Renault Saviem VAB 4×4 Armoured Personnel Carrier

Renault Saviem VAB 4×4 Armoured Personnel Carrier.

The amphibious V.A.B. armoured personnel carrier entered service with the French Army in 1976 and has since served in more than 50 different variants, ranging from armoured command vehicle to ambulance. The French Army required 4,000 vehicles, which were produced by Renault at a rate of 30 to 40 units per month. In mid-1984, 800 vehicles were approved for export. More than 400 V.A.B. infantry fighting vehicles went to Morocco, with the remainder sold to Cyprus, Lebanon, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Morocco deployed the new V.A.B. infantry fighting vehicles in the fight against the Polisario Front in Western Sahara, where the first vehicles were lost in combat.

The French V.A.B. armoured personnel carriers were originally painted »Yellow Olive RAL 6014«. In 1986, a three-colour camouflage pattern was introduced, combining a dark green (vert foncé IR) base colour with earth-brown (brun terre IR) and black (noir OTAN) camouflage patches. For winter camouflage, only the green areas are overpainted white. In desert operations, the green areas are supposed to be painted sand-colour, and the black patches somewhat reduced. However, in the 1991 Gulf War, the Daguet Division overpainted the green and black areas of the three-colour camouflage pattern with sand-colour. Heller‘s illustration shows a V.A.B. of the Daguet Division in a two-colour camouflage pattern with earth-brown camouflage patches over a sand base coat.

Available Scale Model Kits

  • VAB 4×4 VTT, 1:35 Blast Models BL35006K
  • VAB 4×4 VTT, 1:35 Heller 81130
  • VAB 4×4 VTT (NATO Yellow Olive), 1:43 CEF Replex 156V
  • VAB 4×4 VTT (Three-Colour Camo), 1:43 CEF Replex 263
  • VAB 4×4 VTT (Desert Camo), 1:43 CEF Replex 216
  • VAB 4×4 VTT (Gulf War, 1991), 1:43 CEF Replex 283
  • VAB 4×4 VTT (UN), 1:43 CEF Replex 304
  • VAB 4×4 VTT, 1:72 Azimut 72001
  • VAB 4×4 VTT, 1:72 Heller 79898
  • VAB 4×4 Cal. 50 CB 127, 1:72 Azimut 72012
  • VAB 4×4 VTT, 15 mm QRF MFIV1
  • VAB 4×4 VTT, 1:285 C-in-C Miniatures F-11
  • VAB 4×4 VTT, 1:300 SCOTIA/UM487
  • VAB 4×4 VTT, 1:300 Heroics & Ros FM05
  • VAB 4×4 VCI tourelle 25 mm (Three-Colour Camo), 1:43 CEF Replex 245
  • VAB 4×4 VCI tourelle 25 mm (Desert Camo), 1:43 CEF Replex 247
  • VAB 4×4 VCI, 1:285 GHQ N112
  • VAB 4×4 DCA AA-Tank, 1:43 CEF Replex 262
  • VAB 4×4 Sanitaire, 1:43 CEF Replex 315
  • VAB VCAC – Véhicule de Combat Anti-Char
    • VAB 4×4 Mephisto (HOT), 1:72 Azimut 72003
    • VAB Accessories (Milan, Ammunition, Cargo, etc.), 1:72 Azimut 72013
    • VAB 4×4 VCAC UTM 800, 1:50 Solido 9530
    • VAB 4×4 Milan, 1:43 CEF Replex 378
    • VAB 4×4 ERYX
  • VAB 4×4 Sanitaire, 1:50 Solido 9521
  • VAB 4×4 Syracuse Thales, 1:48 Gaso.line GAS50174K
  • VAB 4×4, 1:72 Commanders Models
  • VAB 4×4 Sanitaire (Ambulance), 1:72 Azimut 72002
    • Photoetched Parts for inside and out, 1:72 Extratech ETV72077
  • VAB NRBC – Véhicule de RECOnnaissance en zone contaminée NBC
    • VAB NBC/RECC, 1:72 Azimut 72009
  • VAB 6×6 VTT, 1:72 Azimut 72004

Technical Specifications

  • Designation: Renault Saviem VAB 4×4
  • Type: Amphibious Armoured Transport
  • Height: 2060 mm
  • Width: 2490 mm
  • Length: 5980 mm
  • Track Width: 2030 mm
  • Wheel Base: 3000 mm
  • Ground Clearance: 40 cm Axles, 50 cm Hull
  • Weight (empty): 11 t
  • Combat Weight: 13 t
  • Engine: MAN 6-Cylinder D.2356 HM 72 Diesel with 235 HP
  • Transmission: 5 Forward, 1 Reverse
  • Engine Power: 235 HP
  • Power/Weight: 18,07 HP/t
  • Fuel Capacity: 300 l
  • Range: 1000 km on Roads
  • Speed: 92 km/h on Roads, 7 km/h in Water
  • Wading Depth: Amphibious
  • Maximum Gradient: 60 %
  • Maximum Cross Slope: 35 %
  • Obstacle Height: 60 cm
  • Ditching Width: up to 1 m
  • Turning Radius: 9 m
  • Armament: MG 7,62 mm
  • Crew: Chef de Voiture, Conducteur, and 10 Passengers
  • Production: more than 5,000 units since 1976

Historical Employment

  • France, 1976
  • Ivory Coast, 1984
  • Cyprus, 1984
  • Lebanon, 1984
  • Mauritania, 1984
  • Morocco, 1984
  • Oman, 1984
  • Qatar, 1984
  • United Arab Emirates, 1984

Possible Conversions

  • VAB VCI – Véhicule de Combat d’Infanterie, Infantry Fighting Vehicle
  • VAB PC – Poste de Commandement, Command Vehicle
  • VAB VMO – Véhicule Maintien de l’Ordre, Law Enforcement Vehicle
  • VAB Sanitaire, Armoured Ambulance
  • VAB Échelon, Logistics and Maintenance Vehicle
  • VAB VTM 120 – Véhicule Tracteur de Mortier de 120, Mortar Tractor
  • VAB VCAC UTM 800 – Véhicule de Combat Anti-Chars, Tank Hunter
  • VAB VCAC Mephisto – Véhicule de Combat Anti-Chars, Tank Hunter
  • VAB Surblindé Satory 2002, with Applique Armour

The amphibious VAB armoured personnel carrier has been a standard-issue vehicle of the French Army since 1976. Accordingly, the range of models of this interesting vehicle is quite diverse. The VAB is propelled in water by its wheels and two hydrojets at the rear.

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