VBC-90
| VBC-90 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Armoured car |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| Used by |
Mobile Gendarmerie Royal Army of Oman |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Renault Véhicules Industriels/Creusot-Loire |
| Specifications ([1]) | |
| Weight | 13,500 kilograms (29,800 lb) |
| Length |
5.63 m (18 ft 6 in) 8.135 m (26 ft 8.3 in) (gun forward) |
| Width | 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.552 m (8 ft 4.5 in) |
| Crew | 3 |
|
| |
Main armament | 90 mm gun |
Secondary armament | 7.62 mm machine gun |
| Engine |
Renault MIDS 06.20.45 6 cylinder water-cooler diesel engine 160 kilowatts (220 hp) |
| Power/weight | 16 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | 6x6 wheel |
Operational range | 1,000 km (620 mi) |
| Speed | 92 km/h (57 mph) |
The Renault VBC-90 (Véhicule Blindé de Combat, or "Armoured Combat Vehicle") is a six-wheeled French armoured car carrying a 90mm gun mated to a sophisticated fire control computer and ranging system. Although lightly armoured, it can punch well above its weight and is a useful internal security vehicle.
Design
The VBC-90 was developed by Renault Véhicules Industriels based on Renault's Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé (VAB) wheeled armoured personnel carrier, which had been built in large numbers for the French army. Unlike the VAB, it was not designed to meet an official requirement, being intended to meet export requirements.[1]
It has a steel hull armoured to protect against small arms fire. It has a crew of three, with the driver sitting at the front of the vehicle with three bullet-proof windows provided for the driver. A GIAT TS 90 turret carries the commander and gunner, and carries an armament of a 90 mm cannon with a co-axial 7.62 mm machine gun. 20 rounds of 90 mm ammunition are carried in the turret, with a further 25 rounds in the hull.[1]
It is powered by a six-cylinder diesel engine mounted at the rear of the hull, driving a 6x6 drive. The vehicle is not amphibious, unlike the VAB on which it was based.[1]
History
The first prototype VBC-90 was completed in 1979.[2] The French Mobile Gendarmerie placed an order for 28 VBC-90s, with deliveries starting in 1983. A further six VBC-90s were purchased by Oman,[1] but no further production followed.[2]
In 2014, Lebanon was lobbying for the purchase of an undisclosed number of VBC-90s. The deal was to be partly financed with military grants from Saudi Arabia.[3]
Operators
Current operators
Potential operators
Gallery
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Foss 1987, pp. 179–181.
- 1 2 Foss 2002, p. 373.
- ↑ "New Saudi donation to Lebanon raises doubts about USD3 billion pledged in 2013". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on September 2, 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- Foss, Christopher F. Jane's Armour and Artillery 1987–88. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1987. ISBN 0-7106-0849-7.
- Foss, Christopher F. Jane's Tanks and Combat Vehicles Recognition Guide. London: HarperCollins Publishers, 2002. ISBN 0-00-712759-6.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to VBC-90. |
- Presentation (French)
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