View source for APC Talha

{{Infobox weapon
| name               = Talha 
| image              = 
| image_size         = 
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| type               = [[Armoured fighting vehicle|Armored vehicle]]
| origin             = {{PAK}}
<!-- Type selection -->
| is_ranged          = y
| is_bladed          = 
| is_explosive       = 
| is_artillery       = 
| is_vehicle         = y
| is_missile         = 
| is_UK              = 
<!-- Service history -->
| service            = 2002 - Present
| used_by            = {{flag|Iraq}}<br/>{{PAK}}
| wars               = [[Operation Lyari]]<br/>[[War on Terror]]<br/>[[Iraqi civil war (2006–2008)]]
<!-- Production history -->
| designer           = [[Heavy Industries Taxila]]
| design_date        = 1998
| manufacturer       = APC Factory
| developed_from     = [[M113|M113A2 Mk.1]]
| developed_into     = Saad APC
| unit_cost          = 
| production_date    = 2002
| number             = 
| variants           = 
<!-- General specifications -->
| spec_label         = 
| mass               = {{cvt|10.6|t|lb}} (Curb weight)<br/>{{cvt|12.5|t|lb}} (Combat weight)
| length             = {{convert|218.5|in|m}}
| width              = {{convert|100|in|m}}
| height             = {{convert|102|in|m}}
| diameter           = 
| crew               = 1 (driver)
| passengers         = 12 
<!-- Vehicle/missile specifications -->
| armour             = [[5083 aluminium alloy|Type 5083 aluminum]]
| primary_armament   = * [[Baktar Shikan]] ATGM (Maaz variant)
* [[RBS-70]] surface to air missile (Mouz variant)
| secondary_armament = 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine gun
| engine             =* [[Detroit Diesel]] 6V53T, 275 hp
* [[Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau|KMDB]] UTD-20, 330 hp 
| engine_power       = 
| pw_ratio           = * 22 hp/ton (6V53T)
* 25 hp/ton (UTD-20) 
| payload_capacity   = 
| drive              = Tracked
| transmission       = [[Allison Transmission|Allison TX 100-1A]]
| suspension         = Torsion bar, hydraulic dampers
| clearance          = 
| fuel_capacity      = {{cvt|360|litre|impgal}}
| vehicle_range      = {{convert|320|mi|km}}
| speed              = {{cvt|42|mph|kph}} (level land)
| guidance           = 
| steering           = Differential or pivot break
<!-- For all -->
| ref                = <ref>{{Cite web |title=HIT Catalogue |url=https://hit.gov.pk/downloads/catalogue.pdf |website=Heavy Industries Taxila Official Website}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) |url=https://depo.gov.pk/download/catalogue/public/HIT.pdf|website=[[Defence Export Promotion Organization]]}}</ref>
}}

The '''Talha''' ({{Langx|ar|طلحہ}}), is an [[armoured personnel carrier|armoured personnel carrier (APC)]] developed by Pakistan's [[Heavy Industries Taxila|Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT)]] in the early 2000s.<ref name=global>{{Cite web |title=Talha [M113] |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/talha.htm |website=GlobalSecurity.org}}</ref>

== Overview ==
=== Background ===
{{further|US-Pakistan relations|Pressler amendment}}
Throughout the [[Cold War]], the [[Pakistan Army]] relied on US-supplied [[M113]]s locally assembled at [[Heavy Industries Taxila|HIT]] as Pakistan remained a [[major Non-NATO ally]] of the west in that time frame. However, consequent of [[Project-706]], the country was imposed with international sanctions which made it impossible for HIT to continue manufacturing the [[M113]]. Hence, the decision for the development of an indigenous APC came up. The APC was named after the fruitful tree of heaven called "[[Talha (name)|Talha]]".<ref name=global/>

===Design===
Talha's design though based on the M113, was significantly different than the standard M113. The Talha had a facelifted front with the positions of the engine and driver station also being swapped. This allowed a flexibility in the design that the Engine compartment can accommodate power pack with 275 HP Detroit Diesel 6V53T turbocharged engine or a Ukrainian 330 HP UTD-20 engine. Firing ports were added throughout the hull design to enable the Talha's passengers to return fire in combat scenarios.<ref name="jedsite.info">[http://www.jedsite.info/fulltrack-tango/tango/talha_series/talha-series.html "Talha Series of Tracked Armoured Vehicles"] jedsite</ref><ref name=global/>

=== Protection ===
Talha's hull is made of reinforced [[5083 aluminium alloy|Type 5083 aluminum]] which is sloped and angled at various points to provide better ballistic protection against rifle fire. HIT also offers an up-armoured version for law enforcement which has a spaced armour hull providing protection against 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun fire. Moreover, it has external fuel tanks to provide more space and protection to the interior.<ref name=global/>

=== Marketing ===
HIT revealed the Talha to public and international markets during [[International Defence Exhibition and Seminar|IDEAS-2002]] at [[Karachi]]. The [[Pakistan army]] was the first customer which planned to deploy 2,000 Talha APCs by 2010.

In November 2004, the [[Ministry of Defence (Iraq)|Iraqi Ministry of Defence]] signed a deal with HIT worth US$31 million in which it ordered 44 Talha APCs, 60 [[Mohafiz (vehicle)|Mohafiz]] security vehicles and 300 Aahan Armoured Guard Posts making [[Iraq]] the first export customer for the Talha.<ref name=global/>

== Variants ==

'''Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) / Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV)'''

* '''Talha''' - Standard version.

* '''Talha-I''' - Upgraded version of Talha fitted with Turkish [[Remote weapon system|RCWS]] with better protection and performance. Revealed in [[International Defence Exhibition and Seminar|IDEAS-2024]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WPafg2Ss3hA Talha-I APC IDEAS-2024 by Pakistan Strategic Forum]</ref>

* '''Talha-LEA''' - version developed for law enforcement agencies.<ref>[https://hit.gov.pk/commercial-tab.php APC Talha COMMERCIAL VERSION WITH TURRET AND ADD ON ARMR]</ref>

* '''Saad''' - Further development of the Talha, based on 6 road wheels.

'''Fire Support Vehicles (FSV)'''

* '''Maaz''' - Fitted with [[Baktar-Shikan]] anti-tank missile firing unit, based on Talha.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Unveils New Anti-Tank Tracked Armored Vehicle MAAZ |url=https://propakistani.pk/2024/04/15/pakistan-unveils-new-anti-tank-tracked-armored-vehicle-maaz/ |last=Khattak |first=Arsalan |date=2024-04-15 |website=Pro Pakistani}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MAAZ–Pakistan new anti-tank Armoured Personnel Carrier |url=https://thepakmilitarymonitor.com/maaz-pakistan-new-anti-tank-armoured-personnel-carrier/ |date=2024-04-15 |website=Pak Military Monitor}}</ref>

* '''Mouz''' - Fitted with [[RBS 70]] surface-to-air missile firing unit, based on Talha.<ref name=global/>

* ''' Sakb''' - Armoured Command and Control Vehicle, based on Talha APC.

'''Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV)'''

* '''Al-Hadeed''' - ARV version based on chassis of Saad APC.

''' Prototype '''

* '''Viper''' - Prototype [[IFV]] version base on chassis of Saad APC. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Viper Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) |url=https://defensetalks.com/viper-infantry-fighting-vehicle-ifv/ |date=2023-12-30 |website=Global Defense Insight}}</ref>

== Operators ==
* {{IRQ}}
** {{army|Iraq}}: 44 delivered by [[Heavy Industries Taxila|HIT]] in 2006.<ref name=MToday/>
*** [[3rd Division (Iraq)|3rd Division]]
*** [[9th Armoured Division (Iraq)|9th Armoured Division]]<ref name=global/>
* {{PAK}}
** {{army|PAK}}: 400+ in service as of 2010.<ref>{{cite web| title = PAKISTAN ARMY| url = http://www.asiapacificdefencereporter.com/order-of-battle/pakistan| accessdate = 2013-03-07| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130514073851/http://www.asiapacificdefencereporter.com/order-of-battle/pakistan| archive-date = 2013-05-14| url-status = dead}}</ref> Total 2,000 planned to be deployed.<ref name=MToday>{{cite web | title = Talha Armored personnel carrier| url = http://www.military-today.com/apc/talha.htm | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120903123538/http://www.military-today.com/apc/talha.htm | url-status = usurped | archive-date = September 3, 2012 | accessdate= 2013-03-07}}</ref>
** [[Sindh Police]]: 40 delivered in 2012.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nation.com.pk/17-Jul-2012/low-quality-equipment-risk-cops-lives | title=Low quality equipment risk cops' lives | access-date=2013-03-11 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111225150/http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/karachi/17-Jul-2012/low-quality-equipment-risk-cops-lives | archive-date=2012-11-11 | url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Pakistan}}
* [[MT-LB]]
* [[Type 63 (armoured personnel carrier)|Type-63 APC]]
* [[AMX-10P]]
* [[MLVM]]
* [[Pansarbandvagn 302]]
* [[Mohafiz (vehicle)]]
* [[Hamza 6x6]]
;Related development
* [[M113]]
;Related lists
* [[List of modern armoured fighting vehicles]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Heavy Industries Taxila}}
[[Category:HIT vehicles]]
[[Category:Armoured fighting vehicles of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Armoured fighting vehicles of the post–Cold War period]]
[[Category:Tracked armoured personnel carriers]]