French Army works towards first deployment of VBCI

Deliveries of the French Army's Nexter VBCI (Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie) 8x8 infantry carriers are continuing apace – by early February, 146 had been delivered – and the army is now poised to undertake a series of trials of new capabilities with the type.

The full order is to be split between 520 vehicles in the VCI (infantry combat vehicle) configuration and 110 VPC (command post) variants, and production is currently running at a rate of 10 vehicles per month.

The 35th Infantry Regiment (35e RI) Belfort, which was the first to be equipped with the new vehicles, was charged with conducting a series of tactical field trials from section to battlegroup level between October 2008 and July 2009, at the end of which it was declared operational on the type. Conversion of the second regiment (92e RI, Clermont Ferrand) is now in process and the first VBCI sub-unit is expected to be deployed on operations in Afghanistan in April.