The Qatari government has donated a batch of armored vehicles to the Jordanian Armed Forces.
On Tuesday, Jordan formally received a group of eight armored personnel carriers donated from Qatar. The vehicles were received at a ceremony attended by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, Major General Yousef Huneiti. In a report, the Jordan Times said these were the first of 44 that will be transferred.
Major General Hamad Kubeissi, who commands the Emiri Border Guard, said the donation underscores the “cooperation and brotherly ties” between the two countries.
Images and footage from the hand-over ceremony appear to show a mix of Nomad and Thunder mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles, which are produced by Qatar’s Stark Motors. It is not known how many of each will be delivered. The MRAPs have manned weapon turrets. According to Stark Motors, the Nomad carries two crew, plus a gunner, and can accommodate up to eight personnel. The Thunder carries two crew, a gunner, and six personnel.
Since the launch of Stark Motors in 2017, the Qatari government has donated its MRAPs to a number of friendly countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. Doha donated 24 Storm vehicles to Mali in late 2018 and another 24 to Burkino Faso the next year. Somalia’s military received 68 armored vehicles from the Gulf country.
Military markets analyst, covering Eurasia, Middle East, and Africa.
