French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu on Thursday announced the arrival of the first batch of French AMX-10 RC wheeled tanks in Ukraine.
He made such a statement at the hearings of the Defense Committee of the National Assembly of France, reports “European Truth” with reference to Le Figaro.
According to Lecornu, the AMX-10 RC armored vehicles “have just arrived in Ukraine” and “some of them have already gone to the front line.”
The head of the French Ministry of Defense added that Paris is already starting to plan to send a second batch of wheeled tanks. “I am preparing a number of decisions for the president (Macron) because they (AMX-10 RC) are starting to get good feedback from Ukrainian partners,” he added.
At the end of February, Lecornu declaredthat the first AMX-10 RC will be delivered to Ukraine at the end of next week.
Recall that in early January, the President of France announced the provision of French wheeled tank AMX-10 RC. According to media reports, Paris had first to transfer 14 AMX-10 RCand the total transfer of about 40 cars is expected.
The AMX-10 RC is an armored combat vehicle manufactured by the French company GIAT, designed for reconnaissance. It has been in service with the French forces since 1981. As of 2021, the French Army had over 240 of these vehicles; from 2021 they are gradually being replaced by Jaguar combat reconnaissance vehicles.
The AMX-10 RC is equipped with a 105mm cannon, a 7.62mm machine gun and two electrically powered smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret. The ammunition load is 38 rounds of 105 mm, 4000 rounds of 7.62 mm caliber and 16 smoke grenades.
The French AFV is often referred to as a “wheeled tank” because it is capable of fighting armored vehicles.
