The French demonstration troops at the Section Technique de l’Armée de Terre (STAT) and the 35th Infantry Regiment have now completed a sequence of trials on the VBCI, starting with just one vehicle in October 2008 and building up through four levels of command to a Battle Group-level trial in July 2009, which also included urban warfare. The objectives of the trials were to assess the impact of VBCI on infantry manoeuvre, make changes to tactical procedures, operational training and collective skills,
and, of course, modify field doctrine and manuals.
The findings from these extensive trials, involving more than 30 VBCIs and crews, have been profound. In his presentation to the AFV Symposium in 2009 year, Colonel Alain Vidal (STAT) described the experience as a “revolution”. Most importantly, the lessons learnt during trials have already been translated into a new doctrine that has been issued from the French School of Infantry to all infantry units, which are being equipped
with VBCI.
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