Land Forces Rise To Meet New Challenges

Within the last year two gulf countries, United Arab Emirates and Qatar, have introduced mandatory military service for it's citizens to increase readiness and manpower. amongst its forces. In addition, to that gulf countries have initiated a unified military command to coordinate organize their land, air and sea forces' response to the threats while also upgrading and have upgraded their special operations forces' capabilities. within the same time period.

Countries in the region are expected to spend up to $344.2 million by 2016 on lead global spending on guided munitions alone, up to $344.2 million by 2016 as well as driving the being the sole drivers with Asia on the armored vehicle market along with Asia, according to Texas-based research and consultancy Markets and Markets.

Countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE United Arab Emirates and Iraq are leading the surge in purchases, the reports stated.

The In light of its militaries fight against Islamic State extremists in Iraq is driving the a massive procurements. drive is ongoing. According to reports from Baghdad, the fall of oil prices will not derail some major affect some armament projects. Sources have stated that the Iraqi Defense Ministry is determined to buy 500 four-wheel-drive4x4 military vehicles this year to make up for the losses against the Islamic State.

Furthermore, in December Iraq has requested to buy from the United States in December the purchase of 1,000 M1151A1 up-armored Humvees, High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs), 1,000 M2 .50 caliber machine guns, and 1,000 MK-19 40mm grenade launchers with universal mounts, commercial radios, communication equipment and , repair and spare parts and training estimated at $579 million, according to the US Defense and Security Cooperation Agency.

In the same month Iraq also requested the sale of 175 full track M1A1 Abrams tanks with the upgraded 120mm gun, modified and upgraded to the M1A1 Abrams configuration, 15 M88A2 improved tank recovery vehicles, 175 .50 caliber M2 machine guns, with Chrysler Mount, machine guns, communication systems and ammunition valued at $2.4 billion.

Iraq also requested in November logistical support, truing and equipment for field operations valued at $600 million which include spare parts to support the Abrams tanks and M1A1 Battle Tanks, M1070 heavy equipment tactical trucks. and heavy and light machine guns.

The proliferationreferation of land forces armament in the region has also driven countries to seek partnerships for weapon development from Turkey.

In June, last year the Qatar Armed Forces Industry Committee (AFIC) has applied to Turkey's Competition Board to acquire 49 percent of commercial and military military vehicle manufacturer BMC. The move underscores signifies the priority the gulf state places on 'spriority of maintaining a steady flow of armored vehicles into its their inventory cache with an investment of $357.5 million while boosting their regional allies industrial capability of regional allies.

In 2013, the UAE has also partnered with Turkey to develop the Jobaria land systems, which feature a multiple cradle rocket launcher that can launches 240 rockets. The system has four rocket launchers attached to the trailer each carrying 60sixty 122mm rockets.

The system fires Roketsan 122mm TR-122 rockets fitted with a high-explosive warhead that can be detonated with by using either a point detonating fuze or by a proximity fuze.

According to the armored vehicle market analysis, wheeled vehicles are clearly on the rise in the region as more and more governments look at six- and eight-wheel-drive 6x6 and 8x8 vehicles to cope with the terrain and because of their lower maintenance costs.

A decade ago, In response to the surge in demand, UAE weapons manufacturer Tawazun Holdings instituted indigenous armored vehicle manufacturer Nimr in 2005. The Nimr vehicles are designed to carry out military, police and peacekeeping missions in the Middle East area thanks to a cooling system that allows the vehicle to withstand the harsh desert climate which can reach as high as 55 degrees Celsius. The vehicle also features composite ceramic armor and a central tire inflation system. The vehicle is based on a flexible modular concept to provide support for a wide range of missions.

Three prototypes were made in 2000 and an armored six-wheel-drive6x6 version waswere inaugurated in 2013 with anti-ballistic technology. The vehicles are in use in Jordan, Lebanon and Libya.

The UAE armed forces last year has ordered 1,800 NimrIMR armored vehicles from Tawazun. Holdings. The firm also signed an agreement in 2012 to establish a joint company producing NimrIMR armored vehicles in Algeria. The deal with Groupement de la Promotion de l'IndustrieMécanique (GPIM) was designed to create an Algerian-based armored vehicle manufacturer.

This month a new integrated production facility was initiated for the vehicles at the Tawazun Industrial Park in Abu Dhabi. The facility is expected to be fully operational by October. 2015.

"The new integrated facility, the first of its kind in the region, will help Nimr Automotive re-establish itself as a well-recognized brand in the international military vehicles industry and render it in a better position to serve its growing customer base," said Tawazun Chief Executive Officer of Tawazun, Saif Mohamed Al Hajeri.

"The new facility will double current production capacity of four- and six-wheel-drive 4X4 and 6X6 platforms and will lead to tapping new markets in the MENA [Mideast and North Africa] MENA region, while supporting our production activities in Nimr Algeria," according to Dr. Fahad Saif Harhara, CEO Chief Executive Officer of Nimr Automotive.

Although the UAE also recently upgraded its 436-strong fleet of Nexter Systems Leclerc battle tanks MBTs and armored recovery vehicles, (ARVs), it also has a requirement for 600 eight-wheel-drive 8x8wheeled combat vehicles and has five5 eight-wheel-drive Patria armored modular vehicles AMV eight-wheel-drive vehicles 8x8s on order.

Saudi Arabia, with a limited indigenous defense industry, relies heavily on imports from its allies such as the US. Most armored vehicles are imported, although the Al-Fahd infantry fighting vehicleIFV and the Al-Faris 8-400 armored personnel carrierAPC were manufactured by the Abdallah Al Faris Company for Heavy Industries. Saudi is negotiating a deal for 655 humveesHMMWVs with a further batch of 724 light armored vehicles LAV II 8x8 are being delivered and 84 more requested.

Turkey's Altay battle tankMBT is a possible option for the kingdom as talks between the nations are ongoing.

The market analysis report states that Qatar reportedly is has been reported to be procuring 118 Leopard armored vehicles from Germany along with 16 tank howitzers for an undisclosed sum.

The Army is now assessing whether to retire swathes of its armored vehicles APCs and IFVs, as part of its modernization and replacement programs.

Special forces capabilities in the region were enhanced when the UAE struck made a $150 million deal with the US Marine Corps to provide training and logistical support training contract for the UAE Presidential Guard. for training and logistical support

The Presidential Guard will be trained for counterterrorism, counterpiracy, critical infrastructure protection and national defense. It The UAE Presidential Guard is a military unit that operates outside of the conventional framework of traditional armed forces. such as ground, marine and air forces formed between 2010 and 2011.

Former Australian Special Operations Command and special operations SAS chief Maj. Gen. Mike Hindmarsh was appointed to organize the strike force under a national security adviser designation.