But a Ukrainian commander said the highly mobile AMX-10 RC light infantry fighting vehicle was "unsuitable" for frontline attacks, claiming that a four-man crew had been killed because the vehicle's armour was too thin.
AMX-10 RC infantry fighting vehicle. Photo: AFP
Ukraine said in April that the French vehicles, designed for armed reconnaissance and attacking enemy tanks, had entered service.
But a battalion commander of the 37th Marine Brigade said the tanks' "thin armor" meant they could only be used for fire support and not move freely on the front line.
"Unfortunately, there was one case where a crew of four was killed," the major said. "A shell exploded near the vehicle, and fragments penetrated the tank's armor and caused the ammunition to explode."
"The tanks' guns were very good, as were the observation devices. But unfortunately their armour was too thin and their use on the front line was impractical," he added.
He added that the French AMX-10 also had problems with a broken gearbox, possibly due to the dirt terrain in Ukraine. He did not specify how many AMX-10s were in the combat formation.
The Oryx intelligence website has counted three losses of AMX-10 RC light tanks in Ukraine.
The major said his soldiers were gaining experience with the vehicles after a month-long training course in France, but that was still not enough time for them to operate them proficiently.
According to the French Ministry of Defense , the AMX-10 provides protection against light infantry fire. Their combat weight is around 20 tons and they use wheels for movement.
They were developed in the 1970s and the French armed forces began replacing them with more modern vehicles called Jaguars.
Hoang Nam (according to AFP)
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