Berliet VXB-170

The Berliet VXB-170 is a four-wheel armoured vehicle used chiefly for internal security. It grew out of the BL-12 concept shown to the French military in 1967, and was developed and first built by Berliet before that firm merged with Saviem to form what became Renault Trucks and later Arquus. The French Gendarmerie chose it in 1972, but it lost the competition to equip the French Army to the Saviem VAB, and production stopped after fewer than 200 had been built. It has a 170 horsepower V8 engine, a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour and a small roof turret for a 7.62 millimetre machine gun. Gabon and Senegal also operate it, and the Gendarmerie knows it as the VBRG.