Tawazun’s multipurpose vehicle manufacturer Nimr Automotive yesterday unveiled the first entirely Arab-built six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier.The Nimr 6X6 APC was designed and manufactured in the UAE by Emirati engineers over 18 months.

Nimr developed the vehicle based on requirements from the Armed Forces to withstand desert heat and provide comfort and protection to troops on board.“The APC was designed with a V-shaped hull to withstand blast weights of up to 8 kilograms,” said Nimr chief executive Mohammed Al Marzooqi. “We have tested the vehicle in all terrains and it can handle 7.62mm armour-piercing rounds, and has run-flat tyres with a central tyre inflation system.”

The 14-tonne vehicle has a range of 700 kilometres on one tank of fuel, with a top speed of 135kph, and can withstand chemical, biological and nuclear attacks. “The air-conditioning system is designed to operate by blocking out poisonous materials from biological, chemical and nuclear environments,” Mr Al Marzooqi said.

The 6X6 APC is the second vehicle base developed by the company. Their 4x4 vehicle is already used by the Armed Forces and 500 were delivered between 2007 and 2011.

“We currently have 2,000 orders for the 4X4 vehicles and have signed a contract with Algerian government to build Nimr vehicles,” Mr Al Marzooqi said.

The company has a contract to build 200 vehicles a year for use by the Algerian armed forces for the next 15 years