The Panhard Véhicule Blindé Léger ("Light armoured vehicle"), also known by its acronym Panhard VBL or simply VBL, is a French wheeled
4×4
A four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, is a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case pro ...
all-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike or quad (if it has four wheels), as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, has a seat ...
built by
Panhard
Panhard was a French motor vehicle manufacturer that began as one of the first makers of automobiles. It was a manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its final incarnation, now owned by Renault Trucks#Military vehicles, Re ...
. The vehicle is offered in various configurations, and was designed to combine the agility of the
Peugeot P4 liaison vehicle with adequate protection against
small arms
A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions).
The first firearms originate ...
fire, artillery fragments,
mines and
NBC weapons. Produced between 1985 and 2010, the vehicle has been used by the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
and other European, African and Central American armies in various conflicts since the 1980s.
Design
The French VBL programme started in 1978. The French Army was looking for a light
reconnaissance vehicle
A reconnaissance vehicle, also known as a scout vehicle, is a military vehicle used for forward reconnaissance. Both tracked and wheeled reconnaissance vehicles are in service. In some nations, light tanks such as the M551 Sheridan and AMX-13 h ...
, intended to work with the
AMX-10 RC "wheeled tank", the
Hotchkiss M201 jeep being obsolete when compared with the Soviet
BRDM-2
The BRDM-2 (''Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina'', Боевая Разведывательная Дозорная Машина, literally "Combat Reconnaissance/Patrol Vehicle") is an amphibious armoured scout car designed and developed ...
armoured car. The new vehicle needed to be armed with a single
machine gun for
reconnaissance
In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...
(recce) or with the
MILAN
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
missile for
anti-tank combat, while being protected from
NBC hazards and
small arms
A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions).
The first firearms originate ...
fire.
Both
Renault
Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...
and Panhard proposed a prototype, the trials beginning in 1982. Before its selection by the French armed forces in 1985, the Panhard model was ordered by the
Mexican Army
The Mexican Army () is the combined Army, land and Air Force, 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 Defense o ...
in 1984. In 1985, a preproduction of 15 vehicles for the French Army was launched while the VBL started its active operational service in the French Army in 1990. The French Army ordered 569 VBLs in 1990, 330 between 1994 and 1997, and 700 VB2L (lengthened variant) before 2004. The VBL, sold abroad as the ULTRAV M-11 has been produced at
Marolles-en-Hurepoix
Marolles-en-Hurepoix (, literally ''Marolles in Hurepoix'') is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.
Population
Inhabitants of Marolles-en-Hurepoix are known as ''Marollais'' in French.
See also
*Commune ...
, south of
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. Around ten vehicles were produced each month in 2004. The 1,500th VBL was produced in 2001 and the last VBL of the 2,600 VBLs
left the plant in 2010.
The VBL has two compartments: a motor bay, placed forward to protect the second compartment, which is for the crew. Its compact internal dimensions led to the design of a lengthened version of the VBL. The crew of the VBL is protected against
NBC weapons. The recce versions have two crew members while the anti-tank versions have a crew of three.
The French Army version of the VBL is equipped with a
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French automobile brand owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was established in 1810, making it the oldest car company in the world. On 20 November 1858, Émile Peugeot applie ...
XD3T turbo-diesel engine. This engine is used on many civilian cars, such as the
Peugeot 505
The Peugeot 505 is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot from 1979 to 1992 in Sochaux, France. It was also manufactured in various other countries including Argentina (by Sevel from 1981 to 1995), China, Thailand, Indon ...
,
Peugeot 605 and
Talbot Tagora. The VBL used many other standard civilian components, too.
Its power and power ratio enable the VBL to drive at . It has a fuel consumption of .
Its range of can be extended to by two external fuel tanks. Designed to be lighter than , the mass of the VBL has increased to due to the addition of more weapons, armour and systems.
The VBL is fully
amphibious with a speed of in water; it is also air transportable by
C-130
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...
,
C-160,
Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 (; NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Ilyushin design bureau as a commercial freighter in 1967, to replace the Antonov An-12. ...
and
A400M. It can be transported underslung by larger helicopters, such as the
AS332 Super Puma, and may also be para-dropped.
File:Propeller VBL 2007 07 14.jpg, alt=A propeller at the rear end of a VBL, The propeller
A propeller (often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon a working flu ...
of the VBL enables it to drive in water.
File:Sgt. Brian Lyman Of US Army watches closely as Portuguese soldiers hook their Panhard VBL to a UH-60 Blackhawk 01.jpg, alt=People on top of the VBL hooking a cable under a Blackhawk helicopter flying above them, The VBL can be hooked to helicopters. Here a Portuguese VBL and an American UH-60 Blackhawk.
File:Cargoloader 1er régiment du train parachutiste (cropped).JPG, alt=A VBL on a cargo loader in an airport. The VBL is tied on a pallet. , A French VBL packed on a pallet in order to be para-dropped.
Variants
French versions
* VBL standard, armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun
AN-F1 (3,000 rounds). It used to carry twelve
APILAS anti-tank weapons, but that has been replaced by
Eryx short range ATGM
* VBL MILAN: Anti-tank medium range combat. It uses one
MILAN
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
missile fire unit with six missiles, and mounts a MIRA Thermal camera.
* VB2L POSTE DE COMMANDEMENT: ("VBL Long") Command version. Lengthened version that operates a VHF system with two PR4G radios, a HF System with one SSB radio for long range and a Radio/intercom system for the crew. Its armament is a ring-mount fitted with a 7.62 mm machine gun (1400 rounds). Specific equipment: A work station with map board and folding table, additional batteries to meet the requirements of the radio and auxiliary services giving up to 8 hours additional endurance, and a folding seat for 4th crew member.
* VBL RECO 12.7: reconnaissance and troops engagement. Operates one
M2 machine gun on PL-127 ring-mount protected by side armour. Older versions had a CTM-105 ring-mount. The M2 machine gun can be replaced by a 40 mm grenade launcher.
* VBL Ultima: upgraded version, with a diesel engine, new communication devices and without amphibious abilities.
The Reco version (7.62 or 12.7) is equipped with TR-VP 213 or PR4G
radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
, OB 41 and OB 43 night vision goggles and DUK-DUR 440
radiation meter
In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or a material medium. This includes:
* ''electromagnetic radiation'' consisting of photons, such as radio waves, microwaves, inf ...
and a
dosimeter
A radiation dosimeter is a device that measures the equivalent dose, dose uptake of external ionizing radiation. It is worn by the person being monitored when used as a personal dosimeter, and is a record of the radiation dose received. Modern el ...
. In the MILAN version, the TR-VP 213 is replaced by a TR-VP 13 radio and the OB 41 by OB 51 night goggles.
Export versions
* VBL TOW: Anti-tank long range with a
TOW tube and four missiles.
* VBL ALBI-MISTRAL: Air defense version armed with twin-round ALBI turret firing the
MISTRAL "fire-and-forget" air defence missile, six missiles including two on the fire unit.
* VBL Mark 2: Upgraded version with a
Steyr
Steyr (; ) is a statutory city (Austria), statutory city, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. It is the administrative capital, though not part of Steyr-Land District. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and the 3rd lar ...
engine and a
Protector Remote Weapon Station.
Prototype versions
* VBL MVO: version for
riot control
Riot control is a form of public order policing used by law enforcement, military, paramilitary or security forces to social control, control, disperse, and arrest people who are involved in a riot, unlawful Demonstration (people), demonstration ...
and
internal security
Internal security is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other Self-governance, self-governing territories, generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats. This task and rol ...
tasks.
* VBL (à flancs redressés) CANON: With a
MK 20 Rh 202 automatic 20 mm cannon on an automated turret.
* VBL TOURELLE FERMEE: With a 12.7 mm remotely controlled turret.
* VBL Azur:
Urban warfare
Urban warfare is warfare in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both Military operation, operational and the Military tactics, tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the p ...
version.
Service history

The VBL has been used in many peacekeeping operations of the French Army, notably in
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
,
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
,
Rwanda
Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...
and
Kosovo
Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
. On 13 March 1985, the French contingent of the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (; ), or UNIFIL (; ) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission established on 19 March 1978 by United Nations Security Council Resolutions United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, 425 and Unit ...
in
Beirut
Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...
received three VBLs: one used on a static post, another as a liaison vehicle and the last one kept in reserve. The VBL was also often seen in the
Siege of Sarajevo, due to the contribution of the French Army to the
Blue Helmets in Yugoslavia. It was used as a means of transport by the main commanders of the UN forces, including General
Lewis MacKenzie, earning the nickname "Sarajevo Taxi". Some were captured by the
Army of Republika Srpska after the
NATO bombings against Bosnian Serb Force. In other missions, a
troop
A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troo ...
of three VBLs of the
régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine in Rwanda was tasked to make contact with the
Rwandan Patriotic Front
The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF–Inkotanyi; , FPR) is the ruling political party in Rwanda.
The RPF was founded in December 1987 by Rwandan Tutsi in exile in Uganda because of the ethnic violence that had occurred during the Rwandan Hutu Revo ...
and the civilian population during the
Opération Turquoise,
and in Kosovo, the operational requirements of the liaison mission led to the development of the
Petit Véhicule Protégé program to supplement the VBL.
In the 2000s and 2010s, the VBL has also been used by French forces in
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
. Between 2002 and 2003, the VBLs and the
ERC-90s armored cars opened fire on
MPIGO rebels to block their incursions. They were later used in
Abidjan
Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N'ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the largest city and the former capital of Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of the overall population ...
during the operation to oust
Laurent Gbagbo from power in April 2011. In
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
, the VBL units protected
Kabul Airport and logistics axes. In
Mali
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...
, the VBLs were deployed in 2013 in the
Operation Serval
Operation Serval () was a French military operation in Mali. The aim of the operation was to oust Islamic militants from the north of Mali, who had begun a push into the center of Mali.
Operation Serval followed the United Nations Security ...
; in the subsequent
Operation Barkhane
Operation Barkhane (French language, French: ''Opération Barkhane'') was a counterinsurgency operation that started on 1 August 2014 and formally ended on 9 November 2022. It was led by the French military against Islamist groups in Africa's S ...
, several soldiers crewing VBLs were killed by
improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional warfare, conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached t ...
s. The VBL was also used in the
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to Central African Republic–Chad border, the north, Sudan to Central African Republic–Sudan border, the northeast, South Sudan to Central ...
in 2013.
The other European VBL users also used their vehicles in peacekeeping missions. Portuguese VBLs have been deployed as part of the
Kosovo Force
The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force and military of Kosovo. KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law (European ...
(KFOR) in Kosovo, working alongside the old
Bravia Chaimite for escorts, control missions or mobile
checkpoints
Checkpoint may refer to:
Places
* Border checkpoint, a place on the land border between two states where travellers and/or goods are inspected
* Security checkpoint, erected and enforced within contiguous areas under military or paramilitary cont ...
. In this operation, the Greek
military police
Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...
, tasked with traffic regulation on the
Pristina
Pristina or Prishtina ( , ), . is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and District of Pristina, district.
In antiquity, the area of Pristina was part of the Dardanian Kingdo ...
-
Skopje
Skopje ( , ; ; , sq-definite, Shkupi) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Basin, Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultura ...
road, was equipped with VBLs. The Greek Battalion of the KFOR fielded six VBLs for reconnaissance missions. The Greek VBLs were also used in
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
in 2001 during
Operation Essential Harvest
Operation Essential Harvest (or Task Force Harvest) was a deployment mission in the Republic of Macedonia by NATO, officially launched on August 22, 2001, and effectively started on August 27. Because national contributions were larger than expecte ...
, and in Afghanistan.
Besides the French, other VBLs were also deployed in Africa. In Rwanda, the
Forces Armées Rwandaises used their VBLs against the Rwandan Patriotic Front during the
Rwandan Civil War
The Rwandan Civil War was a large-scale civil war in Rwanda which was fought between the Rwandan Armed Forces, representing the country's government, and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) from 1October 1990 to 18 July 1994. The war arose ...
, with the country's ''reconnaissance squadron'' (''Escadron de Reconnaissance'') having been trained by French advisors to use MILAN
ATGMs as well as VBLs. Vehicles captured by the Rwandan Patriotic Army later saw action in the
First and
Second Congo War
The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War or the Great War of Africa, was a major conflict that began on 2 August 1998, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just over a year after the First Congo War. The war initially erupted ...
s. In Nigeria, the Nigerian Army used the Panhard VBL as part of the
Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group during the
Sierra Leone Civil War. They have seen further use during the
Boko Haram insurgency, some being lost to
Boko Haram
Boko Haram, officially known as Jama'at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da'wa wa al-Jihad (), is a self-proclaimed jihadist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali. In 2016, the group spli ...
. In the
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
, the Djiboutian VBLs served against the
FRUD during the
Djiboutian Civil War in the 1990s: in contrast to the better motorised
Humvee
The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of Military light utility vehicle, light, four-wheel drive Military vehicle#Military trucks, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It ...
s, the armour of the VBLs enabled them to resist the rebels' ambushes.
Across the Atlantic, the Mexican VBLs faced the
Zapatista Army of National Liberation during the
Chiapas conflict
The Chiapas conflict (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Conflicto de Chiapas'') consisted of the Zapatista uprising, 1994 Zapatista uprising, the 1995 Zapatista Crisis, 1995 Zapatista crisis, and the subsequent tension between the Federal government o ...
.
Operators
North America
The first user of the VBL was the
Mexican Army
The Mexican Army () is the combined Army, land and Air Force, 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 Defense o ...
, which ordered 40 in 1984. They were also the first ones to be delivered, in 1985. Three versions were bought: standard armed with a
FN MAG
The FN MAG (, , ) is a Belgian 7.62 mm calibre, 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, Fabrique Nationale (FN) by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries and it h ...
, VBL PC (command post, on short chassis) and VBL MILAN.
Europe

Portugal ordered its first VBL in December 1987. Locally designated M-11 for the short version and M-11D 4x4 M/89-91 for the long version, they have been serving in the Recce squadrons of the
Intervention and of the
Rapid Reaction brigades. The M-11s are armed with a
Browning M1919 machine gun or with a MILAN missile and the M-11Ds with M2 Browning machine gun or
SB-40 grenade-launcher on a PL127 ring-mount or with a radar. Greece ordered six VBLs in 1997 to use them in Albania, where the Hummer was too large and too unstable in frozen roads. The success of the vehicles drove to ten more orders between 1997 and 2004. The Greek VBLs are similar to the ones of the French Army, with short and long chassis, some with PL-127 ring-mount or with MILAN missiles. Having received 1,621 VBLs,
the French Army has 1,446 VBLs in service in 2019.
Africa
Niger ordered one VB2L and six short VBLs with 7.62 machine guns in 1985, all delivered in 1986. Gabon ordered in 1985 twelve VBLs for its presidential guard, one with an
Elta
ELTA is a Lithuanian news agency based in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. In a day, it receives about 5,000 news articles and produces about 300 articles in Lithuanian, Russian, and English. ELTA cooperates with foreign news agencies such as R ...
radar, the others with a 12.7 machine gun on a CTM-105 mount or with an AA-52. Togo ordered and received in 1986 two standard VBLs. Rwanda ordered sixteen VBLs, including VBL PC, VBL standard and six VBL MILAN in 1986. Cameroon ordered in 1987 one VB2L PC and four short chassis others with a 12.7 machine gun on a CTM 105 ring-mount or with a 7.62 machine gun. The 1st squadron of the ''Guluf Battalion'' of the
Djiboutian Army
The Djiboutian National Army is the largest branch of the Djibouti Armed Forces and is based in the Djiboutian capital of Djibouti. Djibouti has upgraded its Ground Forces with advanced additions from domestic engineering and modifications. It mu ...
has been equipped with seven VBLs since 1987. Some of these VBLs are equipped with a
NSV machine gun
The NSV ''Utyos'' ( cyrl, НСВ, initialism for ; ), is a Soviet heavy machine gun chambered in 12.7×108mm. It is named after the designers, G. I. Nikitin, Y. М. Sokolov and V. I. Volkov. It was designed to replace the DShK machine gun and w ...
. A first order of 40 VBLs signed in 1985 by Nigeria was canceled but 72 were ordered in 1992 and delivered, including ten with CTM-105 ring-mount, ten VB2L PC and others with FN MAG machine guns. Around 30 were in operational service in 2004.
Arabian peninsula
The
Kuwait National Guard received twelve VBL TOW and eight VBL with PL 127 in 1996. All these vehicles are armed with a secondary FN MAG machine gun. Qatar ordered sixteen VBLs, in three versions (standard with FN MAG, CTM-105 and MILAN) to equip a recce squadron. After intensive tests in 1994, the sultanate of Oman ordered more than 132 VBLs for its anti-tank and recce squadrons. Several versions have been ordered, such as the standard FN MAG version, the VBL TOW, the VBL CTM-105 and a version with
Mistral SAMs. The Kuwait
Ministry of Interior
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, th ...
ordered twenty VBL Mk 2 for its special forces in 2008.
Asia
Indonesia ordered eighteen VBLs, armed with the FN MAG, in 1996. However, economic difficulties and the
Timor Leste crisis prevented them from buying more.
Current Operators
* : 10 purchased from France in 1986.
All operational as of 2024.
* : 64 VBL in service as of 2024.
37 received from France between 2002-03.
[
* : 5 received from France in 1986 and still in service.]
* : 15 in service as of 2024. SIPRI confirms 10–15 received from France in 1987.[
* : 1,380]
* : 14 purchased from France in 1985 and still in service.
* : 242 received from France between 1997-2002.[ All currently in service.]
* : 18 received from France in 1997.[
* : 40 purchased from France in 1997, 2009.][
* : 40 purchased from France in 1984; 8 equipped with Milan ATGMs.][
* : 7 received from France in 1986 and still in service as of 2024.]
* : 72 received from France in 1990, 1994. Still in service.
* : 132 received from France between 1997-2004.[ 124 operational as of 2024.]
* : 37 received from France in 1986, 1999-2001.[ 16 still in service.]
* : 16 purchased from France in 1992 and still in service.
* : 16 received from France in 1998. Still in service.
* : 2 received from France in 1987. Still in service
* : 24 received from France in 2004. Still in service.
Former operators
* Boko Haram
Boko Haram, officially known as Jama'at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da'wa wa al-Jihad (), is a self-proclaimed jihadist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali. In 2016, the group spli ...
* : some captured
* : 9 received from France in 1994.[
* : 2 received from France in 1997.][
]
Failed exports
* : the Ministry of Internal Affairs considered the building of 500 to 1000 VBL Mark 2 for its security forces in 2011. This prospect was cancelled in 2014 due to the international sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War
International sanctions have been imposed against Russia and Crimea during the Russo-Ukrainian War by a large number of countries, including the United States, Canada, the European Union, and international organisations following the Russia ...
.
* : the Bundeswehr
The (, ''Federal Defence'') are the armed forces of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. The is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part consists of the four armed forces: Germ ...
tested the VBL at the end of the 1980s.
See also
* Panhard AML
The Panhard AML (''automitrailleuse légère'', or "light armoured car") is an armoured car with reconnaissance capability. Designed by Panhard on a lightly armoured 4×4 chassis, it weighs an estimated 5.5 tonnes, and is thus suitable for airbo ...
* Puma (AFV) of Italy
* Komatsu LAV of Japan
* Otokar Cobra
The Cobra () is a armoured tactical vehicle developed by Turkish firm Otokar. The vehicle has some subsystems from the Humvee. The Cobra is the first generation of the Cobra family of vehicles, a second generation named Otokar Cobra II is also pr ...
of Turkey
References
Bibliography
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vehicule Blinde Leger
Scout cars
Wheeled amphibious armoured fighting vehicles
Armoured cars of France
Wheeled reconnaissance vehicles
Panhard military vehicles
Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s