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The PVP in service in the French Army

Marolles en Hurepoix, April 25th 2008

Last February, the French Army received a first batch of 30 PVPs (Small Protected Vehicle). This 5-ton armoured vehicle will improve protection for French soldiers deployed on operations. Indeed, the French Army is highly exposed, with more than 10,000 men deployed in some ten theatres, Lebanon, Afghanistan and the Ivory Coast among them. The security situation has become particularly tense, with a multiplication of attacks. The threat is not targeted only against front-line troops but also against support units. The PVP corresponds to the need to provide protected liaison capabilities for operational troops. The first vehicles delivered to the French Army will also be used as an operational reserve for alert units.

One of the qualities of this vehicle is its good interior habitability. The architecture was designed to reserve a maximum of space for the crew. Also, the interior bulkheads are fitted with rails to allow easy installation of equipment or to change the vehicle configuration. The PVP, able to carry a one-ton payload, can carry four fully-equipped crewmen.

The PVP is a protected vehicle of the 5-ton class, and is much more manoeuvrable than its competitors in built-up areas on account of its size. Intended to be used in conflict regions, it is highly suitable for use in villages with narrow streets and alleys. With its powerful engine and automatic gearbox, it is also at ease cross-country, with good ground clearance. The possibility of adjusting tyre pressures from the inside also gives an advantage on soft ground.

Finally, the ballistic protection of the PVP has been the subject of highly advanced studies and tests. The armour, made up of steel, aluminium and alloy, offers NATO Stanag Level 2 protection (corresponding with 7.62mm ammunition), which is unusual for vehicles of this tonnage. Particular care has been taken to take the threat represented by improvised explosive devices (IED) into account. Thanks to this protection, the PVP is highly suitable for use in operational theatres.

It will be recalled that 930 PVPs have been ordered by the French Army. Designed with components chosen off the shelf, the PVP is a highly competitive vehicle compared with its competitors. Panhard intends to deliver 150 vehicles per year from 2008. The French Gendarmerie has also shown great interest in this vehicle. One version of the PVP, the Gavial, has also been developed with Rheinmetall to meet the special needs of the Bundeswehr.

About Panhard General Defense:
Panhard, the 100% subsidiary of Auverland since the beginning of 2005, has designed and built armoured vehicles for nearly a century. Panhard is building the Light Armoured Vehicle (VBL), built in a series of more than 2,000, of which 1,600 are for the French Army. Panhard achieved a turnover of 78 million Euros in 2007 and has a backlog of more than 280 million Euros.