News

2021-01-10

Nexter Gives New Lease of Life to VBCIs

During a recent visit to the Integrated Structure for Maintaining Land Equipment in Operational Condition (SIMMT) at the Roanne site, France, Nexter teams presented the first four regenerated armoured infantry fighting vehicles (VBCI). The meeting also highlighted Nexter’s work in fleet support.

Since 2013, the VBCI in-service support contract (MSS) has linked the Nexter industrial prime contractor and the French Army. It is one of the four support contracts in place, alongside the Leclerc, CAESAR and AMX 10RC contracts.

Through the VBCI MSS, Nexter provides fixed-price spare parts, equipment repairs, obsolescence’s monitoring, long-term vehicle configuration management, fixed-price support for the VBCIs present in the training parks (Champagne and Provence) and technical assistance.

At SIMMT’s request, Nexter has been entrusted with a new regeneration service for around 50 VBCIs for the next two years. All the vehicles concerned have returned from external operations or exercises abroad; they have been used in extreme weather conditions, on rough terrain and require numerous interventions.

In-depth Repairs

As of November 2019, an industrial organisation has been set up. A technical condition report will first make it possible to identify damage to the vehicles stored in Gien (12th Material Support Base) in order to draw up individual estimates and identify the exhaustiveness of the spares to be replaced. Customer orders then launch the start of the work. The VBCIs are routed by Nexter to the Roanne site for handling. In a dedicated workshop, the fitters replace the broken or worn-out components, carry out complete cleaning and in-depth repair of the equipment, at NTI level 3 (technical intervention level), to give it a new lease of life. Then, the machines are subjected to several static and dynamic tests comparable to those initially applied at the end of the assembly line, before being presented for verification operations. First of these vehicles had arrivied in Roanne in June, and were presented on time to the administration on November 23, according to the schedule set jointly with the SIMMT.

Lilian Braylé, Director of Customer Services, said: “This represents an annual workload of more than 20,000 hours, the equivalent of 15 full-time jobs. Moreover, meeting deadlines within a tight time frame and despite the health crisis is proof of the flexibility and excellence of Nexter’s know-how.”

While General Olivier Cornefert, deputy operations manager for the SIMMT central director, added: “In a context of strong operational commitment by VBCIs in the Sahel-Saharan band and in the Baltic countries, Nexter’s industrial response to the SIMMT’s requests has been particularly effective. The regenerations carried out through this market enable infantry regiments to have their major combat vehicles available to continue their training.”

Comments () Views (14201 ) Print

Send To Friend