Armored Vehicles

Qutaish-2 armored vehicle

Also known as
  • Qutaish 2
  • Qutaish-2 (Leopard)
  • Qutaish 2 Leopard
  • قطيش 2

The Qutaish-2 is a Yemeni 4x4 armored protected vehicle from the country’s military-industries effort, built with South African-supported component production and assembly in Yemen. Al Bayan reported in 2010 that Yemen had moved from the Qutaish-1 line into Qutaish-2 production, while DefenceWeb later described a 250-vehicle Qutaish-2 (Leopard) contract delivered across 2009-2014, making it one of Yemen’s clearest locally assembled armored vehicle programs.

Qutaish-2 armored vehicle, 4x4 armored protected vehicle, Armored Vehicles
Image source: Handbook Of Pre-War Yemeni Fighting Vehicles

Role in Conflicts

Production Snapshot

Qutaish-2 is best read as a locally assembled Yemeni armored vehicle line rather than a fully transparent commercial program. The public record points to a 2010 production announcement, a 250-vehicle contract, and South African-supported component production in Yemen.

Production announcement

Al Bayan reported that Yemen had moved from Qutaish-1 into Qutaish-2 production in 2010.

Contract size

DefenceWeb later described a 250-vehicle Qutaish-2 (Leopard) contract tied to Yemeni component production and assembly.

Delivery record

The DefenceWeb/SIPRI reporting places deliveries across 2009-2014, while a 2012 transfer table separately listed 60 Qutaish-2 APVs delivered or produced by 2009-2011.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Yemen, with South African-supported production and components
Built in
Yemen
Type
4x4 armored protected vehicle
Service note
Produced from 2009 and present in Yemeni pre-war stocks before the 2014-2015 escalation
Designer
Not publicly documented in cited sources
Designed
2010 reported production start
Unit cost
Not publicly reported
Produced
2009-2014 deliveries and local assembly reported by DefenceWeb/SIPRI
Number built
250 vehicles ordered; DefenceWeb's 2012 SIPRI transfer table separately listed 60 produced or delivered by 2009-2011

Specifications

Crew and passengers
Eight personnel with equipment plus a gunner, according to local reporting
Armament
DShK 12.7 mm heavy machine gun
Engine
Six-cylinder Toyota Land Cruiser diesel engine, about 210 hp
Mobility
Toyota Land Cruiser drivetrain with reinforced suspension and braking systems reported
Protection
Reported two-layer armored steel protection against 7.62 mm fire and 12.7 mm fire at limited range
Contract and assembly
250 Qutaish-2 (Leopard) vehicles contracted with production of components and assembly in Yemen
Vehicle Family

Al Bayan describes Qutaish-2 as following the earlier Qutaish-1 armored-vehicle line in Yemen's local military-industries rollout.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
Qutaish-1 armored vehicle, 4x4 armored protected vehicle, Armored VehiclesQutaish-1 armored vehicleEarlier Yemeni armored vehicle

The report places Qutaish-1 as the first generation and Qutaish-2 as the newer vehicle being produced in 2010.

Sources: Yemen enters the age of military industries

Timeline

Qutaish-2 armored vehicle Key Events

  1. Yemen publicly says Qutaish-2 production has started

    Al Bayan reports that Yemen had begun producing Qutaish-2 after the earlier Qutaish-1 line, describing South African expertise and locally made armored vehicles.

  2. DefenceWeb reports the 250-vehicle Qutaish-2 contract

    DefenceWeb says a major Yemeni contract involved 250 Qutaish-2 (Leopard) armor-protected vehicles, with component production and assembly in Yemen and deliveries from 2009 to 2014.

  3. Oryx lists Qutaish-2 in pre-war Yemeni inventories

    Oryx includes Qutaish-2 among pre-war Yemeni Army fighting vehicles available to parties on the 2014 Yemen Civil War battlefield.

Related Weapon Systems
Al-Shibl 2 armored vehicle, 4x4 light armored personnel carrier, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesAl-Shibl 2 armored vehicle4x4 light armored personnel carrierThe Al-Shibl 2 is a Saudi-built 4x4 light armored personnel carrier developed by Armored Vehicles & Heavy Equipment Factory on a Toyota Land Cruiser chassis. Its longer wheelbase distinguishes it from the Al-Shibl 1 by adding a two-person crew and troop compartment, while steel armor, run-flat tires, firing ports, and roof weapon-mount options make it a compact protected-mobility vehicle for personnel transport, scouting, border patrol, and convoy support roles.
REVA armored vehicle, Mine-resistant ambush-protected armored personnel carrier, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesREVA armored vehicleMine-resistant ambush-protected armored personnel carrierThe REVA is a South African mine-resistant armored vehicle family from Integrated Convoy Protection, built around a V-shaped armored hull for troop transport, protected mobility, and utility roles. The family spans the earlier REVA III 4x4 APC, newer REVA V and VI designs, and the UAE-linked Kasser II derivative, while conflict reporting documents REVA vehicles in Iraq, Nigerian counter-insurgency operations, and UAE-backed local-force operations in Yemen.
G6 Rhino 155 mm self-propelled howitzer, 155 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-howitzer, ArtilleryArtilleryG6 Rhino 155 mm self-propelled howitzer155 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-howitzerThe G6 Rhino is a South African 155 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-howitzer related to the G5 artillery family. Public sources identify Denel with the turret, OMC with the hull, and Lyttelton Engineering Works/Denel lineage with the system's development and production background, while conflict-use reporting places South African pre-production G6s in Angola in 1987 and UAE G6 howitzers in Yemen in 2015. Later G6-52 work paired the G6 concept with 52-caliber ordnance, automated ammunition handling, and longer-range V-LAP ammunition.
Al-Dahna armored vehicle, 4x4 armored patrol and rapid-intervention vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesAl-Dahna armored vehicle4x4 armored patrol and rapid-intervention vehicleAl-Dahna is a Saudi-made 4x4 armored patrol and rapid-intervention vehicle manufactured by Armored Vehicles & Heavy Equipment Factory (AVF) under a GAMI-backed local-production contract for the Saudi Border Guard. Public sources describe it as a small-to-medium modular APV for protected mobility, field missions, security operations, and border-service training, with selectable armor levels, a 9-ton gross vehicle weight, a 160 kW four-cylinder engine, Allison automatic transmission, central tire inflation, independent suspension, and communications or armament options.

Sources

Handbook Of Pre-War Yemeni Fighting VehiclesPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct battlefield use: fielded by Yemeni parties from pre-war Yemeni Army stocks, with Qutaish-2 listed among equipment available on the battlefield. Also supports the image selection. | Accessed: 2026-07-04More details on South African arms exports for 2014Publisher: DefenceWeb | Note: Supports background on the reported 250-vehicle Qutaish-2 contract, South African component production, Yemeni assembly, and the 2009-2014 delivery period. | Accessed: 2026-07-04South Africa has sold R4.8 billion worth of weaponry this yearPublisher: DefenceWeb | Note: Supports the SIPRI transfer-table snapshot listing Yemen's Qutaish-2 APV order, 2008 order year, 2009-2011 delivery/license period, 60 produced or delivered, and component production and assembly in Yemen. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Yemen enters the age of military industriesPublisher: Al Bayan | Note: Supports manufacturer and background context for Yemeni armored-vehicle production, South African expertise, and the transition from Qutaish-1 to Qutaish-2. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Yemen announces production of 300 armored vehiclesPublisher: Mareb Press | Note: Supports reported Qutaish-2 capacity, engine, drivetrain, and protection details from Yemeni military-site reporting. | Accessed: 2026-07-04