VAB French 4x4 Amphibious/Airborne Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)
VAB
Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)
Other
Basic Information
Name
VAB French 4x4 Amphibious/Airborne Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)
Designation
VAB
Alternate Designation
VAB; Vehicule de l’Avant Blinde
Equipment Type
Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)
Manufacturer
Renault Trucks Defense MACK Defense
Date of Introduction
1976
Description
The Véhicule de l'avant blindé or VAB ("Armoured vanguard vehicle" in French) is an armored personnel carrier and support vehicle designed by Renault of France. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced. As of 2019, it is the standard APC of the French Army and has also been exported to more than 15 countries. It saw combat in various conflicts in Africa, Asia, and Europe. VAB means “Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé”, literally “Vanguard Armoured Vehicle” which does not tells that it was an armored personnel carrier and the most prolific of the French Army by far. 5000+ indeed has been built since its introduction in 1976, both in 4×4 and 6×6 configuration, declined into 35 variants and exported to 15 countries over time. With 3,900 vehicles the French Army is the largest operator of the type, and now most vehicles are modernized while there is a second-generation VAB (called Mk. II) currently developed for escort.
Ground Specifications
Crew
2
Mobility Type
Wheeled (4x4)
Main Weapon
7.62mm General-Purpose Machine Gun
Engine
Renault water-cooled, turbo- charged in-line, 6-cyclinder diesel
NBC Protection
Yes
Max Speed
92.0 km/h
Range
1000.0 km
Variants
VCAC Milan
Trial 4 X 4 with 2 Milan ATGMs
VAB Echelon Repair Vehicle
4 X 4 or 6 X 6 variants for battlefield repairs with a 7.5- mm or 7.62-mm machine gun
VAB PC Command Vehicle
Crew of 6 with additional radios & mapboards; FDC &
FO versions also available
VAB Bromure Electronic Warfare Vehicle
Crew of 3 operate Thomson-
CSF VHF tactical jammer
VAB ATILA
Artillery fire & command
VAB Reco
NBC reconnaissance vehicle
VAB Genie Engineer Vehicle
Crew of 9 with roof-mounted
raft
VTM 120-mm Mortar Towing Vehicle
Tows Thompson Brandt 120-
mm Mortar with 70 rounds
VPM 81
81-mm mortar fires through
roof opening
VAB TOW
Basic VAB with TOW ATGM
launcher with 16 reloads
VAB TOW-ALT
Thune-Eureka 2-tube TOW
turret with 16 reload missiles
VAB VDAA Albi SAM System
Prototype 4 X 4 or 6 X 6 with turret with 2 MATRA SAM
launchers & 6 extra missiles
VAB with UTM 800 Anti-Tank Launcher
4 non-retractable HOT tube
launchers with 8 reloads
VCAC HOT Mephisto Anti-Tank Vehicle
4 retractable HOT tube
launchers with SACLOS missiles & 8 additional rounds
VMO
Internal Security Vehicle
VMO with TOI
Standard VMO with cupola,
7.62-mm MG & AGL
VAB AZURE
Urban warfare with bulldozer blade & panoramic periscopes
VAB Atlas
Improved ATILA Artillery C2
VAB Mark III
Latest upgrade from 2014; 6 X 6 with advanced protection &
mobility
VAB New Generation/Improved VAB
1996 Upgrade with most
variants available
VCI
More heavily armed than the basic VAB with many variants
VAB RASIT
Recon vehicle with radar
VAB RATAC
Artillery target acquisition
VAB Sanitaire Ambulance
Carries 4 litter, 10 sitting, or 2
litter/5 seated patients
VAB VDAA Santal SAM System
6 X 6 VAB with 2-man turret with 6 MATRA Mistral SAMs
with 6 extra rounds in vehicle
VAB with ESD
TA-20 turret mounted anti-
aircraft system
System
Alternative Designation
VAB; Vehicule de l’Avant Blinde
Type
Amphibious/Airborne Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)
Manufacturer
Renault Trucks Defense
MACK Defense
In Service
1976-Present
Configuration
4x4
Crew
2.0 ea
Passengers
10 ea
Payload
This armored personnel carrier can carry up to 2 000 kg of payload in place of the troops
Note
This armored personnel carrier can be airlifted by a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft.
Dimensions
Length, Chassis Overall
5.98
m
Width, Overall
2.5 m
Height, Overall
2.06 m
Weight
13 tons
Automotive
Engine Name
Renault VI MIDS 06.20.45
Engine Type
Renault water-cooled, turbo- charged in-line, 6-cyclinder
diesel
Range, Cruising
1000.0 km
Speed , Average Cross-Country
15.0 km/h
Speed, Maximum Off-Road
40.0 km/h
Speed, Maximum Road
92.0 km/h
Speed, Maximum Swim
7.0 km/h
Gradient
60 %
Side Slope
40 %
Vertical Step
0.5-0.6 m
Trench
1.0 m
Fording Depth
Amphibious
Communications
Radio
Name
1 x Thales PR4G VS2 VHF
BMS
Name
1 x SIT VI BMS System
Main Weapons System
System
Name
1 x AA-52, 7.62mm General-Purpose Machine Gun
Type
General-Purpose Machine Gun
Caliber
7.62 mm
Length
1,080 mm
Barrel Length
600 mm
Weight
9,970 kg
Action
Lever-delayed blowback
Max Rate of Fire
900 rds/min
Effective Firing Range
600 m
Maximum Firing Range
3,200 m
Feed System
Belt
Sights
Iron Removable APX (SOM) telescopic sights IR scope
Ammunition
Type
Rifle
Caliber
7.62
Cartridge
7.5×54mm French, 7.62×51mm NATO
Muzzle Velocity
830 m/s
Basic Load
900 ea
Protection
Armor
Vehicle armor protects the crew and dismounts from 7.62 mm rounds, artillery shell splinters and anti-personnel mines
Anti IED Armor, Applique
cage, ballistic blanket
Armor, Explosive Reactive
No mm
Armor, Turret Front
12.7 mm
NBC Protection
Yes
Self-Entrenching Blade
Bulldozer blade available
Smoke Equipment
4 Smoke grenade launchers
Survivability Equipment
V-shaped hull
Image Sources
Notes
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:54th_Signal_Regiment_Bastille_Day_2013_Paris_t114322.jpg; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:V%C3%A9hicule_de_l'Avant_Blind%C3%A9,_VAB_4x4,_army_licence_registration_6883_0171_photo-1.JPG; https://myjpo.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/vab-variants-15-the-vab-pc-poste-de-commandement/;
Details
Country of Origin
France
Category
Land
Land
Filter Label
V
Classification
Domain
Ground
Equipment Status
Active
Dimensions
Length
5.98 m
Width
2.5 m
Height
2.06 m
Weight
13000 kg
Operators (16)
France
Italy
Ukraine
Brunei
Central African Republic
Côte d'Ivoire
Cyprus
Georgia
Indonesia
Kuwait
Lebanon
Mauritania
Morocco
Oman
Qatar
United Arab Emirates
Something went wrong. Please reload the page.
Reload