Breaking news
Renault Trucks Defense will deliver 443 wheeled vehicles to the French Special Forces 10801162.
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Defence & Security Industry News - Renault Trucks Defense
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| Renault Trucks Defense will deliver 443 wheeled vehicles to the French Special Forces. | |||
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The French army defence procurement agency (DGA) notified a contract, December 30, 2015 to Renault Trucks Defense (RTD) for the manufacturing of 241 Light Special Forces Vehicles and 202 Heavy Special Forces Vehicles, as well as the integration of intelligence and communication equipment, and their support elements.
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 French Special Forces with VPS light wheeled vehicle during military operation in Mali. |
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These vehicles will equip all of the Special Forces, who currently operate with a heterogeneous fleet of vehicles particularly worn down by the regularity of their engagement in overseas operations. 25 Heavy Special Forces Vehicles will be delivered in 2016 in a first standard to respond to the most urgent needs. The first light vehicles will be delivered from 2018.
The program responds to a most demanding operational requirement for intelligence or neutralisation missions, and in depth actions within hostile areas requiring maximum discretion. It aims to improve the interoperability and the fleet’s performance level across Land, Air and Marine components of the Special Forces. Besides RENAULT TRUCKS Defense, manufacturer of combat vehicles who leads the project of this Special Forces vehicles contract also includes companies Panhard, subsidiary of RTD (conception and production of the light vehicle), and Essonne Sécurité (conception and production of common equipment for both vehicles). Currently the French special Forces uses two main types of vehicles, the VLRA 1 manufactured by the French Company ACMAT and the VPS manufactured by the French Company Panhard, both are now subdivisions of Renault Trucks Defense. The VPS is a light 4x4 patrol vehicle especially designed for Special Forces. The contract for the SAS Patrol vehicle was awarded to Panhard by the DGA in 2005 for the Special Operations Command. 51 VPS have been ordered by the French Ministry of Defence The Panhard VPS delivered to the French Army is based on the Mercedes-Benz 270 CDI G-Class 4x4 light tactical vehicle. The VPS can accommodate five fully equipped soldiers, with the driver and commander at the front, and three soldiers at the rear including the shooter for the 12.7 mm machine gun. It's an open top vehicle with a tubular frame roll-bar. Most of the time there is no door at the front. The crew is protected by an armour floorpan which provides a protection Level 1 STANAG 4569. |
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 French-made Panhard VPS light 4x4 patrol vehicle. |
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The ACMAT VLRA 1 (Véhicule de Liaison, de Reconnaissance et d'Appui) is a light multirole tactical vehicle designed and manufactured by the French Defence Company ACMAT. Development began in the '50s, and since it is used by the French Army and many other countries throughout the world and is also used for a variety of civil and law enforcement applications.
The standard VLRA 4x4 or 6x6 can be equipped with a full range of armament as pedestal-mounted or 360° ring-mounted for 7.62 or 12.7 mm machine gun. In addition, more swivel stations can be added at the front and at the rear of the troop's compartment armed with 5.56 mm machine gun. The cargo area can be accommodating to transport heavy weapons as anti-tank or missile launcher systems. In the French army there are some variants with Milan anti-tank launcher missile or Mistral air-defence missile system |
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 French Special Forces VLRA 1 light tactical vehicle |
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