Recently it became known that France will provide Ukraine with a batch of Bastion armored personnel carriers. According to La Tribun, the French promised our Armed Forces 20 armored vehicles. The delivery timeframe is not specified, and the contract for the production of armored personnel carriers will be signed between the French Ministry of Defense and the Arquus manufacturer, owned by the Swedish Volvo group. The Bastion can be delivered as soon as possible. So let’s take a closer look at this vehicle.
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Why are ACMAT Bastion APCs interesting
The Bastion armored personnel carrier is a 4×4 armored personnel carrier manufactured by the French company ACMAT, a subsidiary of ARQUUS, formerly Renault Trucks Defense. The vehicle was presented in June 2010 at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in France. The vehicle is currently in service with many African countries in various configurations. It is a new generation of light armored personnel carriers.
The ACMAT Bastion armored personnel carrier is a highly mobile infantry and reconnaissance armored vehicle developed on the basis of the robust VLRA 2 chassis. The TDN-TDE 4×4 series of tactical vehicles provides a powerful and reliable multi-purpose platform. The mechanical and automotive components of the Bastion APC are based on the standard VLRA TDN-TDE. The Bastion APC is characterized by ease of maintenance and simple logistics.
The ACMAT Bastion APC is equipped with explosive protection technology. The Bastion APC is capable of performing multiple missions and is ideal for reconnaissance, forward command and control, patrol, medical support, escort, route clearance support, peacekeeping, as well as urban and close-quarters operations. Bastion APC Acmat combines excellent off-road mobility with a high level of protection. In October 2018, at the US Army Association’s AUSA 2018 defense exhibition, AM General announced a partnership with French company ARQUUS to produce the Bastion armored personnel carrier in the United States.
The armored personnel carrier weighs 12 tons, has a maximum speed of 110 km/h, a crew of 2 people (driver and commander) + eight troops. It can be equipped with a 12.7 or 7.62 mm machine gun. The vehicle can also be used as a medical, staff or communications vehicle.
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Modifications of the ACMAT Bastion APC
As I mentioned above, the French armored personnel carrier can be used for a wide range of tasks. Therefore, there are several modifications of the ACMAT Bastion APC.
The main variant is the Bastion HM (High Mobility) armored personnel carrier. It is based on the ACMAT VLRA 2 truck. This vehicle has a number of advantages, such as a 320 hp engine and improved suspension. In addition, the Bastion HM is faster than the basic Bastion APC and is capable of carrying an increased load.
Bastion SAN armored ambulance vehicle. In this variant of the armored personnel carrier, the personnel compartment was converted to carry 2 to 4 medical stretchers and one medical worker. This is a powerful enough support for paramedics on the battlefield.
The Bastion PC command and staff vehicle will provide reliable protection for unit commanders. It is equipped with a control center and has better armor protection than the basic Bastion APC.
Bastion internal security vehicle. Compared to the basic armored personnel carrier, it lacks a machine gun and firing holes on the roof. In addition, it has thinner armor, so it provides protection only against small arms. But this version is more maneuverable and more comfortable inside.
ACMAT Bastion PATSAS. This is a long-range open-top patrol vehicle used by military special forces. It can easily accommodate a driver and 4 soldiers. It is designed to conduct reconnaissance patrols and raids. This vehicle has been exported to Burkina Faso, Chad and possibly some other countries.
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Design and protection of the ACMAT Bastion
The design of the Bastion APC by ARQUUS is divided into three main parts: the engine in the front, the crew in the middle and the landing gear in the rear. The Bastion APC has an internal volume of 8.5 m³, which allows it to carry ten soldiers (driver and commander in the front and eight soldiers in the rear). The personnel of the unit enters the APC through double doors without a central pillar, which open outward in the aft part of the hull.
There are three bulletproof windows on the sides of the combat compartment, with firing holes in the lower part of each window. The high-strength armored steel hull provides full protection against infantry rifles, assault rifles and machine guns (ballistic protection level 1 to 3 according to NATO STANAG 4569), as well as against artillery shell fragments.
The vehicle also provides protection against anti-personnel and anti-tank mines and explosive devices. Bastion uses V-shaped hull technology. The purpose of this design is to increase the survivability of the vehicle and crew by deflecting the upward blast of a mine or improvised explosive device. Placing the armor at an angle increases the amount of material a ballistic projectile must pass through to penetrate the vehicle and increases the likelihood of deflecting mine fragments and parts. To be more precise, the mine protection complies with levels 2a/2b of the NATO STANAG 4569 standard. The armored personnel carrier can withstand explosions equivalent to 6 kg of TNT under any wheel or anywhere under the hull.
The vehicle has two side and two rear doors, is equipped with 9 loopholes, which provides 360° fire and makes it possible to repel enemy ambushes. The armored personnel carrier could be equipped with a support ring for mounting a turret or a turret with remote control.
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Armament of the ACMAT Bastion APC
The Bastion ARQUUS ACMAT armored personnel carrier can be equipped with various types of remote weapon stations and turrets with 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine guns, and the 40mm automatic grenade launcher can be adapted to the Bastion PC line of vehicles.
This version was presented at the Eurosatory exhibition in June 2010 and was equipped with three smoke grenade launchers mounted on each side in the rear of the hull.
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Mobility of the ACMAT Bastion APC
The base variant of the Bastion armored personnel carrier uses a 4×4 chassis and is based on the robust VLRA 2 light truck. The Bastion APC can be equipped with a 5.0-liter turbo-diesel engine with MD intercooler or a Deutz engine that can produce 215 hp at 2300 rpm, combined with a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission.
The engine compartment is located in the front of the vehicle, leaving the rest of the vehicle free for the crew and passengers. The Bastion APC itself has a cruising speed of 110 km/h and a maximum range of up to 1000 km. The Bastion APC can overcome a side slope of 30% and a maximum slope of 65%, and can wade through water with a maximum depth of 1 meter. It can overcome vertical obstacles with a maximum height of 0.5 meters and cross a trench with a width of 0.8 meters. That’s pretty good, considering its rather heavy weight of 12 tons.
Additional equipment
The armored personnel carrier is equipped with explosion-proof seats, which provides additional protection for the crew and passengers.
Optionally, the Bastion APC can be equipped with a 24 V radio communication system, a front electric winch and a central tire inflation system. The ACMAT Bastion APC can be transported by Air Force C130, C160 and A400M aircraft, as well as by CH47 helicopter.
Since this armored vehicle was designed primarily for use in desert areas of Africa and the Middle East, it has 120 liters of drinking water on board. The engine can operate in a temperature range from -25°C to +55°C.
Technical characteristics of APC Bastion
- Armament: 12.7 mm heavy machine gun on the roof, turntable for 7.62 mm machine gun or 40 mm grenade launcher
- Armor: ballistic missile protection level 1 to 3, mine protection level 2a/2 b according to NATO STANAG 4569
- Weight: in combat condition 12 tons
- Maximum speed: 110 km/h
- Maximum range: 1,000 km
- Dimensions: length 6 m, width 2.2 m, height 2.4 m
- Equipment: central tire inflation system, fire support system, self-defense system, front electric winch
- Crew: 2+8 people (driver, commander and 8 paratroopers)
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I am confident that the French-made ACMAT Bastion armored vehicles, which have already proven themselves, will be very useful on the battlefield against the Russian occupiers and will save the lives of our defenders. Therefore, we would like to thank our French partners for this modern mine-resistant armored personnel carrier.
A few words about the AMX-10RC armored vehicle
Another example of weapons that Ukraine could receive is the French heavy armored vehicle AMX-10RC. Some military observers have already dubbed it a “wheeled tank” and immediately began to say that this is the first delivery of Western tanks to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In fact, the vehicle was designed as a reconnaissance vehicle with the ability to withstand enemy armored vehicles. It is very difficult to classify the AMX-10RC as a real tank with serious armor – its armor can only withstand fire from a 7.62 mm machine gun. A large-caliber 12.7 mm machine gun can be a problem for the Frenchman.
That is, the AMX-10RC can withstand some types of armored vehicles (after all, its 105-mm cannon should be able to cope with Russian T-62/72 and BMPs). The French used these vehicles in the 1991 Gulf War and in a number of peacekeeping operations in Africa.
It is not yet known how many of these vehicles Ukraine will receive. Serial production of the AMX-10RC was carried out from 1976 to 1994 and it is believed that a total of 457 armored vehicles were produced, of which 337 entered service with the French army.
We believe in our defenders. The invaders will not escape from retribution. Death to the enemies! Glory to the Armed Forces! Glory to Ukraine!
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