VBL Panhard
THE PANHARD VBL
At the front, as always
Easily recognisable by its pointed nose and unobtrusive silhouette, the VBL is the French Army’s smallest combat vehicle. Weighing 4 tonnes and armed with light weaponry, the VBL does not, on the face of it, appear capable of impressing the enemy.
Yet its arrival on the battlefield is never insignificant. Whether attached to an armoured unit or engaged in an intelligence mission, the VBL is designed to direct fire (from more powerful armoured vehicles) or air strikes (from artillery and the air force). With thirty years of overseas operations under its belt, the VBL has proven itself to be an indispensable component of military manoeuvres.
Its tactical capabilities have also attracted considerable interest from numerous foreign armies, and more than 700 VBLs have been sold for export. Today, the VBL is embarking on a new chapter within the armed forces, thanks to the modernisation programme launched in 2015, and is set to remain, for several years to come, one of the preferred vehicles for close-combat units.
Media coverage
- Lignes de défense-ouest France.fr, 12 March 2026
- Skyrock, 11 March 2026
- opex360.com, 10 March 2026
- Blablachars, 9 March 2026