A French AMX-10 RC seen here in Paris after the parade on July 14, 2021. By Wikimedia user (Kevin.B)
The first batch of AMX-10 RC wheeled tank destroyers are en route to Ukraine from France, the Forces Operations blog reported on February 16.
“14 AMX-10 RC armored vehicles are leaving for Ukraine, in accordance with the promise of the Ministry of Defense to supply the Ukrainian military with them within two months,” the defense blog reported.
French President Emmanuel Macron made the decision to supply Ukraine with “dozens” of the wheeled tank destroyers early on in January.
Forces Operations said that Ukrainian troops were trained to operate the AMX-10RC in recent weeks at a military school in Saumur in the Maine-et-Loire department. The blog also noted that among the troops sent for training “there were specialists in armored reconnaissance, which is a reason to suspect that French vehicles will be used on the front line.”
The 6×6 AMX-10 RC was manufactured by France’s Nexter Systems in the 1980s. The vehicle’s main armament is a 105 mm F2 BK MECA L/47 medium-pressure gun that can fire APFSDS [armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot] rounds. Usually, the tank is loaded with 38 rounds of different types. Its second armament is a 7.62 mm NF1 coaxial machine gun with 4,000 cartridges.
The tank destroyer, which is powered by a Baudouin Diesel Model 6F11 SRX with 280 hp, is known for its high mobility. It has an operation range of 800 kilometers with a top speed of 40 kilometers per hour off road and up to 85 kilometers per hour on road.
However, the AMX-10 RC is poorly armored. The tank has a frontal armor resistance against 23 mm armor-piercing ammunition from 300 meters and resistance against 14.5 mm ammunition all-around with add-on armor.
The French military has more than 240 AMX-10 Rs. According to recent reports, Ukraine will be receiving at least 40 of the tank destroyer.
After the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine last year, France supplied the Ukrainian military with loads of weapons, including self-propelled howitzers, dozens of armored vehicles as well as hundreds of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.
France is now reportedly considering donating some of its Leclerc main tanks to Ukraine, to help prepare a large-scale offensive against the Russian military in spring.
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