The AMX-VCI (french: Véhicule de Combat d'Infanterie) is one of the many variants of the French

AMX-13 The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1952 to 1987. It served with the French Army, as the Char 13t-75 Modèle 51, and was exported to more than 26 other nations. Named after its initial weight of 13 tonnes, and featuring a tough and re ...

light tank. It was the front line APC of the

French Army History Early history The first permanent army, paid with regular wages, instead of feudal levies, was established under Charles VII of France, Charles VII in the 1420 to 1430s. The Kings of France needed reliable troops during and after the ...

until replaced by the

AMX-10P The AMX-10P is a French amphibious infantry fighting vehicle. It was developed after 1965 to replace the AMX-VCI in service with the mechanized regiments of the French Army. The first prototypes were completed in 1968. Production commenced betwee ...

. It is still used by some countries, for example Mexico, where it goes under the name of DNC-1 and is armed with a 20mm cannon.

History

Beginning in 1957, some 3,000 vehicles were produced. It was initially produced as the AMX-13 VTT (), which carried ten infantrymen and was armed with either an AA-52 7.62 mm machine gun or a 12.7 mm

M2 Browning machine gun The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. Its design is similar to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, ...

in an open mounting. The final versions had a turret equipped with a 20mm light

autocannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary shells, as opposed to the smaller-caliber kinetic projectiles (bul ...

, producing a vehicle that can be seen as an early example of the

infantry fighting vehicle An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct-fire support. The 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed F ...

Variants

The AMX-13 VCI itself was the basis for a number of variants: *AMX-VTP: Original APC variant armed with an open-mount light machine-gun *AMX-VTT (AMX-VCI): APC fitted with a turret mounted light machine-gun *AMX-LT: VTT based artillery fire control vehicle *AMX-PC: VTT based Command Post *AMX-VCA: VTT based 155 mm Support Vehicle designed to accompany the Mk F3 SPH *AMX-VCG: Combat engineer version *AMX-VCI 12.7: Version with a 50 calibre (12.7 mm) HMG used by France and the Netherlands *AMX-VCI M-56: Fitted with a 20mm cannon *AMX-VCPM de 81: VTT-based 81 mm Mortar Carrier *AMX-VCPM de 120: VTT-based 120 mm Mortar Carrier *AMX-VCTB (): VTT-based Ambulance *AMX-VTT avec tourelle NA2: Fitted with ATGM launcher *AMX-VTT ROLAND: Roland SPAAML *AMX-VTT Version 1987: Modernised version with all the tank automotive improvements *AMX-VTT with Minotaur Mine System: Minotaur scatterable mine-laying system fitted on the rear *AMX-13 RATAC: VTT-based RATAC ground

surveillance Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as ...

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...

vehicle *AMX DOZER: bulldozer blade equipped version *AMX-13 VCPC:

Argentinian Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or ( feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, ...

Army version of the AMX-13 VCI *AMX-13 mod.56 VCI:

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

Army version with a .30 Browning mounted in a CALF38 turret *AMX-13 mod.56 1 mm mortar carrier Belgian Army version *AMX-13 mod.56 ommand post Belgian Army version *AMX-13 mod.56 NTAC atgm Belgian Army version with a rear-mounted

ENTAC ENTAC ("Engin Téléguidé Anti-Char") or MGM-32A was a French MCLOS wire-guided Anti-tank missile. Developed in the early 1950s, the weapon entered service with the French army in 1957. Production ended in 1974 after approximately 140,000 had ...

missile launcher *AMX-13 mod.56

argo In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of ...

Belgian Army version *AMX-VTT TOW:

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

Army version with a TOW launcher on a cupola *AMX-GWT (GeWonden Transport): Dutch army version of the VCTB *AMX-VCI Retrofit:

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...

n Army modernization with the hull lengthened 20 cm to accommodate

Navistar Navistar, Inc is an American holding company created in 1986 as the successor to International Harvester. Navistar operates as the owner of International-branded trucks and diesel engines. The company also produces buses under the IC Bus br ...

400hp engine, redesigned engine deck, frontal armor, and exhaust, also modification to transmission and suspension. *DNC-1:

Mexican Army The Mexican Army ( es, Ejército Mexicano) is the combined land and air branch and is the largest part of the Mexican Armed Forces; it is also known as the National Defense Army. The Army is under the authority of the Secretariat of National ...

local designation, slightly modernized version with a diesel engine and a 20 mm. cannon, upgraded by

SEDENA The Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA); es, Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional is the government department responsible for managing Mexico's Army and Air Forces. Its head is the Secretary of National Defense who, like the co-equa ...

Combat history

Lebanon

A total of 60 AMX-VCIs were delivered to the

Lebanese Army ) , founded = 1 August 1945 , current_form = 1991 , disbanded = , branches = Lebanese Ground Forces Lebanese Air ForceLebanese Navy , headquarters = Yarze, Lebanon , flying_hours = , websit ...

in 1971-72, with additional 30 vehicles being reportedly delivered in May 1983. A number of VCIs were seized by the Amal Movement militia and the pro-Israeli South Lebanon Army (SLA) militia in February 1984 after the defeat of the Lebanese government forces by

Shia Muslim Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most ...

and

Druze The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of ...

militias during the

Mountain War The Mountain War ( ar, حرب الجبل , ''Harb al-Jabal''), also known as the War of the Mountain and Guerre de la Montagne in French, was a subconflict between the 1982–83 phase of the Lebanese Civil War and the 1984–89 phase of the ...

. The captured vehicles were quickly pressed into service by the SLA, who used them during the

South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) The South Lebanon conflict, designated by Israel as the Security Zone in Lebanon Campaign,M40 106mm recoilless rifles were also employed by Lebanese Army

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

Michel Aoun Michel Naim Aoun ( ar, ميشال نعيم عون ; born 30 September 1933) is a Lebanese politician and former military general who served as the President of Lebanon from 31 October 2016 until 30 October 2022. Born in Haret Hreik to a ...

's loyalist troops during the Elimination War waged against his Christian rivals of the

Lebanese Forces The Lebanese Forces ( ar, القوات اللبنانية '')'' is a Lebanon, Lebanese Christianity in Lebanon, Christian-based political party and Lebanese Forces (militia), former militia during the Lebanese Civil War. It currently holds 19 o ...

(LF) militia at

East Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint of ...

in February 1990, who in turn also managed to capture some VCIs from Army barracks, which were returned in 1991-94.

Operators

Current operators

Argentine Army The Argentine Army ( es, Ejército Argentino, EA) is the Army, land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of Argentina. Under the Argentine Constitution, the president of Argentina is the comman ...

*: VTT/VCA and command post versions in service with the

Cypriot National Guard , name2 = National Guard General Staff , image = Emblem of the Cypriot National Guard.svg , image_size = 100px , caption = Emblem of the National Guard of Cyprus , image2 = Flag of the ...

. *:

Ecuadorian Army The Ecuadorian Army ( es, ''Ejército Ecuatoriano'', italic=unset) is the land component of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces. Its 160,500 soldiers are deployed in relation to its military doctrine. The contemporary Ecuadorian Army incorporates many jun ...

Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...

200 acquired in the 1960s. As of 2016, only 75 vehicles remain in service. *:

409 in service *:

Qatar Armed Forces The Qatar Armed Forces ( ar, القوات المسلحة القطرية, Al-Quwwat Al-Musallahah Al-Qatariyyah) are the military forces of the State of Qatar. Since 2015, Qatar has implemented mandatory military conscription with an average of ...

(Army) *:

Sudan People's Armed Forces The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF; ar, القوات المسلحة السودانية, Al-Quwwat al-Musallaha as-Sudaniyah) are the military forces of the Republic of the Sudan. In 2011, IISS estimated the regular forces' numbers at personnel, whil ...

Venezuelan Army The Venezuelan Army, officially the National Army of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, Ejército Nacional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is one of the six professional branches of the Armed Forces of Venezuela. Also known ...

United Arab Emirates Army The United Arab Emirates Army is the land force branch of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces. History From January 1993 to April 1994, UAE Armed Forces participated in humanitarian operations in Somalia under the United Task Force (UNITAF ...

Former operators

Belgian Army The Land Component ( nl, Landcomponent, french: Composante terre) is the land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land Component is Major-General Pierre Gérard. ...

, successor to the M75 armored personnel carrier. AMX-13 mod.56 VTT (305 vehicles), AMX-13 mod.56 PC (72 vehicles), AMX-13 mod.56 Cargo (58 vehicles), AMX-13 mod.56 Mor (90 vehicles), AMX-13 mod.56 MILAN (86 vehicles) and AMX-13 mod.56 ENTAC (30 vehicles). Replaced by the M113A1-B and the AIFV-B. *:

, replaced by the

. *: 90 vehicles in service with the

from surplus

stocks between 1971 and 1993. Replaced by the M113 and the AIFV-B-C25. *:

Dutch Army The Royal Netherlands Army ( nl, Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised – making the Dutc ...

, 345 AMX-PRI (infantry fighting vehicle), 162 PRCO (command), 46 PRVR (cargo) et 46 PRGWT (ambulance). 67 PRI modified to mortar carriers (PRMR) et 26 to tank destroyers (PRAT), with TOW missiles * Flag of the Amal Movement

Amal Movement militia: ex-Lebanese Army vehicles in service between 1984 and 1990. *

: ex-Lebanese Army vehicles in service between 1990 and 1994. * South Lebanon Army: ex-Lebanese Army vehicles in service between 1984 and 2000. *:

Italian Army "The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law" , colors = , colors_labels = , march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...

, AMX-13 VCI (various versions) (80-100 vehicles)

Evaluation-only operators

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

, captured 2 abandoned Lebanese Army VCIs during the

1982 Lebanon War The 1982 Lebanon War, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee ( he, מבצע שלום הגליל, or מבצע של"ג ''Mivtsa Shlom HaGalil'' or ''Mivtsa Sheleg'') by the Israeli government, later known in Israel as the Lebanon War or the First L ...

.Robinson, Lau and Gibeau, ''Images of War: The AMX 13 Light Tank, A Complete History – rare photographs from wartime archives'' (2018), p. 190.

Notes

References

* Christopher F. Foss, ''Jane's Tank and Combat Vehicle Recognition Guide'', HarperCollins Publishers, London 2002. *Joseph Hokayem, ''L'armée libanaise pendant la guerre: un instrument du pouvoir du président de la République (1975-1985)'', Lulu.com, Beyrouth 2012. , 1291036601 (in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

) �

*M.P. Robinson, Peter Lau and Guy Gibeau, ''Images of War: The AMX 13 Light Tank, A Complete History – rare photographs from wartime archives'', Pen & Sword Military, Barnsley 2018. * Samer Kassis, ''30 Years of Military Vehicles in Lebanon'', Beirut: Elite Group, 2003. * Samer Kassis, ''Véhicules Militaires au Liban/Military Vehicles in Lebanon 1975-1981'', Trebia Publishing, Chyah 2012. * Steven J. Zaloga, ''Tank battles of the Mid-East Wars (2): The wars of 1973 to the present'', Concord Publications, Hong Kong 2003. �

*Zachary Sex & Bassel Abi-Chahine, ''Modern Conflicts 2 – The Lebanese Civil War, From 1975 to 1991 and Beyond'', Modern Conflicts Profile Guide Volume II, AK Interactive, 2021. ISBN 8435568306073

External links

Photos and file on the AMX-13 VCI at ArmyRecognition.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amx-Vci Tracked armoured personnel carriers Armoured personnel carriers of France Military equipment introduced in the 1950s