Eastern Libyan forces display Turkish-designed armoured vehicles

The BMC Amazons were badged as ANS products in the Libyan parade. (General Command of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces)

The Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) that controls eastern Libya displayed a large number of new 4×4 armoured vehicles during a parade at the main special forces base in Benghazi on 15 October.

The LAAF released a video of the event on 17 October showing about 90 vehicles that looked identical to the improved version of the Amazon made by the Turkish company BMC other than they had the initials ANS embossed on their front where BMC is usually written, raising the possibility they were assembled under license.

Unveiled in 2023, the improved version of the Amazon has only previously been seen in service in Syria, with the original version being in service in Qatar and Turkmenistan.

All of the vehicles in the Libyan parade were fitted with remotely operated weapon stations that did not match any known type, although resembled the 7.62 mm version of the Koralp range that was displayed by Türkiye's Best Grup in 2019. None of the Libyan weapon stations were fitted with weapons for the parade, which was attended by LAAF supreme commander Khalifa Haftar and his son Saddam, who serves as his deputy.

The parade also included several 4×4 armoured vehicles that looked like the Jordanian-made Al-Wahsh fitted with remotely operated weapon stations for anti-tank guided missiles, a combination not previously seen in Libya. The launchers looked similar to the ones developed by the Jordanian company Jadara for its Terminator missile, which looks like the RK-3 used with the Ukrainian Corsar laser beam-riding system.

The LAAF also displayed jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that looked identical to the Belarusian Mirotvorets (peacemaker) alongside two trailer-mounted pneumatic launchers.