History and Introduction
The M113 is an APC that has seen service and combat all around the world. One such country that has the APC employed is Pakistan. After the initial purchase in 1989, they also acquired TOT permissions and lincensed production. Throughout its use by the Pakistan Army, it has been put into roles far exceeding its original combat specifications of an APC. From being used as a SAM SPAA, to an ATGM Tank destroyer, to the subject of this suggestion.
The vehicle is named “BATTAAR”, meaning cutter. It is named after a sword owned by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This is a unique modification of the M113A2 Mk.1 with a twin mount of 106mm M40 recoilless rifles made by Pakistan Ordinance Factories (POF).
Contrary to common practive, the BATTAAR’s M40A1 rifles do not come equipped with the M8C machine gun for ranging. Instead, it has an integrated Laser rangefinder in the twin M40A1 mount to allow for accurate ranging instead of the machine gun.
The vehicle seems to have been more than a prototype as at least 6 have been seen in an Army parade.
However, the early stages of this vehicle have been photographed with the M8C ranging rifles.
This means that we can have the Battaar in game with the M8C rifles, and on top of that, have a modification for the Laser Range Finder which would update the model to have the LRF box and remove the M8C rifles from the turret.
Extra Information
Pakistan Ordnance Factories have also developed a twin 106 mm recoilless rifle mount which, for trials purposes, has been fitted onto an M113A1 APC of the Pakistani Army. The system also integrates a laser rangefinder into the existing sight of the 106 mm recoilless rifle to replace the elbow telescope. This allows the range to be displayed for the gunner in the sighting optic, which means that he can apply the superelevation and fire without having to look at another instrument.
The effective range of the recoilless rifles is 1,500 m.
The locally produced vehicle is called the M113A2 Mk-1 in Pakistan Army service and is almost identical to the US M113 except that the 12.7 mm M2 machine gun has been replaced by a 12.7 mm Type 59 machine gun manufactured by Pakistan Ordnance factories.
Parade footage
Specifications
Crew: 4 (Driver, Commander, Gunner, Loader)
Gun elevation angles: -20/+50
Gun traverse: +/-180
Engine power: 215hp
P/W: 19.2hp/t
Maximum speed: 65kmph
Max reverse speed: 15kmph
Armour
Hull:
- UFP: 38mm
- Engine panel: 29mm
- LFP: 38mm
- Side (top): 44mm
- Side (bottom): 32mm
- Rear: 38mm
- Roof: 38mm
Armament
– 2 x M40A1 Recoilless Rifles (106mm):
Ammunition: (up to 50 rounds)
M344A1 (HEAT): 433mm penetration at 0*
M361A1 (HESH): 152mm penetration at 0*
Sources
Jane’s Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit Systems (1993-94)
- Yes,
- No