The new Wahash (Wild Falcon) 8×8 infantry fighting vehicle from Emirati firm Calidus was launched at the IDEX 2019 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, highlighting a number of international sub-systems and components on the platform.
Able to carry eight dismounts, a driver, commander, and gunner, the vehicle features a monocoque steel hull that allows for increased speed in production and negates the need for an internal subframe.
Calidus unveiled the Wahash 8x8 infantry fighting vehicle at the IDEX 2019 trade show in Abu Dhabi. (IHS Markit/Patrick Allen)
The vehicle’s protection has been certified to STANAG 4569 Level 4, including Level 4a and 4b land mine protection. Protection from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) includes a 50 kg TNT charge and 155 mm artillery shell fragmentation charge. Additional external passive armour packages can be added to the vehicle as required to increase protection.
Combat weight – carrying a full crew, BMP-3 turret, and amphibious kit with STANAG 4569 Level 4 protection – is 32.1 tonnes, with a further payload of 7.5 tonnes available. Up to two vehicles can be carried inside a Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft.
The Wahash can climb a 70° gradient and drive on a 40° side slope, climb a 0.8 m step, and cross a 2 m-wide trench. Additionally, it can ford a watercourse of up to 2 m in depth. The vehicle is also able to operate in temperatures ranging from -30°C to +55°C, with an Ametek air-conditioning system providing climate control to the cabin.
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