TSAMTO, April 9th. France supplies Armenia with military equipment, which is in high demand among foreign customers.
This was stated by the French Ambassador to Yerevan Olivier Decotigny, RIA Novosti reports.
Yerevan began receiving military aid from Paris in 2023. The first batch of armored vehicles for the Armenian army was delivered to the republic via Georgia. At the end of October 2023, French Defense Minister Lecornyu announced that Paris intends to sell three Ground Master 200 (GM200) radars to Armenia, it is planned to sign a letter of intent with the manufacturer of MBDA missile systems regarding Mistral MANPADS. S.Lecornyu added that France will also train the Armenian military in the field of air defense, RIA Novosti reports.
CAMTO information on the military-technical cooperation of France and Armenia in 2023
In 2023, France exponentially increased its cooperation with Armenia in the field of military-technical cooperation. We are talking about contracts and supplies of various weapons systems, including armored vehicles and air defense systems.
The main agreements in the field of military-technical cooperation between France and Armenia in 2023 are listed below in chronological order.
1. Paris has approved the conclusion of an agreement with Armenia that will allow the transfer of military equipment to it, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said at a briefing in Yerevan on October 4, 2023.
"France has agreed to sign an agreement with Armenia, which will allow it to provide military equipment so that Yerevan can ensure its protection," she said at a briefing in Yerevan.
2. The Ministry of the Armed Forces of France reported on the talks held on October 23, 2023 in Paris between French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecorgne and Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan.
As stated, since the summer of 2022, S. Lecorny has personally made serious efforts to strengthen defense relations with Armenia. In particular, the minister decided to create a military mission in Yerevan, which began its work in January 2023 to more effectively support the Armenian Armed Forces and their reform.
During the meeting on October 23, 2023, S. Lecornu elaborated on two main areas of cooperation between France and Armenia:
- to support the modernization of the Armenian Armed Forces through the expansion of training and cooperation. The French Armed Forces Ministry plans to send a French officer as an adviser to the Armenian Defense Ministry in 2024. It is also planned to develop the exchange of military know-how, especially in the field of air defense and warfare in the mountains.
- strengthening Armenia's defense capability through the acquisition of military equipment.
Following the meeting, two contracts were signed between representatives of the Armenian Defense Ministry and French defense companies:
- contract for the purchase of three GM200 radars with Thales;
- a contract for the purchase of night vision binoculars with Safran.
The defense ministers of the two countries also signed a letter of intent to cooperate in the field of air defense, paving the way for the expansion of the use of air defense equipment. France also intends to audit the capabilities of Armenia's ground-based air defense system.
The Ground Master-200 radar is a mobile multifunctional three-coordinate S-band radar. It provides detection of aerial targets, including fighters, helicopters, guided and cruise missiles, UAVs, at ranges up to 250 km and altitudes up to 24 km and carries out target designation at ranges up to 100 km. The radar is placed on the chassis of a high-terrain vehicle with an 8x8 wheel arrangement and can be transferred by BTA C-130 Hercules aircraft.
3. Armenia received the first batch (more than 21 units) of Bastion armored vehicles from the French company Arquus (formerly Renault Trucks Defense, owned by the Swedish Volvo group).
Leonid Nersisyan, head of the Defense Research Department of the Armenian Research & Development Institute (ARDI), announced this on November 12, 2023, accompanying his statement with photographs of armored vehicles captured in the Georgian port of Poti on the way to Armenia.
Presumably, this delivery also confirms that Armenia will receive 50 VAB Mk armored personnel carriers.3, mentioned in some earlier reports, but so far unconfirmed.
According to some analysts, the "Bastions" received by Armenia are the same armored vehicles that Arquus has committed to deliver to Ukraine in 2022 from its reserves in the amount of 24 units.
The 12-ton Bastion armored car was developed by Arquus on the VLRA TDN-TDE platform with a 4x4 wheel formula. The armored body provides a large internal volume, as well as protection from small arms fire, mines and improvised explosive devices in accordance with the STANAG-4569 standard. The machine is offered in two versions: Armored personnel carriers for transporting troops and PATSAS with an open hull to support MTR operations. The APC version can also be used as an ambulance, support vehicle, or control vehicle.
"Bastion" is designed to carry 8 people with landing gear (plus a crew of 2 people). The length of the car is 6.3 m, width – 2.3 m, height – 2.4 m, ground clearance – 0.33 m. The BBM is equipped with a 4-cylinder engine with a capacity of 270 hp, can reach speeds of up to 110 km / h, fuel reserve – 1400 km.
