Vextra

   The Vextra infantry fighting vehicle was developed as a private venture by GIAT Industries (now Nexter). It's development commenced in the early 1990s. It was aimed at the French Army and export customers. This IFV was designed to operate alongside the main battle tanks. A demonstrator was revealed in 1994. A prototype of this armored vehicle completed a successful series of trials, however it received no production orders, despite it's superior performance. In 2008 French Army adopted a new VBCI infantry fighting vehicle, which was jointly developed by GIAT Industries and Renault.

   Vehicle has a welded aluminum armor hull, fitted with additional layer of passive armor. It is worth mentioning that aluminum armor was used on the French AMX-10P IFV, which entered service in the early 1970s. Baseline armor provides protection against 14.5-mm heavy machine guns fire and artillery shell splinter. Add-on modular or reactive armor panels protect against medium caliber projectiles and RPGs.

   The Vextra IFV has been fitted with Dragar one-man turret, armed with a fully-stabilized 25-mm cannon and coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun. This turret has also been developed by GIAT Industries.

   This infantry fighting vehicle is fitted with a battlefield management system, developed by GIAT. It is a version of a similar system, installed on the Leclerc main battle tank. It includes a color map display, which shows the positions of allied and hostile forces, as well as position of the host vehicle. Functions of this system include digital mapping, positioning, navigation, tactical situation reports and logistic reports.

   The Vextra IFV has a crew of three, including commander, gunner and driver. Troops dismount via the rear power-operated ramp with integral door, or roof hatches.

   This armored vehicle is powered by a Saab Scania diesel engine, which is located at the front of the hull, from the right-hand side. Vehicle has a full-time all wheel drive and a hydropneumatic suspension system. It is fitted with a Syegon variable tyre pressure system and run-flat device. The Vextra tank destroyer is equipped with a wide dimension tyres of new generation. It can travel up to 50 km/h on sandy terrain and up to 120 km/h on hard surface roads. It's wheeled chassis enables it to keep up with main battle tanks. The Vextra has superior cross-country performance to many other wheeled fighting vehicles. It is capable of negotiating various terrain obstacles at high speeds. A variant of this vehicle demonstrated high tactical and strategic mobility during trials, carried out in the United Arab Emirates.

Variants

   Vextra tank destroyer, armed with a 105-mm fully-stabilized gun. This variant was successfully trialed in France and United Arab Emirates, however it received no production orders;

   Vextra IFV with a 6x6 configuration. It seems that this variant existed only on paper, with no prototypes built;

   Armored recovery vehicle. It seems that this variant existed only on paper, with no prototypes built.

   Some sources report, that United Arab Emirates initiated development of the Vextra, fitted with a complete turret of the Russian BMP-3 IFV.