VT4 delivery programme draws to a close
On 15 September 2022, the Arquus site in Saint Nazaire produced its 4,000th VT4. This milestone in the production of the VT4 marks a new industrial success for the site on this Ministry of the Army programme. With this 4,000th vehicle, more than 90% of the planned VT4s have now been produced. The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the programme's contracting authority, has ordered a total of 4,380 VT4s from Arquus to equip the French armed forces.
VT4: versatile and agile on all terrains
The VT4 is a light and versatile 4x4 command and liaison vehicle, not armoured, designed to carry 5 soldiers or 4 combatants equipped with the FELIN system. With a total payload of 900kg, it is intended for domestic operations (Sentinel, training, training), or for external operations in so-called stabilised conflict zones, the VT4 offers versatility and agility on all terrains.
This light vehicle combines the comfort and safety of modern vehicles with the mobility and robustness required by military applications. The vehicle has been fitted with numerous safety features, as well as equipment to save the potential of soldiers on operations even after a long journey (air conditioning, comfortable seating and soundproofing of the passenger compartment). The VT4 is thus on a par with the latest generation of civilian vehicles.
Of the 4,380 vehicles planned for the programme, 3,980 VT4s are intended for the Army, with the additional 400 VT4s destined for the Air Force and Space Force, the French Navy, the Operational Energy Service and the Joint Munitions Service.
Arquus pilots VT4 support
These vehicles benefit from fully integrated support by Arquus throughout France, with a firm commitment to 95% Technical Operational Availability (TOA) for the entire fleet.
This commitment to DTO is managed from the Arquus logistics platform in Garchizy, which supplies user units and service points with spare parts at short notice. Garchizy also provides initial projection autonomies (IPAs) to support the VT4s in operation.
Once the 4,380 VT4s have been produced, production will continue at Saint-Nazaire with the retrofitting of Standard 1 VT4s in 2023 to bring them all up to Standard 2. Compared to Standard 1, the VT4 Standard 2 integrates 350 new references and presents numerous evolutions: integration of information and communication systems, localisation and navigation, capacities necessary for the projection of vehicles and blackout lights. The VT4 Standard 2 is also designed to be air transportable, to give it an additional dimension of tactical mobility.
In parallel with the production of the VT4, the Arquus site in Saint-Nazaire, the Arquus Centre of Excellence for Operational Readiness, is responsible for the maintenance of all the Army's vehicles supported by Arquus.
It is dedicated to the Technical Operational Availability (TOA) of this equipment in order to respond as quickly as possible to the needs of the Army and to the contracts signed with the SIMMT covering the maintenance of nearly 20,000 vehicles: VLRA, TRM1000, PVP, VBL within the framework of the VBL Ultima programme, and since 2021, the GBC180 from the Limoges factory.