The French AMX-10RC is a "sniper rifle on fast wheels," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Tuesday, as Kyiv puts the AMX-10 to work alongside other donated infantry fighting vehicles.
France promised to send Ukraine the AMX-10RC tanks back in early January, which was quickly followed by pledges from the United States and Germany to send their own armored infantry fighting vehicles.
The AMX-RC, although commonly referred to as a "light" tank, is a wheeled armored fighting vehicle, kitted out with a 105mm cannon and two 7.62mm machine guns. The U.S. has so far committed 109 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, and Berlin has sent 40 Marder fighting vehicles.
Infantry fighting vehicles provide different capabilities to the likes of main battle tanks, which the U.S., United Kingdom and Germany agreed to send in late January. However, France has so far declined to send its Leclerc main battle tank to join the U.S. Abrams, German Leopard 1 and 2 tanks, and the British Challenger 2s.
Former White House analyst Mark Cancian told Bloomberg in December that the Bradleys would "provide a major increase in ground combat capability because it is, in effect, a light tank."
The Bradley Fighting Vehicle offers "outstanding survivability, mobility, and lethality," according to defense manufacturer BAE Systems. The vehicles give Ukraine "a level of firepower and armor that will bring advantages on the battlefield as the Ukrainian military continues to defend their homeland," Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said on January 5.
On Monday, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry shared images of two Bradleys in Ukraine with environment-appropriate camouflage. The first AMX-10s arrived in Ukraine in mid-March, French media reported.
Bradley IFVs try on a new outfit. pic.twitter.com/OzMAF2d5tV
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 17, 2023
While the Bradley is a tracked armored vehicle, the AMX-10 is a wheeled vehicle with "very good mobility on the road," according to the French Armed Forces Ministry.
The French government described the AMX-10 RC as an armored reconnaissance vehicle, weighing 20 tons. It has a 105mm cannon, plus two 7.62mm machine guns, operated by a four-person crew.
The M2A4 Bradleys are fitted with M242 25mm automatic cannons, as well as a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. It can also be equipped with a tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless-guided (TOW) missile launcher designed for use against tanks, according to the U.S. Army.
There are several variants of the Bradleys, with the M2A4 having a three-person crew with space for seven squad members. The M2A4 Bradley has a maximum speed of around 38 miles per hour and a range of approximately 230 miles.
The AMX-10, reaching just over nine meters in height, has a maximum on-road speed of around 37 miles per hour, dropping to just under 10 miles per hour when off-road.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Ellie Cook is a Newsweek security and defense reporter based in London, U.K. Her work focuses largely on the Russia-Ukraine ... Read more
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