The French Army receives its 400th VBCI 1206128

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Official Online Show Daily News
Eurosatory 2012
International Land Defence & Security Exhibition
Paris, France
11 - 15 June 2012
 
The French Army receives its 400th VBCI
 
 
Tuesday, June 12, 2012, 10:24 AM
 
At Eurosatory 2012, the DGA announced the delivery of the 400th VBCI vehicle.
At Eurosatory 2012, the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA, French defence procurement agency) announced it is about to deliver in June the 400th véhicule blindé de combat d’infanterie (VBCI, armoured infantry fighting vehicle) to the French Army. The VBCI is produced by Nexter Systems in association with Renault Trucks Defense. The DGA ordered all in all 630 VBCIs.
Visit The French MoD at Eurosatory 2012 Hall 5 F 396, Nexter OUT P3 sud A 600 and Renault Trucks Defence OUT P3 A 520.
     
At Eurosatory 2012, the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA, French defence procurement agency) announced it is about to deliver in June the 400th véhicule blindé de combat d’infanterie (VBCI, armoured infantry fighting vehicle) to the French Army. The VBCI is produced by Nexter Systems in association with Renault Trucks Defense. The DGA ordered all in all 630 VBCIs.
The véhicule blindé de combat d’infanterie (VBCI, armoured infantry fighting vehicle)
     

The VBCI is currently used successfully by the French Army in Afghanistan (as well as in Lebanon), where it has confirmed its full operational capacities in action, particularly its high mobility, its power and fire accuracy,
its excellent level of protection and possibilities of evolution that allows VBCI to be constantly adapted to the threat.
The first VBCI went out of factory in 2008, the last ones will be delivered by the DGA to the French Army in 2015. The VBCI is assembled on the Nexter’s industrial site of Roanne in the Center of France, at the rate of a hundred vehicles a year. The VBCI program represents more than 8 million working hours for Nexter Systems, Renault Trucks Defense and their subcontractors.
The VBCI is an 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle, existing in two versions: Command Post Vehicle (CVP) and Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). The IFV version, of which 520 were ordered by the DGA, is equipped with a 25 mm turret and accommodates eleven soldiers. With a maximum combat weight of roughly 30 tons, the VBCI reaches a 100 kph top speed. It will be airportable in the A400M military transport aircraft. A real "home" for the infantrymen, the VBCI offers a high level of protection, of which a system of NBC filtration. It is equipped with an armoured structure resisting average calibre rounds and shrapnel. It also offers high protection against land-mines and improvised explosive devices.