The RABDAN is based in the Turkish Otokar ARMA family of modular, multirole, multi-wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) detailed elsewhere on this site. It is a modified form specifically for the United Arab Emirates land forces in which structural dimensions have been slightly enlarged in order to better fit the 100mm-armed turret of the Soviet-Russian BMP-3 tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). As such, the RABDAN retains all of the excellent performance and tactical flexibility qualities of the original ARMA line though with enhanced ranged field firepower.
The UAE has contracted for up to seven hundred total RABDAN 8x8 vehicles to field alongside its existing fleet of tracked BMP-3s. The new vehicles are manufactured in conjunction with the local UAE concern of Al-Jasur in joint partnership with Turkey's Otokar. The shift to wheeled fighting units has become the norm on today's battlefields which have been hampered by shrinking spending budgets in the post-Cold War world.
The RABDAN weighs in at a hefty 28 tons, up from the original ARMA's 24-ton rating, and structural dimensions include an overall running length of 8 meters, a width of 3.25 meters, and a height of 2.3 meters (making it air-transportable in the belly of a C-130 Hercules or similar transport). Internally, the truck is crewed by three personnel (driver, commander, and gunner) and has protected seating for up to nine combat-equipped infantrymen in the rear passenger compartment / fighting cabin. The driver is seated at front-left in the hull while the commander and gunner reside in the two-man powered turret set over the hull. A powered loading/unloading door-ramp found at the rear hull facing provides quick entry / exit for these warfighters while various hatches are fitted along the hull roof and turret roof for the remainder of the occupants. A rectangular (hinged) door can be found along the portside of the hull wall as well. Ballistics / armor protection for the crew and passengers is against small arms (up to 14.5mm caliber) as well as artillery "spray".
The turret sits atop the mid-section of the hull roof and fields its 100mm autocannon as standard, primary armament. It also features a co-axial 20mm autocannon as secondary armament in addition to a coaxially-fitted 7.62mm machine gun. A secondary 7.62mm weapon can also be fitted for additional anti-infantry capabilities. Six total smoke grenade dischargers are featured in two banks of three launchers at each turret "cheek" position giving the truck with a self-screening capability. As with other Soviet-Russian inspired weapon systems, the turret of the RABDAN is cleared to fire missiles - in this case the 9M117 "Bastion" Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) - giving it a ranged tank-killing quality; this weapon is fired directly from the 100mm gun tube. Up to 40 x 100mm projectiles can be carried aboard along with 500 x 20mm projectiles to serve the 20mm autocannon. There are six ATGM missile reloads and up to 6,000 x 7.62mm ammunition rounds for the machine gun(s) installed - all this in addition to any personal weapons carried by the crew and passengers.
Power is derived from a Caterpillar liquid-cooled, diesel-fueled turbocharged engine outputting 600 horsepower giving the RABDAN a top road speed of 105 kmh with an operational range out to 700 kilometers. The engine is positioned at the front-right of the hull, opposite the driver's position. The 8x8 wheeled nature is completely suspended for cross-country travel and on-road comfort while the two front-most axles are steerable. Tires are of the run-flat kind and managed through a Central Tire Pressure System by the driver. The wheels are well-spaced apart and ground clearance is optimal which - when combined with the hull design - offers protection against mines and IEDs.
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Specifications
Otokar Otomiv ve Savunma Sanayi AS - Turkey Manufacturer(s)
INFANTRY SUPPORT
Support allied ground forces through weapons, inherent capabilities, and / or onboard systems.
MRAP
Designed to withstand attacks from mines and ambushes through specialized design and survivability features.
26.2 ft (8 meters) Length
10.7 ft (3.25 meters) Width
7.5 ft (2.3 meters) Height
61,729 lb (28,000 kg) Weight
30.9 tons (Medium-class) Tonnage
1 x Caterpillar liquid-cooled, diesel-fueled turbocharged engine developing 600 horsepower. Drive System
65 mph (105 kph) Road Speed
435 miles (700 km) Road Range
1 x 100mm main gun in turret.
1 x 20mm Autocannon in turret.
1 x 7.62mm coaxial machine gun in turret.
1 x 9M117 Bastion Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Launcher.
6 x Smoke Grenade Dischargers.
AMMUNITION
40 x 100mm projectiles.
500 x 20mm projectiles.
6,000 x 7.62mm ammunition.
6 x Bastion missile reloads.
6 x Smoke grenades.
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