Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé
Encyclopedia
The Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé or VAB ("Armoured Vanguard Vehicle" in French
) is an armoured personnel carrier
and support vehicle designed by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries
of France
. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced.
. Specifications for the project called for an NBC-proof, amphibious, lightly armoured vehicle to provide infantry with basic protection against shrapnel and light infantry weapons. These features were dictated by its possible usage in the event of an all-out conventional war breaking out against the Warsaw Pact; in particular, the amphibious capabilities were needed to bridge the rivers in Eastern France and in Germany.
Companies Panhard
and Saviem/Renault
answered the requirement, and the Renault prototype was selected in May 1974, with 4,000 units ordered. The first delivery occurred in 1976, and production continued at a rate of 30 to 40 units a month.
A double armoured door at the rear allows access to the passenger compartment. Two inwards-looking, foldable benches provide space for 5 soldiers each. The crew enters the forwards compartment through two lateral hatches, the driver on the left, and the gunner of the right; two more hatches in the roof give access to armament and provide for emergency exit. The front windows are bullet-proof and heated, and can be further sheltered from incoming fire by armoured panels which can be either entirely shut, or leave a small slit for observation; the windows on the side and rear doors are covered by a similar system.
The engine is located behind the driver, while the right side of the vehicle is kept free, providing a passageway between the crew and passager compartments.
Modern versions of the VAB have had more than 1,000 improvements compared to the initial version. From 1998, the VABs in usage in the French Army underwent three major overhauls:
These overhauled vehicles are known as VAB Valorisé.
With a modest 13-tonne mass, the VAB can easily be airlifted for deployment abroad. It is capable of tracking a 4-tonne trailer. The large wheels of the VAB allow it to sustain up to 60% grades, and road/rail canting of up to 30%.
In 2003, Renault Trucks Défense
took over marketing the VAB, as part of a commercial agreement with GIAT.
From 1990, the VAB NG (new generation) with improved armour and new engine was offered. At Eurosatory 2010, Renault unveiled, a new evolution, the VAB MkII, with more internal space, level 4 protection and a higher GVW.
The amphibious design of the hull, the relatively light weight and the armour upgrade seem to give the VAB strong resistance against mines: when exposed to an explosion from below, the VAB tends to be lifted in the air, which allows most of the strength of the explosion to be dispersed away from the vehicle; furthermore, the shape of the hull and the disposition of the wheels deflect the shock wave, helping to maintain hull integrity.
in an open turret; the light version sports an AA52 in a similar arrangement. In both cases, the crewman who mans the machine gun is protected from incoming fire only by an armoured panel on the front and by the two halves of the hatch door on the sides, giving him little protection against indirect fire, surprise attacks and explosions, or if the VAB rolls over. As of July 2007, all the personnel killed by mines aboard VABs had occupied the gunner position, though serious injuries were sometimes sustained by crewmen inside the hull.
From 2007, repeated requests were issued by the Army head of staff for remotely-operated 12.7mm turrets to be fitted on these vehicles as a crash requirement. A programme was launched, scheduling turret and battle command
upgrades for over 500 VABs, now labeled VAB TOP (tourelle TéléOPérée).
In early May 2008, Renault Trucks Defence signed an eight-year, 20 million euro contract with Kongsberg Gruppen
of Norway, for equipping the VAB with subsidiary Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace's Protector M151
Remote Weapon Station. Delivery are planned to range from 2009 to 2016. About 60 VAB-TOP were deployed in Afghanistan from early 2009 onwards, and saw first combat during the Battle of Alasay
. Field experience shows a significant drop in ammunition consumption with the tele-operated turret, whose computer allows the operator to fire efficient single shots, rather than bursts. This somewhat alleviates concerns raised by the need to reload the turret from outside.
vehicle stemming from the EBM10-EBM20 programme is due to be selected. The Armoured Multirol Carrier has been cited as a strong contender.
, and Chad
. VABs belonging to the Royal Moroccan Army
( FAR ) have seen heavy combat during the conflict with Polisario rebels of the Western Sahara
.
French troops supporting ISAF
in Afghanistan also use the VAB. During the Uzbin valley ambush
, a VAB was hit by a rocket propelled grenade
, with no injuries. One soldier manning the rooftop machine gun of a VAB was later killed when the road collapsed under his vehicle and it rolled over. In March 2009, a VAB driver was killed by a rocket attack during the battle of Alasay
.
Variants may be 4×4 or 6×6 wheels, the 6×6 yielding a 10% increase in cost. The French military only uses 4-wheel versions, while export versions mainly are 6×6s.
Versions reserved for export:
The French Gendarmerie also uses a variant of the VAB, which replaced the VXB
, called VBRG
(Véhicule Blindé de Reconnaissance de la Gendarmerie) for riot control
. This version may be equipped with a water cannon
and/or a bulldozer
blade.
: Pindad APS-3: WZ551
: BOV M86
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) is an armoured personnel carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
and support vehicle designed by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries
Nexter
Nexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced.
Design
The VAB was designed as a wheeled troop transporter, complementing the tracked AMX-10PAMX-10P
The AMX-10P is a French infantry fighting vehicle. It was developed after 1965 to replace the AMX-VCI in French service, and the first prototypes were completed in 1968. It has NBC protection and amphibious capabilities, with hydro jets to swim in water...
. Specifications for the project called for an NBC-proof, amphibious, lightly armoured vehicle to provide infantry with basic protection against shrapnel and light infantry weapons. These features were dictated by its possible usage in the event of an all-out conventional war breaking out against the Warsaw Pact; in particular, the amphibious capabilities were needed to bridge the rivers in Eastern France and in Germany.
Companies Panhard
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
and Saviem/Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
answered the requirement, and the Renault prototype was selected in May 1974, with 4,000 units ordered. The first delivery occurred in 1976, and production continued at a rate of 30 to 40 units a month.
A double armoured door at the rear allows access to the passenger compartment. Two inwards-looking, foldable benches provide space for 5 soldiers each. The crew enters the forwards compartment through two lateral hatches, the driver on the left, and the gunner of the right; two more hatches in the roof give access to armament and provide for emergency exit. The front windows are bullet-proof and heated, and can be further sheltered from incoming fire by armoured panels which can be either entirely shut, or leave a small slit for observation; the windows on the side and rear doors are covered by a similar system.
The engine is located behind the driver, while the right side of the vehicle is kept free, providing a passageway between the crew and passager compartments.
Modern versions of the VAB have had more than 1,000 improvements compared to the initial version. From 1998, the VABs in usage in the French Army underwent three major overhauls:
- replacement of the manual gear by an automatic transmission (T1)
- replacement of the brakes and automatic tire pressurisation (T2)
- armour upgrade (T3)
These overhauled vehicles are known as VAB Valorisé.
With a modest 13-tonne mass, the VAB can easily be airlifted for deployment abroad. It is capable of tracking a 4-tonne trailer. The large wheels of the VAB allow it to sustain up to 60% grades, and road/rail canting of up to 30%.
In 2003, Renault Trucks Défense
Renault Trucks
Renault Trucks is a French truck manufacturer with its corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Originally part of Renault, it has been owned by Volvo Group since 2001....
took over marketing the VAB, as part of a commercial agreement with GIAT.
From 1990, the VAB NG (new generation) with improved armour and new engine was offered. At Eurosatory 2010, Renault unveiled, a new evolution, the VAB MkII, with more internal space, level 4 protection and a higher GVW.
Armour upgrade
The armour upgrade of the VAB aimed at increasing from protection against light infantry weapons to protection against heavy machine guns, typically 12.7 mm projectiles. This increased the weight of the vehicles by about two tonnes, thereby losing its amphibious capabilities.The amphibious design of the hull, the relatively light weight and the armour upgrade seem to give the VAB strong resistance against mines: when exposed to an explosion from below, the VAB tends to be lifted in the air, which allows most of the strength of the explosion to be dispersed away from the vehicle; furthermore, the shape of the hull and the disposition of the wheels deflect the shock wave, helping to maintain hull integrity.
Turrets
The heavy machine gun version of the VAB carries a M2 machine gunM2 Machine Gun
The M2 Machine Gun, Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun, is a heavy machine gun designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. It is very similar in design to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chambered for the .30-06 cartridge...
in an open turret; the light version sports an AA52 in a similar arrangement. In both cases, the crewman who mans the machine gun is protected from incoming fire only by an armoured panel on the front and by the two halves of the hatch door on the sides, giving him little protection against indirect fire, surprise attacks and explosions, or if the VAB rolls over. As of July 2007, all the personnel killed by mines aboard VABs had occupied the gunner position, though serious injuries were sometimes sustained by crewmen inside the hull.
From 2007, repeated requests were issued by the Army head of staff for remotely-operated 12.7mm turrets to be fitted on these vehicles as a crash requirement. A programme was launched, scheduling turret and battle command
Battle command
Battle command is the art and science of visualizing, describing, directing, and leading forces in operations against a hostile, thinking, and adaptive enemy. Battle command applies leadership to translate decision into actions, by synchronizing forces and warfighting functions in time, space, and...
upgrades for over 500 VABs, now labeled VAB TOP (tourelle TéléOPérée).
In early May 2008, Renault Trucks Defence signed an eight-year, 20 million euro contract with Kongsberg Gruppen
Kongsberg Gruppen
Kongsberg Gruppen is Norway's major defence contractor and maritime automation supplier, located in Kongsberg, a former mining town....
of Norway, for equipping the VAB with subsidiary Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace's Protector M151
Protector M151
The M151 PROTECTOR Remote Weapon Station is a remotely-controlled weapons station that can be mounted to vehicles and stationary platforms...
Remote Weapon Station. Delivery are planned to range from 2009 to 2016. About 60 VAB-TOP were deployed in Afghanistan from early 2009 onwards, and saw first combat during the Battle of Alasay
Battle of Alasay
The Battle of Alasay, codenamed Operation Dinner Out, was a military operation carried out by French troops of the Chasseurs Alpins's 27e Battalion and the Afghan National Army 1st Kandak between the 14th and 23rd of March 2009...
. Field experience shows a significant drop in ammunition consumption with the tele-operated turret, whose computer allows the operator to fire efficient single shots, rather than bursts. This somewhat alleviates concerns raised by the need to reload the turret from outside.
Replacement
Replacement of the VAB is scheduled for around 2020. A diesel-electricDiesel-electric
Diesel-electric transmission or diesel-electric powertrain is used by a number of vehicle and ship types for providing locomotion.A diesel-electric transmission system includes a diesel engine connected to an electrical generator, creating electricity that powers electric traction motors...
vehicle stemming from the EBM10-EBM20 programme is due to be selected. The Armoured Multirol Carrier has been cited as a strong contender.
Combat history
VABs have been deployed in virtually all theatres where French infantry troops were present, notably Kuwait, the Ivory Coast, YugoslaviaYugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, and Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
. VABs belonging to the Royal Moroccan Army
Royal Moroccan Army
The Royal Armed Forces is the terrestrial arm of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is a part of one of the oldest monarchies in history. The Alaouite Dynasty is the name of the current Moroccan royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ‘Alī of...
( FAR ) have seen heavy combat during the conflict with Polisario rebels of the Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
.
French troops supporting ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
in Afghanistan also use the VAB. During the Uzbin valley ambush
Uzbin Valley ambush
The Uzbin Valley ambush occurred when ISAF troops were ambushed by Afghan militants in eastern Afghanistan on 18 August 2008. It took place outside the village of Spēṟ Kunday, of the Surobi District of Kabul province and resulted in heavy casualties to the French ISAF contingent.A NATO report of...
, a VAB was hit by a rocket propelled grenade
Rocket propelled grenade
A rocket-propelled grenade is a shoulder-fired, anti-tank weapon system which fires rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. These warheads are affixed to a rocket motor and stabilized in flight with fins. Some types of RPG are reloadable while others are single-use. RPGs, with the exception of...
, with no injuries. One soldier manning the rooftop machine gun of a VAB was later killed when the road collapsed under his vehicle and it rolled over. In March 2009, a VAB driver was killed by a rocket attack during the battle of Alasay
Battle of Alasay
The Battle of Alasay, codenamed Operation Dinner Out, was a military operation carried out by French troops of the Chasseurs Alpins's 27e Battalion and the Afghan National Army 1st Kandak between the 14th and 23rd of March 2009...
.
Variants
- VAB VTT (Véhicule Transport de Troupe) - 4x4 APC version, crew of two and ten passengers.
- VAB TOP (tourelle TéléOPérée) - VTT 4x4 fitted with a Kongsberg Protector M151Protector M151The M151 PROTECTOR Remote Weapon Station is a remotely-controlled weapons station that can be mounted to vehicles and stationary platforms...
RWS with 12.7mm machine gun and ceramic add-on armour. - VAB AZURE (Action en Zone URbaine) - Urban warfare vehicle equipped with a dozer blade and with panoramic periscopes to observe and monitor.
- VAB MILAN - French army variant of the VTT, fitted with a pintle mount for the MILANMILANMILAN " is French and German for "kite bird") is a European anti-tank guided missile. Design of the MILAN started in 1962. It was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire guided SACLOS missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the...
system at the rear hull roof. - VAB AT4CS - French army variant of the VTT, used by anti-tank teams armed with the AT4CSAT4The AT4 is an 84-mm unguided, portable, single-shot recoilless smoothbore weapon built in Sweden by Saab Bofors Dynamics...
84mm portable rocket launcher. - VAB ERYX - French army variant of the VTT, used by anti-tank teams armed with the ERYXERYXERYX is a short-range portable SACLOS-based wire-guided anti-tank missile produced by European company MBDA. It is used by several countries, including the Canadian Army, French, and Norwegian armies. The weapon can also be used against bunkers and pillboxes. It also has some capability in the...
system.
- VAB TOP (tourelle TéléOPérée) - VTT 4x4 fitted with a Kongsberg Protector M151
- VAB RATAC - Artillery target acquisition vehicle, carries a DR-PC 1a RATAC doppler radarDoppler radarA Doppler radar is a specialized radar that makes use of the Doppler effect to produce velocity data about objects at a distance. It does this by beaming a microwave signal towards a desired target and listening for its reflection, then analyzing how the frequency of the returned signal has been...
with a range of 20 km. - VAB RASIT - Reconnaissance vehicle, carries the DR-PT 2a RASIT ground surveillance radar.
- VAB PC (Poste de Commandement) - Command vehicle with a crew of 6 and equipped with map tables and additional signals equipment.
- VAB SIR (Système d'Information Régimentaire) - Digital regimental C4ISTARC4ISTARIn military usage, a number of abbreviations in the format C followed by additional letters are used, based on expanded versions of the abbreviation C2 - command and control.C2I stands for command, control, and intelligence....
information system.
- VAB SIR (Système d'Information Régimentaire) - Digital regimental C4ISTAR
- VAB Bromure - Electronic warfareElectronic warfareElectronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
vehicle. - VAB Echelon - Maintenance and repair vehicle.
- VAB Génie - Engineering vehicleEngineering vehicleHeavy equipment refers to heavy-duty vehicles, specially designed for executing construction tasks, most frequently ones involving earthwork operations. They are also known as, construction equipment, construction plant, earth movers, engineering vehicles, or simply equipment...
that can be fitted with a light obstacle clearing blade or can be used to tow a trailer with mine-clearing charges. - VAB SAN (sanitaire) - Armoured ambulanceAmbulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
with room for 5 stretchers or 10 sitting passengers. - VAB Reco - NBC reconnaissance vehicle.
- VAB ATLAS (Automatisation des Tirs et Liaisons Sol-sol pour l'artillerie) - Artillery fire command and control vehicle, successor of the VAB ATILA.
- VAB SGEA (Système de Guerre Electronique de l'Avant) - Electronic warfare variant.
- VAB Rapsodie (Radar d'Acquisition Polyvalent pour la Surveillance et l'Observation Destiné à l'Interarmes) - Reconnaissance vehicle with radar.
- VBR (Véhicule Blindé de Reconnaissance) - Similar to VIB but used by Génie de l’Air and fitted with a Capre turret with 20mm F2 gun.
- VCAC "Mephisto" (Véhicule de Combat Anti-Char) - Anti-tank vehicle, carries the Euromissile Mephisto system with four ready-to-fire HOT anti-tank missileEuromissile HOTThe HOT is a second-generation long-range anti-tank missile system developed originally as an effort to meet a joint German-French Army requirement, by the then German firm Bolkow and the French firm Nord, to replace the older SS.11 wire guided...
s and eight more in reserve. - VCI T.20/13 (Véhicule de Combat de l’Infanterie) - VAB equipped with a turret mounted 20 mm gun recovered from old AMX-13 VCIAMX-13The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1953 to 1985. It served with the French Army and was exported to over twenty-five other nations...
s and refurbished and intended for fire support and for counter sniping. - VIB (Véhicule d’Intervention sur Base) - IFV version fitted with the Toucan system, a tele-operated turret fitted with a 20 mm cannon and a AA52 7.62 mm machine-gun. Used by the French Air ForceFrench Air ForceThe French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
for airfield defence. - VIT (Véhicule d’Implantation Topographique) - Vehicle for topographic teams of field artillery units.
- VOA (Véhicule d'Observation d'Artillerie) - Artillery observation vehicle, fitted with a turret with day/night observation devices, laser range finder etc. This version is normally found in units equipped with the TR F1 towed 155mm howitzer. The VAB OBS is an improved version.
- VTM 120 (Véhicule Tracteur de Mortier) - MortarMortar (weapon)A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
towing vehicle, can carry 70 bombs for the Thomson-Brandt MO-120 mortarMortier 120mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1The MO-120 RT-61 or MO-120-RT is a heavy mortar of French origin. It was designed by Thomson-Brandt as the successor for the MO-120 AM-50...
.
- VBC-90VBC-90The VBC-90 is a 6x6 armoured car equipped with a 90 mm high velocity gun in a GIAT TS 90 rotating turret.It equips the armoured squadron of the Mobile Gendarmerie, with 32 units built....
: Armoured car variant in service with the Mobile GendarmerieMobile GendarmerieThe Mobile Gendarmerie is a subdivision of the French Gendarmerie. The Mobile Gendarmerie is the inheritor of the traditions of the gendarmerie's historic infantry component. Specific anti-riot units of the Gendarmerie date back to the beginning of the 19th century...
.
Versions reserved for export:
- VAB 4x4 VCI T.20 (Véhicule de Combat de l’Infanterie) - Export version of the VCI T.20/13, fitted with a one-man T.20 turret. In service with Cyprus.
- VAB 6x6 ECH (ECHelon) - Maintenance vehicle (with crane).
- VAB 6x6 VCI Toucan (Véhicule de Combat de l’Infanterie) - Similar to the VCI T.20/13 but based on the VAB 6x6.
- VAB 6x6 VPM 81 (Véhicule Porte-Mortier) - Mortar carrier with an 81mm mortar firing through a roof opening. In service with Oman.
- VAB 6x6 VDAA TA20 (Véhicule de Défense AntiAérienne) - Low-altitude air-defence vehicle, armed with a double 20mm gun in a TA 20 turret. In service with Oman, Morocco and the Central African Republic.
- VCAC 6x6 UTM800 - Anti-tank vehicle, carries the Euromissile UTM800 turret, with four ready-to-launch HOT missiles, and 16 more in reserve. In service with Qatar and Cyprus.
- VMO (Véhicule de Maintien de l'Ordre) - Police version for crowd control, fitted with a light dozer blade and optionally a TOI turret. In service with Oman, Morocco and Abu Dhabi.
The French Gendarmerie also uses a variant of the VAB, which replaced the VXB
VXB
The Berliet VXB-170 is a four-wheel armoured vehicle produced by Berliet until Berliet was merged with Saviem to form Renault Trucks .-Versions:...
, called VBRG
VBRG
VBRG is an initialism for Véhicule Blindé a roue de la Gendarmerie or Gendarmerie Armored wheeled Vehicle.The VBRG was built by Berliet and Saviem and is used by the French Gendarmerie for riot control .The vehicle is equipped with an AANF1 7,62 mm machine gun VBRG is an initialism for...
(Véhicule Blindé de Reconnaissance de la Gendarmerie) for riot control
Riot control
Riot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other security forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians who are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used non-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds...
. This version may be equipped with a water cannon
Water cannon
A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-pressure stream of water. Typically, a water cannon can deliver a large volume of water, often over dozens of metres / hundreds of feet. They are used in firefighting and riot control. Most water cannon fall under the category of a fire...
and/or a bulldozer
Bulldozer
A bulldozer is a crawler equipped with a substantial metal plate used to push large quantities of soil, sand, rubble, etc., during construction work and typically equipped at the rear with a claw-like device to loosen densely-compacted materials.Bulldozers can be found on a wide range of sites,...
blade.
Operators
:-
- French Army: 3,900 VAB in 35 different versions
- French Air Force (VIB, véhicule blindé d'intervention, or véhicule d'intervention sur base) Georgian HQ units who are part of the ISAF are using the VAB and VBL in the Kabul area.: Army Corps / TNI-AD: Lebanese Armed ForcesLebanese Armed ForcesThe Lebanese Armed Forces or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the Lebanese Army according to its official Website The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) (Arabic: القوات المسلحة اللبنانية | Al-Quwwāt al-Musallaḥa al-Lubnāniyya) or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the...
, Internal Security ForcesInternal Security ForcesThe Internal Security Forces – ISF or Forces de Sécurité Intérieure in French, are the national police and security force of Lebanon. Modern police were established in Lebanon in 1861, with creation of the Gendarmerie...
(POLICE), Amal MovementAmal MovementAmal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa...
(1984–1990) 400 vehicles: Italian ArmyItalian ArmyThe Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
(NBC configuration)
Comparable vehicles
: Al-FahdAl-Fahd Infantry fighting vehicle
The Al-Fahd is an armoured fighting vehicle used by the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia. It was the first armoured fighting vehicle developed and built in Saudi Arabia...
: Pindad APS-3: WZ551
WZ551
The WZ551 is a Chinese wheeled armored personnel carrier. It is actually consisted of two families of vehicles with official designations in the People's Liberation Army as Type 90 and Type 92. Roughly 600 WZ551s are in service with the PLA, where they are used by light mechanized infantry units...
: BOV M86
BOV (APC)
The BOV , literally "Combat Armored Vehicle", is an all-wheel drive armoured vehicle manufactured in the former Yugoslavia.-Description:The BOV has a capactiy of 10, including a driver, gunner and eight infantrymen...