French Army takes delivery first VBCI armoured infantry fighting vehicle FELIN-capable variant 12021.

The VBCI is a French-made 8x8 armoured infantry fighting vehicle produced and manufactured by a consortium made up of Nexter Systems and Renault Trucks Defense.

FELIN (Fantassin à Equipements et Liaisons INtégrés) for which Sagem is the prime contractor, is the French Army’s soldier system. With 22,600 units ordered, it will be put into service in 2010. Fully modular, FELIN can be used in all combat phases: day, night, offboard and onboard vehicles and aircraft, etc. It is available in configurations adapted to each operation. Combat-ready, FELIN complies for use in airborne, urban, desert, wilderness and high-mountain environments.

The VBCI in armoured infantry combat vehicle is equipped with with a one-man Nexter Dragar turret armed with a dual feed 25mm Nato cannon type 25 M811 with 150 rounds in the turret and a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun. This vehicle can carry a 2-man crew and up to 10 soldiers with their equipment.

"Offering a high level of protection against various threats, it is a true 'base camp' for the infantryman on the battlefield," DGA said. "For its part, the FELIN soldier system provides a quantum leap in terms of protection, observation, communication, use of weapons, mobility and support for combat soldiers in direct contact with the enemy.

"Eventually, all VBCIs will be adapted for FELIN, either directly on the Nexter production line for the remaining vehicles, or by retrofit in regimental workshops for the 445 VBCI produced since 2008."