Focused Support for French Armed Forces Mobility and Logistics
Despite the restrictions caused by governmental reaction to the global pandemic, Arquus met and, in many cases, exceeded the objectives of the ‘Private Industrial Repair’ scheme in 2020, the company announced on 5 February. In aggregate, Arquus completed renovation of 508 vehicles and over 2,500 systems in 2020 – accounting for almost 50% of the company’s activities.
The Arquus site in Limoges has, since 2014, been responsible for repair to the French Army’s GBC180s, of which some 5,000 are currently in service. The objective in 2020 was to repair 125 vehicles and, despite a six-week shutdown for safety reasons, the first 30 were handed over to the customer in April. In addition to the 125 refurbishments, lighter repairs on a further 13 vehicles were also completed. The total number of refurbished trucks delivered under this programme since 2015 now stands at 675. The Arquus plant at Marolles-en-Hurepoix, responsible for mechanical components including transfer cases, also exceeded its target by year end.
The Marolles plant has also been repairing mechanical components (engines, axles, gearboxes, transfer cases, etc.) for the French Army’s VBLs since 2004, conducting renovation on over 500 components per year. As far as the PVP is concerned, which Marolles has been refurbishing since 2018, 44 were completed in 2020, although relevant work is now being transferred to Saint-Nazaire, where it will continue through 2026.
Since the establishment of the Operational Maintenance Centre (CMCO) at Garchizy in 2006, Arquus has conducted repair activities on the VAB at the rate of 135 vehicles per year: the site delivered the 1,000th renovated VAB in 2020. The company has taken on greater responsibilities for the vehicle since 2019, geared at maintaining operational readiness rather than simple renovation. This activity is growing, with a target of 250 vehicles set for 2021. VAB component repair has also been undertaken at the Limoges plant and is likewise set to increase, the company revealed.
The Army’s VLRA vehicles are refurbished at the Saint-Nazaire plant, where the company was unable to meet the increased target of 41 vehicles in 202 but nonetheless did hand over 29, with the remaining 12 to be handed over early in 2021. Saint-Nazaire is also in charge of the TRM2000 renovation programme, the seventh such truck support programme undertaken by Arquus. The objective is to extend the vehicle’s operational life: the fleet has been in service for between 28-38 years in a variety of demanding operational environments. Some 57 of the targeted 67 trucks were delivered in 2020, with the balance being delivered in early 2021 and a planned target of 200 for the year: the 100th TRM2000 was rolled out of Saint-Nazaire on 21 January.
