KNDS France has partnered with Athens-based Metlen Energy & Metals to produce the armored infantry fighting vehicle (VBCI) “Philoctetes” for the Hellenic Army.
The agreement aligns with a program revealed in 2022 to assemble a next-generation Greek armored fleet based on the French Army’s existing 8×8 VBCI system that KNDS and Arquus developed.
Under the terms with Metlen, KNDS will transfer know-how associated with the aluminum armor and manufacturing processes of the VBCI Mark 2 welded structure for the Philoctetes’ hull.
Corresponding data will be used to bolster the bilateral industrial cooperation between France and Greece to meet the mass production requirements for both the Hellenic military and potential customers in Europe.
‘Critical Step’
Metlen will leverage its existing metal construction hub in Volos to support the Hellenic Army’s VBCI Philoctetes program.
The facility, which has been supporting the Balkan state’s industrial base since the 1960s, will add a new advanced metal structures production unit as well as two additional centers beginning in 2026 to expand its manufacturing capabilities.
Among the largest projects that Metlen’s Volos site had previously handled was the shielding welding of the Leopard 2 main battle tanks developed by KNDS Germany.
The standard VBCI model measures 8 meters (26 feet) long, has a capacity for up to 9 passengers, and is equipped with armor that can withstand 14.5-millimeter shells.
It is fitted with a Renault Diesel engine that includes 550 horsepower for a range of 750 kilometers (466 miles) and a speed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour.
The vehicle is armed with a 25-millimeter autocannon, a 7.62-millimeter machine gun, and anti-tank missiles.
The VBCI is offered in command and control, medical evacuation, and recovery configurations.