William Molinie
Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that France will deliver light combat tanks to Ukraine, AMX-10RC, without giving details on delivery times. What is this device and what is it used for? Europe 1 takes stock.
A delivery of French tanks to help the Ukrainian army deal with the Russian invasion. This was announced by the government on Wednesday, without further details. However, we know that it is AMX-10RC. On the battlefield, this armored reconnaissance vehicle distinguished itself for the first time during the Gulf War in the early 1990s. At the time, even the Americans envied it the French. They had nicknamed it the “Rolls of the desert”, remembers a senior officer. He then served in Afghanistan, then more recently in Mali.
A mobile and fast machine
However, purists deny it the tank label, as it has no tracks. But its six-wheel drive supports a 105 mm gun that can fire up to two kilometers. A 7.62 mm machine gun overlooks the cockpit which can carry a maximum of 38 shells. Mobile and fast, it hides easily to avoid return fire. The AMX-10RC is known to be reliable. Officially, the armies have 247, but many are no longer in working order. Today it even seems overtaken by the Jaguar, an ultra-connected armored vehicle which is gradually replacing it in cavalry regiments.
Regarding delivery to Ukraine, their number is not yet known. Everything will be decided during an exchange between Sébastien Lecornu, French Minister of the Armed Forces and his Ukrainian counterpart.