Arquus Unveils Final VIPAIR P4 Vehicle for the French Air and Space Force

 Arquus successfully finalized the last P4 VIPAIR unit for the French Air and Space Force, fulfilling the terms of their contract. Launched in 2016, the VIPAIR initiative was aimed at converting a set of 19 P4 ASPIC vehicles for the French Air and Space Force into P4 VIPAIR (Véhicule d’Intervention et de Projection Air – Air Intervention and Projection Vehicle), tailored for the instruction of Air Parachute Commando units and deployment in international operations.

The P4 ASPIC, serving as the foundation for enhancements, was a lightweight liaison vehicle equipped with a reinforced chassis, crafted to support an ASPIC short-range anti-aircraft system. Of the 24 P4 ASPIC units operational within the French Air and Space Force, 19 were designated for conversion into P4 VIPAIR vehicles, while the remaining 5 were reserved for alternative applications.

The P4 VIPAIR was intended to be outfitted with a versatile platform and armament mounts, allowing it to conduct liaison and intervention operations for the French Air and Space Force.

A preliminary prototype, designed and fabricated at the Arquus facility in Marolles-en-Hurepoix, underwent rigorous testing and received approval from the French defense procurement authority, the Direction Générale de l’Armement – Techniques Terrestres (DGA TT), in May 2017. Arquus subsequently confirmed the technical viability of upgrading the safety mechanisms on the chassis of the 18 vehicles along with the prototype. By May 2018, the French Air and Space Force entrusted Arquus with the task of transforming the 18 ASPIC units and the VIPAIR prototype into 19 final standard VIPAIR vehicles.

In September 2018, the specifications of the vehicle were refined on the prototype to initiate the mass production of the 19 units. The French Air and Space Force subsequently put forth additional requirements concerning the rear platform, rear window, and the color scheme of the vehicles.

 The entire program encompassed: technical enhancements of the vehicles on an individual basis, outfitting the chassis with a multi-functional platform, integrating various accessories such as a circular ring mount, roll bars, spare wheel and jerrycan holders, along with applying the Brun Terre de France paint. These undertakings collectively demanded numerous hours of labor per vehicle. The VIPAIR P4s were also formally examined to adjust their Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) due to the vehicle modifications.

Production commenced in September 2018, with the final vehicle deliveries slated for late 2020. The inaugural VIPAIR P4 was unveiled to the French Air Force in March 2019 at the Arquus facility in Saint-Nazaire. Production continued at a steady pace as the French Air Force provided the necessary vehicle bases.

The first batch of three units was delivered in April 2019, followed by a second in July 2019, a third in November 2019, and a final shipment in March 2020, just prior to the onset of the COVID health crisis. The last six units were transferred to the forces starting September 16, 2020, with the final one departing from the Arquus site in Saint-Nazaire on October 15. These vehicles were distributed across various French Air Force installations, where they received favorable feedback.

Situated between industrial refurbishment and original equipment manufacturing, the VIPAIR initiative engaged around a dozen personnel from Arquus’ Marolles-en-Hurepoix and Saint-Nazaire facilities, overseeing both design and production phases.