The new law enforcement armored vehicles

The new law enforcement vehicles are starting to equip the gendarmerie. With a 30-shot grenade launcher system, a long-range camera and other gadgets, these armored vehicles are impressive. And worrying!

The armored law enforcement vehicles that will equip the national gendarmerie are starting to be delivered. HQ (Headquarter) magazine spotted them on the Ministry of the Interior’s stand at the Eurosatory arms fair, which was held from 13 to 17 June 2022 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition center.

Anti-riot vehicles

This armored vehicle for law enforcement (VBMO), named Centaure, is a machine weighing more than 14 tons, manufactured by the French company Soframe. With a length of 7.4 meters, a height of 3.3 meters and a width of 2.5 meters, and an engine of 280 to 330 horsepower, Centaur is a kind of all-terrain vehicle that can cross slopes of 40%, deep ditches of almost one meter and drive at 110 km/h for 600 km with 10 to 12 men on board.
But the most impressive thing is its riot gear. This armored vehicle, equipped with a floating blade at the front, can easily clear roads blocked by barricades or vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons, at a speed of 30 km/h, as stated in the gendarmerie magazine Boom.
On the roof of the vehicle, a turret with a grenade launcher system, a long range camera with video surveillance. On both sides of the vehicle, a sophisticated defense system.
In short, a war machine that is frightening when you know that it will be used against demonstrators.

Made in Alsace

Recall that the Ministry of the Interior launched a tender for the acquisition of 90 armored vehicles in December 2020 after the large demonstrations of the Yellow Vests and against the pass-sanitary. The company Soframe won the contract with the ARIVE model.
These vehicles will gradually replace the wheeled armored vehicles of the gendarmerie (VBRG) had announced the Ministry of the Interior. “They will enable law enforcement agencies to conduct operations to restore order in degraded environments, as well as operations under fire…. These vehicles, of French design, will be assembled in Alsace. The body is also manufactured there from armored sheet metal produced in France.
This order is in line with the law enforcement strategy defined by the national law enforcement plan (SNMO) published in September 2020, which calls for the acquisition of new equipment to support the adaptations needed to conduct law enforcement operations.”



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