In Europe it has been the French Army that has probably had the greatest experience in operating medium armoured vehicles (AFVs). The range currently in service is being renovated. The time has now arrived for us to ask ourselves the question ‘What happens when they are withdrawn from service?’, and above all to decide what needs to be done in the immediate future.
Future Medium Armoured Fighting Vehicles
For over 40 years the principal mission of the French Army was to defend our eastern frontier against a Soviet invasion, as part of NATO. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall 15 years ago its missions have greatly evolved: intervention missions, such as those in Africa, have become the most important.
Each of its operations can be placed in one of two categories, however limited in terms of time and space:
• classical coercion operations, in the context of symmetric or asymmetric conflicts;
• peacemaking operations, in the context of asymmetric crises.
Il reste 94 % de l'article à lire
