Renault’s Sherpa range of tactical trucks evolved from interest shown in the French Army program to upgrade GBC 8KT trucks to GBC 180 standard. Photo credit Shaun Connors
2005, this for a hybrid Sherpa 5/10 chassis to be used as the basis of the Nexter CAESAR (CAmion Equipé d’un Systéme d’ARtillerie) 155 mm/52- cal self-propelled artillery system; 72 are required. Thailand subsequently ordered six CAESAR during 2007, with a potential requirement for at least 18 units. In mid-2009 the French Army deployed eight CAESAR systems to Afghanistan. Renault’s first Sherpa truck order was announced at Eurosatory 2008, this coming from the French Army and calling for around 200 Sherpa 5, 121 of these with armoured cabs. Eurosatory 2008 also saw the unveiling of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) category vehicle based on a Sherpa 10 chassis. To ensure the 7,000kg payload (max.) Sherpa 5 had genuine high mobility performance Renault opted for a three-axle 6x6 configuration, not the more common two-axle 4x4 configuration for a truck of this weight class. However, to meet the needs of customers not requiring this level of mobility, a two-axle 4x4 Sherpa 5 was introduced into the range late-2009. At this time the Sherpa 5 and Sherpa 10, while their retaining their individual numeric designations, became known as the Sherpa Medium range. To compete at the lower end of the tactical vehicle weight scale, in
December 2005 Renault disclosed it had acquired the rights to the Al-Dhabi light tactical vehicle from Advanced Modular Vehicles. Development of the Al-Dhabi traces back to the United Arab Emirates where, as part of an ongoing program to find a locally produced alternative to the AM General HMMWV, development commenced in 1999. The original vehicle was first displayed publicly at IDEX 2003, but by IDEX 2005 the vehicle had migrated to the Renault stand, and with the tentative Sherpa 2.5 designation.
Since 2005 what is now designated the Sherpa Light range has carried a variety of designations, but development is now considered complete and six main variants with GVWs ranging from 7,700kg to 11,000kg are available. Renault’s first sales for the Sherpa Light were announced during 2008, and by early 2010 around 200 units had been ordered. A Sherpa variant has been down-selected to meet the UK MoD’s stalled OUVS (Large) requirement, and early 2009 Renault announced a teaming with Land Rover for current and emerging UK programs, this teaming possibly expanding to address international requirements in the future.
In addition to Sherpa tactical vehicles Renault continues to offer
Renault has upgraded around 2,000 VAB for the French Army, the type first entering service in 1976. Photo credit Shaun Connors
G3 DEFENCE
31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64