The Bastion is a modern French armoured personnel carrier, manufactured by ACMAT. The Bastion vehicle has two main variants Bastion PATSAS and Bastion FORTRESS. These armored vehicles are intended specifically for special purpose units/special operation forces and “raids” on enemy positions.
The Volvo company is completing the production of a batch of 20 Bastion (Arquus) armored vehicles, these vehicles will soon be handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The customer is the Ministry of the Armed Forces of France, the cost of the order is not disclosed. The French publication La Tribune writes about it.
The French Bastion vehicle can be called “African”, because such armored vehicles were produced primarily for units of the French Special Operations Forces operating in Africa. And also for the armed forces of African countries that are allies of Paris.
Bastion has a crew of 2 people and can take on board up to 8 people. The combat mass is 12 tons, the chassis is 4×4, the armor protects against the impact of fragments and bullets of caliber 7.62 mm. Driving speed – up to 110 km/h on the highway, driving range – up to 1400 km on the highway.
The basic version of the Bastion warmachine has reinforced anti-mine protection of the bottom, on the roof there is a mount for installing three automatic grenade launchers of caliber 40 mm or for three machine guns of the MG3 type.
Serial production of French “Bastions” began only in 2010. The developers of the machine claim that it is adapted to all possible requirements of the armed forces of the countries of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Judging by the characteristics of this machine, Bastion (Arquus) will be used by Ukraine’s special-purpose units and will be used for raids on enemy positions during offensive operations.
Bastion armored vehicles are currently being used by a large number of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Ethiopia, etc. African countries are the largest operator of these vehicles.