A ceremony was held at the Port of Beirut to mark the handover of 39 French VAB armored personnel carriers to Lebanon.
This was reported on the official website of the Lebanese Army.
The event was attended by French Minister Delegate Alice Ruffo, Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Audi, and French Ambassador Hervé Magro. A group of officers from both countries was also present at the ceremony.
The transferred armored personnel carriers will enhance the transport capabilities and protection of Lebanese units.
This batch of equipment is part of a long-term strategic defense cooperation between Paris and Beirut.
The VAB (Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé) armored personnel carrier is a combat vehicle of the French Army, developed by Renault Trucks Defense and GIAT Industries.
The APC has a 4×4 wheel configuration (a 6×6 version also exists). The vehicle’s hull is welded from steel armor plates, providing protection against 7.62 mm small arms fire and artillery shell fragments.
The crew consists of two people (the commander and the driver), who are seated in the front. The troop compartment is located in the rear and is designed to carry 10 fully equipped infantrymen.
It is worth noting that France is also supplying such armored vehicles to Ukraine. Earlier this year, the French side resumed training Ukrainian military personnel in Poland, specifically on the maintenance of VAB armored personnel carriers.
In 2024, Jordan transferred more than fifty M113 tracked armored personnel carriers from its arsenal to Lebanon.
The U.S. will also transfer additional M1152 HMMWV armored off-road vehicles to Lebanon.
Production of the armored vehicles will take place at the AM General plant in Indiana. Completion of the work is scheduled for September 30, 2026.
