With the aim of reinforcing its fleet of armored vehicles, the Chilean Carabineros selected the French company Arquus Defense to provide five (5) Bastion 4×4 APC armored vehicles. The agreement, concluded on December 28, 2023, foresees the delivery of the units throughout 2024, with production having commenced at the Arquus Limoges Vehicle Production Center.
These vehicles will modernize part of the fleet of armored vehicles, complementing a PVP (Protected Small Vehicle) delivered in 2009 and an APC Sherpa received in 2014. The recently signed agreement strengthens the commercial relationship between Carabineros and Arquus, as the armored vehicles currently owned by the Chilean police force are from this company. Once they arrive in Chile, they will be destined for the southern macrozone of Araucanía.
The Bastion is an armored personnel carrier with 4×4 traction, capable of being airlifted aboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft. Developed in 2012, it is characterized by its robustness and agility on the terrain. It has a body welded to the chassis, providing considerable structural rigidity, as well as armor against ballistic threats and landmines (Stanag 459).
With a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 12 tons, the Bastion can transport up to 10 passengers (2 crew members and 8 fully equipped personnel). Since 2020, the Bastion has been retrofitted with a four-cylinder engine, delivering a maximum power of 270 hp.
You may also like: The Argentine Navy and INVAP seek to advance in the critical design review of the new radar for MEKO class ships
