“Canadian Army Celebrates a Year of Innovation with Arquus MSVS Trucks”

The final Medium Support Vehicle System (MSVS) truck, numbering 1,587, was finalized on the production lines in Marolles-en-Hurepoix. Subsequently, it was transported to Canada for its ultimate integration. On February 13th, 2020, Mack Defense presented it to the Canadian Army’s representatives in Saint Nicolas, Quebec, marking the conclusion of a three-year industrial journey that commenced in France. The initial year of service for the MSVS trucks has already proven to be exceptionally active, with deployments occurring both within Canada and on international missions.

The Medium Support Vehicle System (MSVS) initiative was developed to equip Canada with a fleet of mid-sized, versatile logistics vehicles designed to substitute their outdated Medium Logistics Vehicle Wheeled (MLVW) fleet, operational since the 1980s. This initiative also encompassed the procurement of Armored Protection Systems as well as trailers. These innovative trucks and their equipment were required to offer comprehensive transport capabilities, particularly regarding loading and unloading operations, within operational theaters both domestically and overseas.

Under Phase 4 of the MSVS initiative, which featured the delivery of Standard Military Pattern (SMP) trucks, including their trailers, crane systems, armored cabins, and protective gear, the Arquus Engineering and Manufacturing teams spearheaded various aspects of militarization across all five variants of the 1,587-truck initiative. This comprehensive militarization aimed to ensure that the vehicles satisfied the genuine operational requirements of trucks intended for military applications.

Arquus boasts extensive experience in the design and production of logistics and tactical military vehicles, specifically engineered for military use as well as those initially designed for commercial purposes but adapted for military functions. Within France, this collaboration with the Army remains active today with vehicles like the GBC8KT, GBC180, TRM10000, TRM 2000, VLRA, and Sherpa Medium trucks. Altogether, over 10,000 trucks manufactured by Arquus are actively utilized every day in the French Army.

This proficiency recently led to the unveiling of an innovative logistics and tactical series, the Armis family, comprising three 4×4, 6×6, and 8×8 vehicles that are ideally suited to the needs of contemporary armed forces, conceptualized by Arquus and produced alongside their French partners.

This experience enabled Arquus to oversee the studies and design for militarized adaptations and transformations for vehicles designated for the Canadian Army. These efforts guaranteed a cohesive overarching architecture tailored to meet the specific requirements of the Canadian Army, supporting their mission profiles and anticipated global deployments.

The militarization efforts took place at two Arquus locations, in close collaboration with other Volvo Group entities, including Renault Trucks, Mack Defense, and Prevost, under the oversight of the French defense procurement agency, the Délégation Générale de l’Armement (DGA), the agent for the program.

As part of the MSVS initiative, the rolling chassis were delivered from two Renault Trucks facilities—Bourg-en-Bresse (bare chassis) and Blainville (cab)—and brought to Marolles-en-Hurepoix. Here, a production line was meticulously established to enhance assembly through the addition of specific features such as cold weather start kits, crane, and hydraulic system installations among key tasks.

In total, five variants were available:

• The LHS (Load Handling System): an MSVS truck variant designed to load, transport, and deliver containers with a payload capacity of up to 9.5 tons. It constitutes 47% of the entire fleet.
• The TCV (Troop Carrying Cargo): the conventional cargo version of the MSVS, accounting for approximately 38% of the fleet. It is fitted with a rear platform, side rails, a tailgate, folding seats, and a tarpaulin, making it adaptable enough to carry 24 soldiers or equipment.
• The MHC (Material Handling Crane), which represents 3% of the fleet, is a specialized variant akin to the “basic” version but includes hydraulic systems and a crane on its open rear deck for load handling.
• The Mobile Repair Team vehicle (MRT), accounting for 10% of the fleet, is a modified MHC truck intended to carry a workshop-configured shelter.
• The Gun Tractor (GT), an MHC variant, modified for the transport of towed artillery pieces, comprises roughly 2% of the total fleet.

During the final stages of the assembly process, the vehicles were coated with a specialized Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC) paint within a state-of-the-art enhanced paint facility.

Concurrently, the Arquus facility in Limoges, recognized for producing new Arquus vehicles, assembled and prepared trimming kits for the 161 Armoured Protection Systems (APS), which underwent final assembly in Canada. Limoges, with its considerable expertise in vehicle final assembly, also supported Marolles in completing the MSVS fleet to meet program deadlines and milestones.

A total of 311 MSVS units were delivered by Arquus in 2018, accompanied by 1,276 in 2019 (an average of about 4 trucks per day, exceeding 6 vehicles daily during peak production), which showcases the company’s capability to efficiently produce a substantial quantity of vehicles within a constrained timeframe while adapting to varying configurations. Arquus has not only been able to design but also swiftly develop a sophisticated production line capable of accommodating different specifications.

In summary, multiple operators at Arquus contributed to the MSVS initiative across various areas including design, project management, production, integration, and finishing in both Marolles and Limoges.

Arquus’ management of this aspect of the program reflects the company’s proficiency in the design and production of military tactical and logistics vehicles, as well as effective program execution in collaboration with numerous stakeholders.

The initiative further demonstrated Arquus’ adeptness in overseeing a complex industrial operation that involves numerous players (Renault Trucks, Prevost, the DGA, the Canadian customer) with constant communication fostered between Arquus’ Marolles and Limoges sites. More broadly, the MSVS initiative highlighted the Volvo Group’s ability to meld the diverse complementary skills of its subsidiaries to meet customer demands and expectations.

The Canadian Army expresses high satisfaction regarding the capabilities and quality of the MSVS trucks. All units have been deployed across Canada and have already been utilized in support of both domestic (flood relief and humanitarian) and international (NATO) operations.