VXB-170
A French Gendarmerie VXB
TypeArmoured personnel carrier
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service1973 – present
Used bySee Operators
Production history
ManufacturerBerliet
Specifications
Mass12.7 tonnes (12.5 long tons)
Length5.99 m (19 ft 8 in)
Width2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Height2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)
Crew3
Passengers6 to 8 troops
Armor7 mm
Main
armament
1 × 7.62 mm machine gun
Secondary
armament
56 mm grenade launcher
EngineBerliet V800M 8-cylinder diesel engine
170 hp (130 kW)
Power/weight23 hp/t
Suspensionwheeled
Operational
range
750 km (470 mi)
Maximum speed 85 km/h (53 mph)

The Berliet VXB-170 is a four-wheel armoured vehicle used primarily as an internal security vehicle. Developed and initially produced by Berliet until Berliet was merged with Saviem to form Renault Trucks (now Arquus),[1] it lost to the Saviem VAB the competition to equip the French Army, even though it was cheaper than its competitor. Production stopped after fewer than 200 vehicles had been produced.

History

In 1967, the BL-12 was presented as a concept for the French military for transportation.[2]

It was selected in 1972 by the French Gendarmerie, but it lost out to the Saviem VAB the competition for equipment of the French Army. Following the merger of Berliet and Saviem under the Renault brand in 1974, became redundant in the brand product offering so production was stopped soon after the Gendarmerie order was complete.

The VXB-170 was known as Véhicule blindé à roues de la Gendarmerie ("Gendarmerie wheeled armoured vehicle") or VBRG.[2]

Design

The VXB-170 has a V8 170 hp engine has a top speed of 80 km/h.[2] It can cover inclines of 60% and transverse cambers of 30%.[2]

It has a small turret on the roof that can be equipped with a 7.62mm machine gun.[3]

Variants

The VXB-170 was developed under the following:[3]

  • internal security (procured by the Gendarmerie in 4 versions : basic vehicle, command vehicle, blade vehicle, and winch vehicle)
  • reconnaissance and patrol
  • light combat.

Operators

Map of VXB-170 operators

Current operators

Former civilian operators

  •  Tunisia - 10 (for police, now retired)

Former evaluation-only operators

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Renault Trucks Defense renamed Arquus | Jane's 360". Archived from the original on 2018-09-11. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
  2. 1 2 3 4 https://www.arquus-defense.com/presentation-bl12-satory
  3. 1 2 https://armyrecognition.com/germany_german_army_wheeled_armoured_vehicle_uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19136&amp=1
  4. ↑ Clerc, Marc. "Histoire et évolution des moyens blindés depuis la deuxième guerre mondiale". Revue de la Gendarmerie nationale (in French). No. 262. pp. 19–29.
  5. ↑ "Gilets jaunes. Que sont les VBRG, ces véhicules blindés de la gendarmerie déployés à Paris ?". Ouest France (in French). 8 December 2018.
  6. ↑ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. p. 467. ISBN 9781032012278.
  7. ↑ https://www.defenceweb.co.za/land/gabon-unveils-new-vn1-armoured-vehicles/
  8. ↑ http://rfventures.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Armored-vehicles-market-2019.pdf
  9. ↑ Stefan, Marx. The VAB Family of Armoured Vehicles: NG and Improved Vehicles, Upgrades. pp. 1–40.
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