HORNET Business Unit Will Launch at Show
At IDEX 2021 in Abu Dhabi this week, Arquus will showcase the SCARABEE hybrid drive vehicle for the first time outside France, and will highlight its latest HORNET remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS) family, the company announced on 20 February.
The current jewel in the Arquus crown, SCARABEE is the first ever hybrid drive armoured reconnaissance vehicle. Compact, highly mobile and stealthy, it can tackle any environment, from desert combat to confined or urban environments. Versatile and modular, it can serve as a reconnaissance vehicle, a light cavalry vehicle fitted with a powerful autocannon, a missile-carrying tank-killer or a mobile command post. SCARABEE can serve in air assault units or quick reaction forces, accompany infantry units or pair up with main battle tanks. Its drive system and high capacity batteries allow it to conduct manoeuvre-intensive missions while remaining entirely silent. A new benchmark for armed reconnaissance, SCARABEE is perfectly suited to the requirements of modern warfare – lightweight, versatility, high mobility and powerful weaponry.
The company’s HORNET business unit – which will be launched at IDEX – offers two separate RCWS, accommodating weapon systems ranging from 7.62mm machineguns to 40mm automatic grenade launchers. Modular and connected, they offer unique performance, with fully digital optronic units, day and night vision, laser rangefinder, full HD video, independent smoke grenade-launcher, and collaborative combat capability, among other features. The HORNET range has been selected and qualified by the French Army to equip the new combat vehicles of the SCORPION programme.
Also on display will be the FORTRESS Mk2, one of the most advanced APCs currently available. With independent suspension and a high-power engine, the FORTRESS Mk2 redefines military mobility, combining an excellent power. A new armoured hull provides very high levels of protection for the 11 passengers and crew, while the latest vetronics solutions, such as Arquus’ BATTLENET, and a HORNET RCWS make it extraordinarily versatile.
Up for further discussion will be the VAB Mk3 IFV and its advanced survivability system, designed to further protect the vehicle against all potential battlefield threats, including tandem warheads. Building on the years of experience with the French Army’s 4×4 VABs, Arquus has designed a completely new 6×6 vehicle, built for troop transport. Highly mobile, the VAB Mk3 offers performance similar to an 8×8, with reduced costs of ownership and is already in service with several regional armies.
