French Firm Arquus to Deliver Bastion Armored Vehicles to Ukraine
French defense contractor Arquus is set to deliver 50 Bastion armored vehicles to Ukraine, part of a larger 61-unit deal, to boost battlefield mobility and troop survivability.
The incoming fleet follows a previous delivery of 11 Bastion vehicles configured for troop transport, now in service with Kyiv, as well as VAB armored vehicles that the French military had phased out.
The confirmed delivery was included in the latest report of the John Cockerill Group, of which Arquus is a member.
Cost and delivery timelines were not disclosed.
The Bastion
A 4×4 armored personnel carrier that can accommodate a crew of two plus eight troops, the Bastion is a modular platform that enables forces to use it for multiple roles, including troop transport, command, ambulance, and reconnaissance.
It was built on the rugged VLRA chassis for diverse terrains, and features STANAG 4569 protection levels offering ballistic protection and mine blast resistance.
With a gross vehicle weight of 12.5 tons, the Bastion can be transported by the C-130 Hercules military aircraft.
The Bastion has a top speed of 110 kilometers (68 miles) per hour and a maximum range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).
Its armaments include 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine guns mounted on a ring or remote weapon station.
