Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé (VAB)
The Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé (VAB) is the basic vehicle of the regiments of infantry. It is characterized by its simplicity, its great mobility, and its comfort on any ground. It is an armoured vehicle with wheels which can be adapted to various employments, and is characterized by: a good aptitude for displacement in varied ground and NBC environment, an amphibious capacity, a range of 1000 km, and the possibility of transport by airplane. The VAB can transport 10 combatants, and the personnel are protected from the projectiles perforating from 7.62mm rounds to 100 m, and from anti-personnel mines. For ground and anti-aircraft self-defence a 7.62mm machine gun is mounted on a circular-shield in the forward right of the vehicle carrying 3000 cartridges.
More than 5,000 VABs in various versions are in service with 15 armies. The VAB has been used in numerous military operations, and has played an important peace-keeping role in several parts of the world. It is undergoing continuous technical upgrade programmes.
Specifications
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length | 5,94 m
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width | 2,49 m
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height | 2,06 m
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ground clearance | 0.40 m
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Mass | 13 T
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Speed |
maximum: 90 km/h
watery: 2,2 m/s
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Driving |
diesel 6 cylinders on line, 220 CH of power
2 hydrojets with directional deflectors
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Autonomy | 1000 km
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Quantity of fuel | 310 gas oil
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Possibility of tractor drawing a trailer of total mass of 4 T
Possibility of negotiating slopes of 60% and cants of 30%.
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http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/vab.htm
Maintained by Robert Sherman
Originally created by John Pike
Updated Saturday, June 19, 1999 6:37:33 AM
