Jordan unveils first tracked armoured vehicle

Jordan is launching its Heavy Infantry Combat Vehicle (HICV), the first tracked armoured fighting vehicle designed and assembled in Middle East, at Idex 2001. Called the Jordanian Temsah (Arabic for Crocodile) HICV and designated Project AB14, the unit displayed at Idex is an experimental demonstration model, developed by the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) of Jordan in collaboration with the Mechanology Design Bureau (MDB) of South Africa and Helio Ltd of the UK.

KADDB expects orders for the AB14 to be placed within a few months, it said. KADDB is considering allowing the AB14 to be manufactured under licence by a commercial partner for opportunities within Jordan and elsewhere in the Middle East. The AB14 is based on the Jordanian "Tariq" variant of the Centurion main battle tank, although in the AB14 only the lower hull and engine compartment have been retained along with the AVDS 1790 V12 diesel engine and the CD850 transmission. It can carry a crew of two and a dismount section of up to 10 men plus combat supplies.

The project objective was that of investigating options for a cost-effective conversion of potentially surplus main battle tanks in order to provide a mission-capable, heavily protected ICV that can operate alongside the latest generation tanks. Other equipment displayed at the KADDB stand includes the AB2 family of vehicles comprising the Al Jawad Armoured Troop Carrier and the Tactical Intervention Vehicle. There are also several units of the Mark III variant of the AB9B1 M60-120mm tank, AB13 Infantry Combat Vehicle, AB23 Desert Ranger dual-wheel drive motorbike and displays of track and roadwheels now available for supply from Jordan.