Latest military technology at Eurosatory defense week in Paris

The Eurosatory International Defense Week kicked off in Paris on June 14. The exhibition of military hardware has been held every two years for eighteen years under the auspices of the French Ministry of Defense. The event is organized by the General Commission for Shows and Exhibitions (COGES), a division of the French Land Defense Manufacturers Association (GICAT). One of the centerpieces of the show was the VBCi Armored Personnel Carrier, which the French armed forces first acquired in 2009. On June 9, the first five vehicles were sent to support French troops in Afghanistan.

This new armored personnel carrier is armed with a 25-mm cannon and can reach speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour, despite weighing 30 tons. The vehicle is powered by a 550-horsepower Renault engine. The VBCi is designed to provide combat support and transport up to 11 soldiers.

The Russian delegation showed particular interest in the FELIN infantry combat system, designed by the French company Safran. Russian military leaders are currently considering the purchase of several systems for the country’s special forces.

The entire combat system weighs 27 kilograms and includes a bulletproof vest, boots, weapons, a computer, a radio transmitter and a helmet with a digital screen. The “soldier of the future” equipped with the FELIN combat system will easily be able to determine his location using a built-in GPS transmitter, and send images to his commander within a range of up to one kilometer using a specially equipped rifle. The only issue that could prevent the Russian armed forces from acquiring the combat system is the price, which runs into the tens of thousands of dollars.

The Eurosatory International Defense Week in Paris also featured a wide range of tactical unmanned aircraft. The French company Infotron demonstrated its IT-180 drone, a white aerial vehicle with two sets of rotor blades that can lift three to five kilograms, reach speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour, ascend up to 3,000 meters and fly autonomously for two hours

The so-called Flying Eye unmanned aircraft, produced by the Bertin company, is a grey vehicle with one set of rotor blades that weighs twelve kilogram and can reach speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour. It can lift up to seven kilograms and has a range of seven kilometers. The aircraft can ascend to a height of 3,000 meters and operate in temperatures between negative 10 to 45 degrees Celsius.

A special forces mobile reconnaissance vehicle, which is currently being used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A specialized vehicle for operating in very rough terrain.

A cross-country reconnaissance vehicle for the American armed forces.