In 1982, the Qatar Armed Forces acquired VAB Mk1, which have since been supported by Arquus.
In 2018, the Qatar Armed Forces decided to extend the service life of these VABs and signed a contract to modernise them.
The programme includes studies to modernise and modify the vehicles, their repair and the training of industrial and military personnel in France and Qatar.
The first VABs are being modernised in France, while a production line is being set up at a military base in Qatar. To date, 126 vehicles have been fully modernised.
An additional contract covering the modernisation of a further 54 VABs is currently being negotiated.
At the end of July 2023, the VAB assembly line was visited by the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, as part of a possible local production of 8×8 armoured vehicles in Qatar.
This is a real highlight for Arquus, the first French defence company to succeed in localising the production of military vehicles in Qatar, a source of pride shared by the Qatari armed forces.
A contract to train 25 cadets in France for 6 months in the maintenance of modernized VABs was honoured in 2023, leading to the graduation of future officers in charge of maintenance.
ARQUUS with Qatar Internal Security Force:
Arquus has also a strong presence in the Internal Security Forces (Special Unit plus Operations and Support Unit), which acquired the HIGUARD 6×6 and SHERPA 4×4 a few years ago.
At the latest Milipol Qatar trade fairs, ARQUUS presented its latest models developed in the tactical range: the VAB Q modernised in Qatar, the FORTRESS, and the VAB Mk3.
