Jordan Testing New 8x8 Armored Fighting Vehicle

Jordan is currently testing its first 8x8 armored fighting vehicle (AFV), Almared.

The Jordan's King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) is testing Almared. The AFV is based on a Tatra 8x8 high-mobility cross-country chassis and features an all-welded steel armoured body that is claimed to provide ballistic protection of up to STANAG 4569 Level 4, but with an upgrade can achieve Level 5, IHS Janes reported Tuesday.

The lower half has a traditional V-shape to provide a higher level of protection against mines and improvised explosive devices (IED).

Almared is in the armored personnel carrier configuration. The layout is conventional with diesel power-pack at the front right and the driver front on the left. The vehicle can carry eight dismounts in addition to commander and driver.

Dismounts are seated in the rear, which has a power-operated ramp in the back of the hull. In either side of the rear troop compartment are four oblong vision blocks with integrated firing ports.

Over the roof of the troop compartment are two hatches either side that can be locked in the vertical position.

Located on either side and above the second, third and fourth road wheel stations are stowage lockers which would be blown away in the event of the vehicle running over a mine or IED.

The commander is provided with a cupola with periscopes but the vehicle could be fitted with a remote weapon station (RWS) armed with a .50 calibre M2 HB machine gun (MG) or the locally developed Snake Head cupola armed with a similar weapon.

Almared is powered by a 420 hp diesel engine coupled to a fully automatic six-speed transmission which is stated to give a maximum road speed of up to 110 km/h. It has independent suspension at each wheel station and a claimed high level of cross-country mobility.