During the 2011 Sinai Insurgency security buildup, reporting said at least 400 Fahd armored vehicles were sent into Sinai, placing the type in Egyptian government armored deployments around the counterinsurgency theater.
Armored Vehicles
Fahd armored personnel carrier
Also known as
- Fahd APC
- Fahd 240
- Fahd 280
- Fahd 280-30
- Fahd 240/30
- Fahd 30
- Fahd 300
- TH 390
The Fahd armored personnel carrier is an Egyptian 4x4 APC family built by Kader Factory after German-assisted development work for Egypt's post-Walid armored fleet. Its baseline role is protected infantry transport, but the family expanded into command, ambulance, recovery, police-security, mine-laying, and BMP-2-turret IFV forms. Direct conflict-use coverage includes Egyptian government deployments in the 2011 Sinai Insurgency and Burundian AMISOM Fahd-300 vehicles in Somalia.
Role in Conflicts
Burundi's AMISOM contingent received Egyptian-made Fahd-300 APCs in Mogadishu in November 2019 for operations in Somalia, with AMISOM officials describing the vehicles as protection and mobility for troops fighting al-Shabaab.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Egypt
- Type
- Wheeled armored personnel carrier
- Service note
- 1985-present service family
- Designer
- Thyssen-Henschel
- Designed
- Early 1980s
- Produced
- Serial production from the late 1980s; family still forecast for low-rate production
- Number built
- Forecast International estimates 2,067 produced through 2023 across Fahd 240, Fahd 30, and Fahd 300 variants
Specifications
- Crew and passengers
- Fahd 240: 2 crew plus 10 infantry; Fahd 30/240-30: 2 crew plus 8 infantry or 2 crew, 2 turret crew, and 6 soldiers depending on configuration
- Configuration
- 4x4 wheeled armored personnel carrier based on Mercedes truck chassis in the Fahd 240 family; Fahd 300 moves to a Tatra chassis
- Dimensions
- Fahd 240: about 6.06 m long, 2.45 m wide, and 2.11 m high; Fahd 300: about 6.55 m long, 2.6 m wide, and 2.6 m high
- Weight
- About 12.5 to 13.5 tonnes for major Fahd 30 and Fahd 240 configurations
- Mobility
- Fahd 240 road speed about 81 km/h with 700 km road range; Fahd 300 road speed about 105 km/h with 700 km road range
- Protection
- Steel armor against 7.62 mm armor-piercing rounds and fragments on Fahd 240/30; Fahd 300 adds a V-shaped hull and improved ballistic and explosive protection
- Armament
- Basic APC can mount up to three roof machine guns; Fahd 30/240-30 uses a BMP-2 turret with 30 mm 2A42 cannon, coaxial 7.62 mm PKT, and 9M113 Konkurs launcher
- Systems
- Central tire-pressure regulation, run-flat tires, optional NBC protection, smoke launchers, passive night vision, and air conditioning depending on variant
Variants
Fahd designations cover the original Egyptian APC, later production-standard APCs, turreted IFV and police-security configurations, and the newer Fahd 300 modernization rather than one single combat layout.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fahd | Original APC design | Forecast International identifies the original Fahd as the initial 4x4 armored personnel carrier design developed with German assistance before Egyptian serial production. |
| Fahd 240 | Production-standard APC | The Fahd 240 is described as the current production-standard APC, with two crew members and space for ten infantrymen. |
| Fahd 240/30 | BMP-2-turret IFV conversion | The Fahd 240/30 combines the upgraded Fahd chassis and engine with the BMP-2 turret package; Forecast International reports 61 were built. |
| Fahd 280 | Machine-gun turret variant | Forecast International lists the Fahd 280 as a Fahd 240 variant with a one-man turret carrying 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns. |
| Fahd 300 | Modernized APC | The Fahd 300 modernization uses a Tatra chassis, Cummins diesel, V-shaped hull, and improved ballistic and explosive protection. Sources: Forecast International Fahd Archived Report, EDR Magazine Fahd Mortar Carrier |
| Fahd armored command vehicle | Command-and-control variant | The command vehicle version adds radio and telephone systems, a command table, map and intelligence storage, and generator-powered spotlights. |
| Fahd armored ambulance | Medical evacuation variant | The ambulance variant adapts the rear compartment for emergency treatment and evacuation equipment. |
| Fahd armored recovery vehicle | Recovery and repair variant | The recovery version is intended to retrieve or repair damaged vehicles in hazardous areas and is fitted with a hydraulic crane. |
Machine-Gun Fits
Fahd APC and security variants use roof or turret machine-gun fits rather than a single fixed weapon package.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Machine gun | Army Guide says Fahd variants can mount 7.62 mm machine guns, including the Fahd 240 APC and command-post configurations. Sources: Army Guide Fahd |
MILAN Missile Fit
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Anti-tank guided missile | Army Technology says the Fahd APC can be optionally armed with MILAN anti-tank guided missiles. Sources: Army Technology Fahd 4x4 Armoured Personnel Carrier |
Konkurs Turret Fit
| Launched item | Item type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | AT-5 anti-tank guided missile launcher | Army Guide and Tank-AFV describe the Fahd 240/30 APC as carrying a roof-mounted 9K113 Konkurs launcher with additional missiles stored internally. Sources: Army Guide Fahd, Tank-AFV Egyptian Tanks |
Timeline
Fahd armored personnel carrier Key Events
Initial prototypes completed in Germany
Thyssen-Henschel completed the initial TH 390 prototypes for the Egyptian Fahd program before testing under AOI oversight.
Fahd shown in Egypt
AOI's Kader Factory identifies 1984 as the launch year for the Fahd APC, and Forecast International says a prototype appeared at the 1984 Cairo Arms Exposition.
Serial production begins
Forecast International places the delayed start of serial production in mid-1987, with service deliveries underway by early 1988.
Fahd 300 modernization displayed
The modernized Fahd 300 was displayed at EDEX 2018 with a Tatra chassis, V-shaped hull, and improved protection package.
Media
Fahd armored personnel carrier Videos
Fahd armored personnel carrier Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Arab Organization for Industrialization Kader FactoryPublisher: Arab Organization for Industrialization | Note: Supports manufacturer background for the Kader Factory and the Fahd APC launch in Egypt's armored-vehicle production line. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Fahd 240 IFVPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports the Fahd's Egyptian origin, APC role, chassis background, basic dimensions, production history, and service background. | Accessed: 2026-07-0460 Egyptian Tanks in SinaiPublisher: Israel National News | Note: Supports 2011 Sinai Insurgency direct-use context: the report says no less than 400 Fahd armored vehicles were sent into Sinai during the security buildup against militants. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Forecast International Fahd Archived ReportPublisher: Forecast International | Note: Supports the Fahd program background, development history, technical context, and production estimates for the Egyptian APC family. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Burundi receives new armoured vehicles for AMISOM operationsPublisher: DefenceWeb | Note: Supports 1991 Somali Civil War post-2006 al-Shabaab phase direct-use context: Burundi's AMISOM contingent received Fahd-300 APCs in Mogadishu for Somalia operations and AMISOM described them as troop protection. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Egyptian Military Police in AlexandriaPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the primary Fahd image under CC BY 2.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Egyptian Armored personnel carrier 'Fahd'Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a Fahd during UNOSOM in Somalia under CC BY 2.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Mali Army APC in 1997Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a Fahd APC being prepared for deployment under CC BY 2.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Army Guide FahdPublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports the Fahd family carrying 7.62 mm machine guns and mounting the MILAN and Konkurs variants on selected APC configurations. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Army Technology Fahd 4x4 Armoured Personnel CarrierPublisher: Army Technology | Note: Supports the Fahd APC's optional MILAN anti-tank guided missile fit. | Accessed: 2026-07-04EDR Magazine Fahd Mortar CarrierPublisher: European Defence Review | Note: Supports the Fahd 300 modernization context, Tatra chassis, Cummins engine, mobility figures, and EDEX 2018 family-development background. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Tank-AFV Egyptian TanksPublisher: Tank-AFV | Note: Supports the Fahd 240/30 APC's roof-mounted Konkurs launcher fit. | Accessed: 2026-07-04