. The AF-40-8-2's larger, 12-cylinder engine is mounted at the rear of the hull, where the AF-40-8-1's 10-cylinder engine is mounted at the front to allow for the troop compartment, and rear troop ramp which are not present on or required for the AFRV version.

The Al Fahd uses a variable hydropneumatic suspension which allows the vehicle to adjust its ground clearance by a total of 45 cm (17.7 in) - between 15 cm (5.9 in) and 60 cm (23.6 in) - depending on need.

The vehicle is designed to be able to negotiate slopes of up to 80% (forward) and 55% (side), and cross trenches between 2 m (6.6 ft) and 2.5 m (8.2 ft).

There is also an amphibious
Amphibious vehicle
An amphibious vehicle , is a vehicle or craft, that is a means of transport, viable on land as well as on water – just like an amphibian....

 version of the Al Fahd available depending on customer requirements. The hydraulic propellers are optional, so not all Al Fahd's are capable of amphibious operation.

Protection

The Al Fahd uses a high-hardness steel alloy to offer protection against 14mm ammunition on the frontal arc at ranges of 300 m (984.3 ft) and greater, and 7.62mm ammunition at ranges of 25 m (82 ft) and greater on the sides and rear of the vehicle. The vehicle also incorporates multiple layers of Kevlar internally to protect the crew and passengers against spall
Spall
Spall are flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body and can be produced by a variety of mechanisms, including as a result of projectile impact, corrosion, weathering, cavitation, or excessive rolling pressure...

.

Armament

The armament for both the AF-40-8-1 and AF-40-8-2 varies according to customer specifications. The AF-40-8-1 is capable of mounting anything up to and including a 40mm cannon, and the AF-40-8-2 anything up to and including a low-recoil 105mm cannon.
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