Designation: | Cheeta |
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Manufacturer: | Heavy Industry Taxila (HIT) | |
Product type: | Armoured Vehicles | |
Name: | Armoured car |
In the late 1980s, Pakistan modified a number of standard commercial 4x2 tractors for military applications.
These vehicles are intended to serve as training vehicles to reduce wear on actual combat equipment so saving significant operating costs.
The modifications included fitting a lightly armoured body to the chassis which covers the engine at the front and extends right to the rear.
The driver and commander are seated to the immediate rear of the engine and to their front is a large windscreen. To the rear of the driver and commander is space for a further two or three personnel, with the weapon installation mounted on the roof.
Normal means of entry and exit are believed to be via doors in the rear of the hull. There are minor differences between vehicles with some being provided with small hatches in the sides of the hull either side of the driver's compartment.
Mounted on either side of the hull, just forward of the driver's compartment, is a bank of three electrically operated smoke grenade dischargers that fire to the front of the vehicle. Most vehicles appear to be fitted with a single radio antenna mounted at the rear of the hull. As far as is known, these vehicles are not fitted with an NBC system or any night vision equipment.
This version is called Cheeta and is fitted with a roof-mounted US Raytheon Systems Company TOW ATGW launcher with additional missiles carried internally for manual reloading. The TOW missile has a maximum range of 3,750 m.
This is armed with the Swedish Bofors Missiles RBS 70 surface-to-air missile system with additional missiles carried internally for manual reloading.
This has a pedestal-type mount on which are mounted four Anza (Lance) surface-to-air missiles in the ready to launch position. The Anza has been developed in Pakistan and is based on the Chinese HN-5 surface-to-air missile system which is of the infra-red fire-and-forget type.
This has a simple open hatch on which is mounted the Chinese version of the Russian 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun. Due to the limited depression of the weapon the main role of this version is probably air defence.
Production complete. In service with the Pakistani Army. These were not offered on the export market.