French defense vehicle specialist Arquus delivered the 2000th 4×4 VT4 command and liaison vehicle to the French defense procurement agency, the DGA, in December last year.
A little more than two years after the first vehicles were handed over to the 12th Régiment de Cuirassiers, nearly half of the VT4s planned under the program have now been made available to the forces.
The VT4 is now present in units throughout France, both in mainland France and in French overseas departments and territories, from French Guyana to the Pacific.
A total of 4,380 VT4s are scheduled to equip the armed forces, including 3,980 for the French Army. 2,380 vehicles are still to be produced at the Arquus site in Saint-Nazaire.
The VT4s have recently undergone their first external operation with a deployment in Lebanon as part of operation Friendship. Within the Groupement Terrestre Ventoux, VT4s have contributed to missions in support of the population, including liaison and transportation of personnel and equipment.
Despite the pandemic, Arquus was able to deliver the 10th batch of 100 vehicles to the DGA for 2020, for a total of 1,001 VT4s delivered over the year. The VT4 is a light, versatile, non-armored 4×4 command and liaison vehicle designed to carry five soldiers or four FELIN-equipped operators. It is intended for internal operations (Sentinel, training), or for external operations in stabilized conflict zones.
As part of the VT4 program, Arquus also provides training for the armed forces. These training courses are designed to help soldiers discover and handle the vehicle in the best possible conditions, as well as master off-road driving of the VT4. The training is available in e-learning, with a vehicle discovery module and 14 modules to develop vehicle support skills.
