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Aravis Nexter Systems Armoured vehicle personnel carrier
 
 
 
 
Description
To respond to the threats escalation, as the IEDs, mines and kinetic projectiles, Nexter Systems presents ARAVIS®, its highly protected multi-missions vehicle. Fitted with the last SAFEPRO protection technologies (design and manufacture by Nexter Systems), ARAVIS® has been deployed in Afghanistan with the French Army for highly risky missions, and is combat proven in extreme environments since 2011. Nexter Systems proposes today a full range of ARAVIS®, in order to respond to the maximum of needs, with military applications, and counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism applications as well: Armoured Personnel carrier, Direct Fire Support, Command Post, Observation, and Assaultladder (SWAT).

Nexter chose Eurosatory 2008 Defence Exhibition to unveil the twelve-tonne 4 x 4 Aravis protected vehicle. The ARAVIS Nexter Systems is designed to carry out such missions as patrol, reconnaissance, area control/inspection, convoy escort, route-securing, etc. and is well adapted to enforcement and peace-keeping missions, notably in urban zones. Nexter CEO Luc Vigneron said the Aravis is priced slightly below current products in the market but offer higher protection. An armored crew citadel with a spall liner against internal shock waves is intended to protect the eight people in the vehicle, which uses a commercial Mercedes Unimog chassis. The company developed the vehicle with its own funds.

Combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has pushed force protection and mobility high on the list of armies' priorities, creating opportunities to industry to meet urgent operating needs. Roadside bombs have forced armies to put troops inside vehicles rather than expose them to harm by manning a gun turret. The vehicle has a large interior volume of 9.5m3 and can carry 2 crew members and up to 6 infantry men and their equipment. The programme manager for the Aravis, Emmanuel Fron, told Jane's that the vehicle had been designed from the start to protect against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against the backdrop of international peacekeeping operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In August 2008, the Aravis demonstrated its capabilities to a test area in United Arab Emirates. During the test, the Aravis run 1,700 km on road, desert, and mountainous terrain with temperature of more than 50°.

The Délégation Générale pour l’Armement (DGA – French Procurement Agency) advised NEXTER Systems of the contract on April 16, 2009. The purchase will provide the French Army with highly protected vehicles for reconnaissance assignments on potentially mined roads. The ARAVISs will go to the Engineers unit, which escorts BUFFALO and SOUVIM vehicles specialised in improvised explosive device prevention (IED) tasks in Afghanistan. The first vehicles were delivered by NEXTER Systems to the DGA at the end of 2009. Users and personnel in charge of maintaining the ARAVISs were trained upon the delivery of the first vehicles. January 19th, 2010, the French Head office of armament (DGA) delivered to the French Army its first four high protected wheeled armoured vehicles ARAVIS Nexter Systems. A total of 15 Aravis were ordered by the French Army.
 
Variants
Nexter has developed kits to enable the Aravis to be configured as a command post and an ambulance.
Aravis VBHP : standard version of the Aravis, high protected armoured vehicle for enginer troops
Aravis Observation : battlefield detection and surveillance armoured vehicle with Margo 5000 Optronic
Aravis Fire Support : armed with an 20 gun ARX-20 Nexter turret
 
Technical Data
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Armament
The Aravis® can be fitted with a remote controlled weapon station armed with weapons up to 20 mm in calibre. The Aravis version for the French Army is equipped with a remote-controlled weapon station with a 12.7 mm machine gun used in Afghanistan. The Aravis® can be armed with the new remote controlled 20mm ARX®20 turret developed by Nexter Systems or a 12.7 mm remote controlled turret according to the type of mission. ARX®20 offers the advantage of combat-useful firing power and range superior to 12.7mm weaponry whilst ensuring total crew protection. The French version of the Aravis is equipped with a remotely weapon station armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun.
Design and Protection
Nexter claims that the protection of the Aravis, based on the company's new Safepro armour technology, outclasses that of all existing 4 x 4 vehicles. Nexter describes the protection level as 4-4-4: Stanag 4569 Level 4 ballistic protection able to defeat 14.5-mm threats, Level 4 mine protection able to defeat ten-kg mines under the belly and wheels and all-round Level 4 protection against 155-mm artillery splinters. Additionally, the Aravis is able to withstand the blast of an improvised explosive device, equivalent to 50 kg of TNT, at five metres. The new design incorporates modular applique armour with 'anti-blast device', V-shaped anti-mine plates and a spall liner with the crew citadel. This vehicle offers 9.5 cubic metres of internal volume, of which eight cubic metres are under armour protection, and can carry a driver, commander and up to six passengers with their equipment. ARAVIS® surpasses all other vehicles in the 12 tonne category with its combined protection levels: level 4 for ballistic protection (resists 14.5mm caliber attacks), level 4 for mine protection (resistant to 10 kg mines both under the cab and under the wheels), level 4 for protection against artillery explosions (burst of 155mm shells at 5 meters) as well as a high level of protection against IED’s (TNT charges or 155 mm mortars, on the sides). The additional PG Guard® system, adopted by the French army, provides protection against Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG).
Propulsion
The Aravis is based on the light truck chassis Mecedes-Benz U-5000. Mercedes-Unimog chassis provides it with an excellent tactical mobility (centralized tyre pressure adjustment, run-flat system) and a proven reliability as well. The vehicle is powered by a 218-hp Mercedes Benz four-cylinder diesel OM 924 engine and can achieve a top speed of 100 km/h and a range of 750 km. For its reconnaissance tasks, the ARAVIS has, in addition to the turret cameras, peripheral cameras showing the nearby environment around the vehicle.
Accessories
ARAVIS® is fully integrated in the air/land digital bubble, due to its Battle ManagementSystem FINDERS C2®. Fitted with seven perimetric cameras, the ARAVIS® brings to the crew precise situation awareness. Its modular interior allows the vehicle to be quickly adapted to the operational tasks in risky situations (road clearance, escort of convoys, patrols, border surveillance, support close to the enemy, VIP protection, infrastructure security,..;). The Nexter Aravis is equipped with video cameras provide 360° situational awareness. The vehicle can be airlifted by a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
 
Specifications
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Armament
Remote controlled weapon station up to 20 mm cal., 40mm Grenade Launcher
Country users
France
Designer Company
Nexter Systems
Accessories
360° direct and video, Designed to be equipped with various BMS (SIR, Finders C2®, SIT-V1…)
Crew
2 + 7 soldiers
Armor
SAFEPRO Nexter Systems armor kit a
Weight
12,500 kg
Speed
90 km/h
Range
750 km
Dimensions
Lenght, 6,0 m; Width, 2,5 m; Height, 2,5 m
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Pictures - Video
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