M113P Talha

     Notes: The Talha was designed and manufactured by HIT; it is based on the M113A2, and also takes some design cues from the Italian M113 variant, the VCC-1. The Talha has markedly thicker armor than the M113A2, as well as sloped armor on the sides of the hull, like the sides of the VCC-1. The Talha is constructed from tougher 5083 aluminum armor than the M113A2 is. The Talha has more powerful engines than the M113A2; the standard is a 275-horsepower Detroit Diesel 6V53T engine (a variant of the M113A2’s engine), or, before the war in Ukraine, a Ukrainian UTD-20 330-horsepower diesel engine.  Both engines are turbocharged. The engine compartment was enlarged slightly to accommodate the UTD-20; the engine compartment is also enlarged for the 6V53T-powered vehicles, but this is a design commonality feature rather than the need for an enlarged compartment to fit the 6V53T. The layout of the Talha is the same as the M113A2, with the troops entering and exiting via a powered ramp in the rear with a door set in it, and the commander having a cupola on the right front deck and the driver on the left front deck behind the glacis.  The commander normally has an M2HB as a weapon on his cupola, but it is not known if this mount is as flexible in taking weaponry as that of the M113A2. The fuel tanks are moved from the sides to the rear, on either side of the ramp, like the VCC-1.

     In addition to the Pakistani Army and Police, the Talha is used by Iraq.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Talha is rare, even in Pakistan. The 330-horsepower engine is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.  Iraq does not use the Talha in the Twilight 2000 timeline.