Mohafiz (vehicle)

Mohafiz
Type Internal security vehicle
Place of origin  Pakistan
Service history
Used by Iraq, Pakistan
Production history
Designer Heavy Industries Taxila
Designed 1990s
Manufacturer Heavy Industries Taxila
Produced ~2003[1]
Specifications
Weight 3657 kg
Length 4877 mm
Width 1575 mm
Height 2023 mm
Crew 8

Main
armament
7.62mm

The Mohafiz is an internal security vehicle designed and manufactured at Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) in Pakistan based on the chassis of commercial vehicle.

Development

Early in 2000, HIT started design work on a new 4 × 4 Internal Security (IS) vehicle called the Mohafiz. This was first shown in mid-November 2000 and in December 2000 started extensive trials.

Engine

It is powered by a 4.2 litre diesel engine coupled to a manual transmission with five forward and one reverse gears and a two speed transfer case. If required, a more powerful 4.5 litre diesel engine could be installed to provide a higher power-to-weight ratio.

Although the first example of the Mohafiz is based on a Toyota Land Cruiser chassis, it could also be built on other 4 × 4 chassis. This includes the Land Rover Defender 110 (4 × 4), which is already in service with the Pakistani Army in large numbers.

Vehicles supplied to Iraq were based on a Land Rover 110 (4 × 4) chassis.

Design

The Mohafiz APC has an all-welded aluminium armour body that provides the occupants with protection from small arms fire up to 7.62 mm in calibre and shell splinters. The fully enclosed engine compartment is at the front with the crew compartment extending to the rear.

The commander and driver are seated at the front and provided with bulletproof windows to their front and a forward opening door with a bulletproof window in the upper part of either side. These bulletproof windows are covered by wire mesh screens. The bulletproof windows provide the same level of protection as the armoured hull.

The troop compartment is at the rear with the troops seated on either side on bench seats and enter the vehicle via a large door in the rear opening to the right.

Bulletproof windows are provided in the sides and rear of the troop compartment. A total of ten firing ports are provided to allow rifles and other small arms to be used from within the vehicle. The upper parts of the hull slope slightly inwards as does the hull rear.

Mounted on the forward part of the roof is a manually operated one person turret armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun and/or a tear gas grenade launcher and a two part roof hatch which opens left and right. Vehicles delivered to Iraq are fitted with a one-person turret armed with a 7.62 mm PK machine gun.

To the immediate rear of the turret are two forward opening roof hatches although the design of the vehicle is flexible so that various types of roof hatch arrangement are possible.

Operators

Map with Mohafiz operators in blue

Current operators

 Pakistan
 Iraq

Civilian operator

 Pakistan

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, January 20, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.