Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé
| Véhicule de l'avant blindé | |
|---|---|
French VAB on display
|
|
| Type | Armoured personnel carrier |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1976 – present |
| Used by | France and numerous others |
| Wars |
Lebanese Civil War Gulf War 2001 invasion of Afghanistan Operation Serval |
| Production history | |
| Designer | GIAT Industries |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 13.8 tonnes (13.8 tonnes loaded) |
| Length | 5.98 m (19 ft 7 in) |
| Width | 2.49 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) |
| Crew | 2 |
| Passengers | 10 |
|
|
|
| Armour | Steel armour providing protection against 7.62 mm bullets Upgrades with MEXAS composite armour and mine protection |
|
Main
armament |
1 × AA52 7.62 mm machine gun |
| Engine | Renault MIDR 062045 235 kW (320 hp) |
| Power/weight | 17 W/kg (23 hp/t) |
| Suspension | wheeled |
| Ground clearance | 0.4 m (1 ft 4 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 310 litres |
|
Operational
range |
1,200 km (750 mi) |
| Speed | 110 km/h (68 mph) 2.2 m/s in water |
The Véhicule de l'avant blindé or VAB ("Armoured vanguard vehicle" in French) is an armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle designed by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced.
The VAB was designed as a wheeled troop transporter, complementing the tracked AMX-10P. Specifications for the project called for an NBC-proof, amphibious, lightly armoured vehicle to provide infantry with basic protection against shrapnel and light infantry weapons. These features were dictated by its possible usage in the event of an all-out conventional war breaking out against the Warsaw Pact; in particular, the amphibious capabilities were needed to bridge the rivers in Eastern France and in Germany.
Companies Panhard and Saviem/Renault answered the requirement, and the Renault prototype was selected in May 1974, with 4,000 units ordered. The first delivery occurred in 1976, and production continued at a rate of 30 to 40 units a month.
An armoured double-door at the rear allows access to the passenger compartment. Two inward-facing, foldable benches provide seating for 5 soldiers each. The crew enters the front compartment through two lateral hatches, the driver on the left and gunner on the right; two additional hatches in the roof give access to armaments and provide emergency exits. The front windows are bullet-proof and heated. All the windows can be further protected by armoured panels, which can be shut entirely or leaving a small observation slit. The engine is located behind the driver, while the right side of the vehicle is kept free, providing a passageway between the crew and passenger compartments.
rear doors and crew bench
forwards compartment
With a modest 13-tonne mass, the VAB can easily be airlifted for deployment abroad. It can pull a 4-tonne trailer. The VAB's large wheels allow it to sustain up to 60% grades and road/rail canting of up to 30%.
Modern versions have more than 1,000 improvements since the first. From 1998, the French Army's VABs underwent three major overhauls:
These overhauled vehicles are known as VAB Valorisé. From 1990, the VAB NG (new generation) with improved armour and new engine was offered. In 2003, Renault Trucks Défense took over marketing the VAB from GIAT. At Eurosatory 2010, Renault unveiled the heavier VAB MkII, with more internal space and Level 4 protection.
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Wikipedia