Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé

Infobox Weapon
name = Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé


caption = A VAB carrier during a Bastille Day celebration in Paris, France
origin = France
type = Armoured personnel carrier
is_ranged =
is_bladed =
is_explosive =
is_artillery =
is_vehicle = yes
is_missile =
is_UK = yes
service = 1976- present
used_by = France and numerous others
wars = 2001 invasion of Afghanistan
designer = GIAT Industries
design_date =
manufacturer =
unit_cost =
production_date =
number =
variants =
weight = 13.8 Mg (13.8 tonnes loaded)
length = 5.98 m
part_length =
width = 2.49 m
height = 2.06 m
diameter =
crew = 2
armour = Protection against 7.62 mm bullets and mines.
primary_armament = 1 × AA52 7.62 mm machine gun
secondary_armament = -
engine = Renault MIDR 062045
engine_power = 235 kW (320 hp) [http://www.renault-trucks-defense.com/description_2000831_0.html?lang=en]
transmission =
payload_capacity = 2 crews front + 10 troops rear
fuel_capacity =
pw_ratio = 17 W/kg (23 hp/t)
suspension = wheeled
clearance =
vehicle_range = 1,000 km
speed = 100 km/h
guidance =

The "Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé" or VAB ("Armoured Vanguard Vehicle" in French) is an armoured personnel carrier designed by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. It entered service in 1976 and around 5000 were produced. They are amphibious (propelled in the water by two water jets mounted one either side of hull rear), NBC-proof, have excellent off-road capabilities, and can be configured in numerous versions. Modern versions of the VAB have had more than 1,000 improvements compared to the initial version. In 2003, Renault Trucks Défense took over marketing the VAB, as part of a commercial agreement with GIAT.

Combat history

VABs have been deployed in virtually all theatres where French infantry troops were present, notably Kuwait, the Ivory Coast, Yugoslavia, and Chad. VABs belonging to the Royal Moroccan Army ( FAR ) have seen heavy combat during the conflict with Polisario rebels of the Western Sahara.

French troops supporting ISAF in Afghanistan also use the VAB. During the Uzbin valley ambush, a VAB was hit by a rocket propelled grenade, with no injuries. One soldier manning the rooftop machine gun of a VAB was later killed when the road collapsed under his vehicle and it rolled over.

Operators

*FRA: French Army and Air Force
*BRU
*CAF
*CYP
*IDN: Army Corps / TNI-AD using 46 VAB (There were 32 new VAB's purchased in 2006) for Indonesia's Mechanical Batalyon in UNIFIL mission in Lebanon.
*CIV
*KUW
*LBN
*MUS
*MEX
*MAR
*OMA
*QAT
*UAE
*ITA: Italian Army (NBC configuration)

Variants

Variants may be 4×4 or 6×6 wheels. The French military mainly uses 4-wheel versions, with the Engineers Corps (Génie) having 6-wheels versions with enhanced amphibious capabilities. Export versions are also 6×6s.

* VAB VTT: 4x4 APC version, crew of two and ten passengers
* VAB T-20/13: VAB equipped with a turret mounted 20 mm gun recovered from old AMX-13 VCIs and refurbished and intended for fire support and for counter sniping
* VIB: IFV version fitted with a 20 mm cannon and a 7.62 mm machine-gun. Used by the French Air Force for airfield defence
* VAB VOA: Artillery observation vehicle
* VAB RATAC: Radar Artillery target acquisition vehicle, carries a doppler radar with a range of 20 km
* VAB RASIT: Reconnaissance vehicle, carries the RASIT ground surveillance radar
* VAB PC: Command vehicle
* VAB SIR: Digital regimental C4ISTAR information system
* VAB Bromure: Electronic warfare vehicle
* VAB Echelon: Maintenance and repair vehicle
* VAB Génie: Engineering vehicle
* VCAC Mephisto: Anti-tank vehicle, carries the Euromissile Mephisto system with four ready-to-fire HOT anti-tank missiles and eight more in reserve
* VTM 120: Mortar towing vehicle, can carry 70 bombs for the Thomson-Brandt 120mm mortar
* VPM 81: Mortar carrier with an 81mm mortar firing through a roof opening
* VAB SAN: Armoured ambulance
* VAB Reco: NBC reconnaissance vehicle
* VAB ATLAS: Artillery fire command and control vehicle
* VAB AZURE: Urban warfare vehicle equipped with a dozer blade and with panoramic periscopes to observe and monitor.
* VBC-90: Armoured car variant in service with the Mobile Gendarmerie

Versions reserved for export:
* VCAC UTM800: Export model anti-tank vehicle, carries the Euromissile UTM800 turret, with four ready-to-launch HOT missiles, and 16 more in reserve. In service with Qatar and Cyprus
* VAB Vehicle: Maintenance vehicle (with crane)
* VAB workshop

The French Gendarmerie also uses a variant of the VAB, which replaced the VXB, called VBRG ("Véhicule Blindé de Reconnaissance de la Gendarmerie") for riot control. This version may be equipped with a water cannon and/or a bulldozer blade.

Weapons systems

Current:

Future:
* In early May 2008, Renault Trucks Défence signed an eight-year contract with Kongsberg Gruppen of Norway, for equipping the VAB with subsidiary Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace's Protector M151 Remote Weapon Station. [ [http://www.kongsberg.com/eng/kog/news/default.asp?id=33729 Weapon Control Systems framework agreement with France] – Kongsberg Gruppen press release, 02.05.2008]

Gallery

References

*cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/accp/in0535/ch2.htm |title=Vehicle recognition (friendly armor): Light armored vehicle identification |accessdate=2008-01-11 |date= |work= |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org

External links

* [http://www.army-technology.com/projects/vab/ Description at Army-Technology.com]
* [http://www.chars-francais.net/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50&Itemid=41 chars-francais.net]