The VBCI (French denomination of "Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie)") is a French wheeled armoured infantry fighting vehicle designed and manufactured by the French Companies Nexter Systems and Renault Trucks Defense. The VBCI is designed to replace the old tracked armoured infantry fighting vehicle AMX-10P, who is currently used by the mechanised units of the French Army. In November 2000, the French Ministry of Defence awarded a contract to Giat Industries and Renault VI (now Renault Trucks) for the first 65 vehicles (54 VCI – including 12 with the Eryx missile system – and 11 VPC). A joint venture company, Satory Military Vehicles, was set up by Giat and Renault Trucks to be responsible for the VBCI and a number of other vehicles. Renault has responsibility for the mobility systems, including the driver's station, engine, gearbox, suspension and axles and on-board electrical networks. Giat is responsible for the armoured hull, interior furnishing, assembly and integration of the turret and vehicle, observation, command and control, weapons and self-protection systems. The first two prototypes were completed in May 2004. Five prototypes have been delivered, four VCI and one VPC, and are undergoing qualification trials. One is taking part in operational trials with the French Army. Serial production is underway and the first three production vehicles were delivered in May 2008, two IFV and one command variant.
Qualification was granted by the DGA in March 2008 and the VBCI has now gone into series production. On 5 December 2008 , the DGA placed a supplementary order with Nexter Systems and Renault Trucks Defense for 116 vehicles. This order brings the total number of vehicles ordered to date to 298 VBCIs. The DGA has accepted the first 49 vehicles in accordance with the initial schedule. In September 2009, The Minister of Defence, Hervé Morin, today announced an order for 332 VBCI armoured infantry combat vehicles for the Army. The order was awarded by the defence procurement agency, Délégation générale pour l’armement (DGA) to a joint venture company owned by Nexter Systems and Renault Trucks Defense. This latest order increases to 630 the number of VBCIs on order for the Army, as specified by the White Paper on defence and national security. The total cost of the VBCI program, including development and pre-production, is 2.86 billion euros. (approx. $4.1 billion).
Around one hundred vehicles are
being produced annually for France, but the assembly line could deliver at a significantly higher rate, to meet any possible export requirements. The basic simplicity of the VBCI means that the production line could also be transferred, in the event of export contracts involving local provisioning, production and/or integration.
In December 2009, GTD and Nexter Systems have signed a shareholder agreement under which a Spanish joint venture will be formed within the next few weeks. One of the main tasks of the new company will be to fulfil the contract for the Spanish "Vehiculo Blindado Ruedas 8x8" (VBR 8x8) programme to replace the existing BMR vehicle.