VBCI: France’s Wheeled APC

VBCI

Many European countries are abandoning tracked APCs entirely, for good or ill, and France is joining that trend by replacing its existing tracked AMX-10Ps with the 8×8 wheeled Vehicule Blinde de Combat d’Infanterie (Armored Infantry Combat Vehicle). This article looks at the VBCI platform, discusses the program and export opportunities, and follows associated contracts & key events.

France’s orders give it a strong base, and an additional order has just come in from that quarter. Still, the VBCI is arriving late to the competitive game. Whether it ends up being fashionably late, or just too late, still depends in large measure on one of France’s age-old allies – and age-old rivals.

Turkey Downplays Base Use Agreement Announced by US DoD

• American officials said on Sunday that Turkey had agreed to let coalition forces use its military bases to launch attacks against ISIS. But the Turks deny [Al Arabiya] that this agreement encompasses the use of the Incirlik airbase and seem to have a smaller training-focused scope in mind.