Al-Mared: Jordan’s 8×8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier
Photo: Freedom's Falcon / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
JordanArmoured personnel carrierIn production8x8 APC designed by KADDB and built in Jordan on a Tatra truck chassis
Al-Mared ('The Giant') is an 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed by KADDB, now the Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB), and manufactured by its affiliate Jordan Manufacturing and Service Solutions (JMSS). Unveiled at SOFEX 2018, it is in production for Jordan.
What is Al-Mared? Overview and development
Al-Mared is an eight-wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed in Jordan. KADDB designed it, and JMSS builds it on a Tatra 8x8 heavy-duty cross-country truck chassis. As with the 4x4 Al-Wahsh, the choice of a Tatra truck chassis keeps the drivetrain common with an established commercial-military product.
Three examples were displayed at SOFEX 2018 in Amman in May 2018. EDR Magazine reported that 50 Tatra chassis had been acquired for an initial batch and that the 11th vehicle was on the production line that year. Joint Forces News reported at least 10 built by the show, with an initial batch of possibly as many as 50 projected.
Al-Mared design, protection and armament
The vehicle carries a driver, a commander and eight troops, who enter and leave through a powered rear ramp and sit on energy-absorbing seats of US origin. Gross vehicle weight is 25 t and length is about 8 m. A 420 hp Cummins diesel gives a power-to-weight ratio of 16.8 hp/t, a top speed of 110 km/h and a road range of 600 km.
Published dimensions vary slightly: EDR gives 8 m by 2.96 m by 2.875 m, while Joint Forces News gives 7.95 m by 2.55 m by 2.84 m to the hull top. Ballistic protection figures also differ. EDR cites 60 mm armour giving Level 3, upgradeable to Level 4, while Joint Forces News cites Level 4, upgradeable to Level 5. Mine protection is Level 3a/b.
Several weapon fits are offered. The most potent is the two-man Scimitar turret with a 30 mm cannon. Lighter options include the Snakehead cupola with a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun and an AMCO turret with twin machine guns.
Al-Mared production and operators
Al-Mared is in production, and Jordan is the confirmed operator. In May 2019 military.africa reported Al-Mared vehicles in the hands of Libya's LNA, but the number of vehicles and the source of the transfer were not confirmed, so Libya is not listed as an operator.
Within JODDB's portfolio, Al-Mared sits above the 4x4 Al-Wahsh and the Al-Thalab patrol vehicle. An eight-wheeled layout gives a heavier vehicle better load distribution and cross-country mobility than a 4x4, and leaves room for a larger troop compartment and a turret. The vehicle reflects JODDB's role as the main supplier of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security agencies, as the Jordan Times described it in 2021.
Al-Mared specifications: weight, engine, protection and armament
| Configuration | 8x8 on Tatra heavy-duty cross-country truck chassis |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 (driver, commander) |
| Troops | 8 |
| Gross vehicle weight | 25 t |
| Length | approx. 8 m |
| Engine | Cummins diesel, 420 hp |
| Power-to-weight | 16.8 hp/t |
| Max speed | 110 km/h |
| Road range | 600 km |
| Mine protection | Level 3a/b |
| Access | Powered rear ramp |
| Seats | Energy-absorbing seats of US origin |
| Armament options | Scimitar 2-man turret with 30 mm cannon; Snakehead cupola with 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm MG; AMCO twin-MG turret |
Al-Mared variants
How did the Al-Mared come to be? A KADDB design on a Tatra chassis
The Al-Mared is a KADDB design manufactured by the affiliate company Jordan Manufacturing and Service Solutions (JMSS) on a Tatra 8x8 chassis. Three examples were displayed at SOFEX 2018 in Amman in May 2018, the show at which the vehicle was unveiled.
The vehicle has a gross weight of 25 t, a Cummins diesel of 420 hp and a stated top speed of 110 km/h. It carries 2 crew and 8 troops and is listed as in production, with Jordan as the only confirmed operator.
Where is the Al-Mared produced? JMSS and the initial batch
JMSS is an affiliate of KADDB, now JODDB, the Jordan Armed Forces' design and development bureau founded in 1999. EDR Magazine reported 50 Tatra chassis acquired for an initial batch, with the 11th vehicle on the production line in 2018.
Joint Forces News reported at least ten built by SOFEX 2018, with an initial batch of possibly as many as 50 projected. The Al-Mared uses energy-absorbing seats of US origin and a powered rear ramp, and its Tatra chassis gives it the 8x8 configuration with a 25 t gross vehicle weight. Published sources do not give a total number delivered to the Jordan Armed Forces.
Al-Mared specifications: where published figures differ
Sources differ on ballistic protection. EDR Magazine cites 60 mm armour giving Level 3 upgradeable to Level 4, while Joint Forces News cites Level 4 upgradeable to Level 5. Mine protection is Level 3a/b.
Dimensions also vary slightly: EDR gives 8 m x 2.96 m x 2.875 m, while Joint Forces News gives 7.95 m x 2.55 m x 2.84 m to the hull top. The catalogue shows approximately 8 m for length. Published sources do not explain the differences, and the catalogue treats both sets of dimensions as published figures.
Al-Mared armament options and the Libya report
The vehicle can carry the Scimitar two-man turret with a 30 mm cannon, a Snakehead cupola with a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun, or an AMCO twin machine-gun turret. The Al-Mared 30 mm is the version fitted with the Scimitar turret.
In May 2019 military.africa reported Al-Mared vehicles with Libya's LNA. The number and source of the transfer were not confirmed, so Libya is not listed as an operator in the catalogue. Jordan remains the only operator confirmed by the research, and the Al-Mared is listed as in production.
Al-Mared timeline: key dates
- 1999KADDB, now JODDB, is formed.
- May 2018Three Al-Mared vehicles are displayed at SOFEX 2018 in Amman.
- May 2018The Al-Mared is unveiled at SOFEX; JMSS builds it on a Tatra 8x8 chassis.
- 2018EDR Magazine reports 50 Tatra chassis acquired for an initial batch and the 11th vehicle on the production line.
- May 2019military.africa reports Al-Mared vehicles with Libya's LNA; the report is unconfirmed.
Which countries use the Al-Mared?
JordanIn serviceAbout JMSS and JODDB: who builds the Al-Mared
Jordan Manufacturing and Service Solutions (JMSS) is an affiliate company of KADDB, now the Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB), the Jordan Armed Forces' design and development bureau founded in 1999. JODDB is an independent government entity under the Jordan Armed Forces and the main supplier of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security agencies. King Abdullah II inaugurated the KADDB Industrial Park in Mafraq on 10 September 2009, covering 3,800 dunums. At SOFEX 2024 in Aqaba JODDB signed agreements including one with Saudi Arabia's ERAF on testing.
Al-Mared FAQ: specifications, armament and users
What is the Al-Mared?
Al-Mared is an 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed by Jordan's KADDB (now JODDB) and manufactured by its affiliate JMSS.
How many troops does the Al-Mared carry?
It carries a driver, a commander and eight troops.
What chassis does the Al-Mared use?
A Tatra 8x8 heavy-duty cross-country truck chassis with a 420 hp Cummins diesel.
How fast is the Al-Mared?
It reaches 110 km/h and has a road range of 600 km.
What armament can the Al-Mared carry?
Options include a two-man Scimitar turret with a 30 mm cannon, a Snakehead cupola with a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun, or an AMCO twin-MG turret.
Which countries use the Al-Mared?
Jordan is the confirmed operator. A 2019 report of vehicles with Libya's LNA was not confirmed.
Who designed the Al-Mared?
The Al-Mared is a KADDB design, now JODDB, manufactured by its affiliate Jordan Manufacturing and Service Solutions on a Tatra 8x8 chassis.
When was the Al-Mared unveiled?
The Al-Mared was unveiled at SOFEX 2018 in Amman in May 2018, where three examples were displayed.
How many Al-Mared vehicles have been built?
EDR Magazine reported 50 Tatra chassis acquired for an initial batch with the 11th vehicle on the line in 2018, and Joint Forces News reported at least ten built by SOFEX 2018.
What engine does the Al-Mared use?
The Al-Mared uses a Cummins diesel of 420 hp, giving a power-to-weight ratio of 16.8 hp/t and a top speed of 110 km/h.
What is the Al-Mared protection level?
Sources differ: EDR Magazine cites Level 3 upgradeable to Level 4, while Joint Forces News cites Level 4 upgradeable to Level 5; mine protection is Level 3a/b.
Does Libya use the Al-Mared?
In May 2019 military.africa reported Al-Mared vehicles with Libya's LNA, but the number and source of the transfer were not confirmed.
What is the Al-Mared 30 mm?
The Al-Mared 30 mm is the version fitted with the two-man Scimitar turret armed with a 30 mm cannon.
What is the range of the Al-Mared?
The Al-Mared has a stated road range of 600 km.
Sources and further reading
Related products
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