The Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé, or VAB, is a French armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle designed and manufactured by Renault Trucks Defense, now known as Arquus. It entered French service in 1979 and around 5,000 were produced for the French Army and for export.
Renault VAB at a glance
| Maker | Renault Trucks Defense, now Arquus |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 1979 |
| Type | armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle |
| Built | around 5,000 for France and export |
| Variants | more than thirty variants and sub-variants |
| Exports | more than 15 countries |
| Combat use | Africa, Asia and Europe |
| Replacement | VBMR Griffon from 2019 and VBMR-L Serval |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé.
History of the Renault VAB
A polyvalent vehicle
The VAB is a polyvalent military vehicle with more than thirty variants and sub-variants. Beyond the common primary role of transporting personnel and equipment in combat zones, some are tailored for mechanised infantry combat, some serve as anti-tank missile launchers, self-propelled mortars, electronic warfare platforms or reconnaissance and artillery observation vehicles.
Service and exports
It entered French service in 1979 and has seen combat in various conflicts in Africa, Asia and Europe, and has been exported to more than fifteen countries.
Replacement
As of 2019 the VAB was still the standard armoured personnel carrier of the French Army, but it is gradually being replaced by its successors, the six-wheeled VBMR Griffon, introduced in 2019, and the four-wheeled VBMR-L Serval.
Design and features
- Thirty-plus variants: from troop transport to anti-tank and electronic warfare roles.
- Wide export: sold to more than fifteen countries.
- Long service: the French Army’s standard carrier four decades after introduction.
- Successors: replaced by the Griffon and Serval programmes.
Renault VAB versions
- Troop carrier: the basic armoured personnel carrier.
- Anti-tank and mortar versions: armed with missile launchers or mortars.
- Electronic warfare and observation: specialist support variants.
The VAB was built by Renault Trucks Defense, the same company that supplied Renault’s military trucks such as the TRM 2000, and it followed earlier Renault armoured vehicles like the Renault UE. More Renaults are in the Renault collection.
Video: VAB Mark 3 armoured personnel carrier
Video by armyreco on YouTube.
Sources
- Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé, English Wikipedia: service, production, variants, replacements
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