The infamous Jordanian design bureau named after King Abdullah II (King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau - KADDB) continues work begun almost a decade and a half ago to create various types of heavy tracked armored vehicles on a tank chassis. Basically, the thought of KADDB revolves around various projects for the "disposal" of the 293 modernized Centurion tanks that have been removed from service by the Jordanian army, called Tariq in Jordan. The design and construction work of KADDB is carried out with the active participation of foreign contractors (at various times, Ukrainian, Russian, British, Swiss and South African enterprises managed to participate in them).
Since 1999, prototypes of heavy infantry fighting vehicles AB13 (created with the assistance of KMDB), AB14 and heavy armored personnel carriers MAR (Multipurpose Armor Platform) have been built on the Tariq chassis, but all of them remained in prototypes.
A new stage in the work of KADDB was the prototype of the heavy armored personnel carrier MAR II, demonstrated this year, made on the basis of the same Tariq, and featuring such an original solution as an exit for the landing in the frontal part of the hull.
Information about the MAP II APC is reported in the Christopher F Foss article "Jordan anticipates MAP II use for infantry battalions" in the International Defense Review. BTR MAR II retains the basic layout of the Tariq tank while maintaining the engine compartment at the rear (with the standard engine of the upgraded L-3 Combat Propulsion Systems AVDS-1790 V-12 tank with 900 hp and an Allison CD 850-6A automatic transmission). Thus, there was a rejection of the "turn" of the combat vehicle with the engine-transmission compartment forward, which was practiced in AB14 and the first MAPs. The speed on the MAR II highway reaches 60 km / h, the cruising range is 200 km (600 liters of fuel).
In the middle part of the MAR II corps, there is an airborne compartment that can accommodate 11 people (including the commander). The most interesting solution is the implementation of the exit from the troop compartment forward through the frontal part of the hull - on the left side of which there is a double hatch 1 m high and 75 cm wide. There are also four hatches on the roof of the troop compartment. It is planned that on production models the landing force will be accommodated in "suspended" explosion-proof seats.
The driver is located in front of the hull on the right and has its own hatch.
The armament of the presented prototype includes a remotely controlled turret with a 12.7 mm M2NV machine gun and a Kornet-E ATGM, as well as a separate 7.62 mm M60 machine gun on a hand turret in front of the commander's hatch.
The combat weight of the MAP II and the level of protection are not disclosed. It can be seen that the sides are protected by additional packages of hinged passive protection. The machine has an auxiliary power unit located in the front of the hull on the right.
The article reports that the Jordanian army approved the MAP II project and issued an order to KADDB for two pre-production vehicles with an option to manufacture another 30 armored personnel carriers of the first series to equip one infantry battalion.
However, given that almost none of the KADDB heavy armored vehicles projects have gone beyond prototypes, there are certain doubts about the fact that this extravagant vehicle with a front landing exit will be brought into service.
MAP II (c) Christopher F Foss / International Defense Review
