French Army to get Small Air-droppable, Helicopter-Portable All-Terrain Vehicle

The French General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) has qualified the Fardier vehicle as part of its Float project intended for airborne troops and special forces, the first eight of which should be delivered by the end of the year.
A small air-transportable, air-droppable and helicopter-portable all-terrain transport vehicle, the Fardier will make it possible to rapidly deploy commandos, to lighten the dismounted combatant in any zone, and to facilitate the self-defense of the deployment zones.
The 2019-2025 military programming law provides for the delivery of 300 Fardier vehicles to the Army's 11th parachute brigade and to the Special Operations Command (COS) by 2030, a DGA release said
The market was notified by the DGA in 2017 for an amount of 44 million euros to the French company UNAC. Some 172 trailers have also been ordered.
In December 2020, the DGA had notably successfully carried out a qualification campaign for dropping from an A400M. The mobility tests took place in the sand of Biscarrosse, in the mud of Fontevraud and the rockery of Canjuers.
The Fardier can be loaded on board a military transport plane (C130 Hercules and A400M Atlas), parachuted (from C130 Hercules and A400M Atlas) and transported by helicopter under sling (Caracal and NH90). Thanks to this vehicle, the commandos can be dropped or deposited at a safe distance and then move quickly with their equipment towards their objectives. Thus lightened, these fighters who carry about 50kg on their backs gain in agility and increase their range of action.
The vehicle can tow a 120mm mortar or transport several large pieces of equipment by means of a trailer with a payload of 400kg. It also makes it possible to quickly evacuate a casualty lying down towards a place of care.
Light all-terrain compact vehicle of 2 tons, it has a high crossing capacity as well as movement on terrain inaccessible to conventional 4x4s. The vehicle has been designed without any electronic system to avoid any non-repairable breakdown in operation.