foto: Arquus, Public domain/Bastion APC
French company Arquus, which is involved alongside VTÚPV in the competition to supply a universal wheeled platform for the Czech Army’s engineering corps, has delivered Bastion armored personnel carriers (APCs) to Ukraine.
The French group Arquus and its subsidiary ACMAT are the main suppliers of wheeled armored vehicles for the French army. The company also cooperates with the Czech Military Technical Institute of Land Forces (VTÚPV), and at IDET 2025, they presented a light and medium wheeled armored vehicle: LEV and FORTRESS Mk2 as part of an effort to win a contract for 185 medium armored vehicles for a universal wheeled platform for the engineering corps of the Czech Armed Forces. Arquus is a traditional manufacturer with extensive experience, and both vehicles have been tested in real-world conditions. The same applies to the APC Bastion currently being delivered to Ukraine.
APC Bastion from Arquus in Ukraine
Information about the delivery of the APC Bastion to Ukraine was reported by the French newspaper La Tribune, which claims that the French arms industry is often too expensive for Kiev, but that the Bastion is essential for Kiev to keep up with Russia in the technological race. This would be true if the Bastions supplied were equipped with C-UAS weapon stations. However, this is not known. Defense Mirror reports that Ukraine was originally supposed to receive the APCs in 2023, but the transfer was halted due to the absence of an intergovernmental agreement between France and Ukraine. Instead, the Bastions were delivered to Armenia. In any case, Arquus is ready to deliver up to 100 vehicles to Ukraine.
French APCs could have C-UAS
In addition, the Ukrainians apparently chose very carefully, and it is not at all clear what equipment the Bastions have. The installation of the C-UAS system, which Arquus already has available for these APCs, could be very important. If anything could urgently decide the war in Ukraine from a conventional point of view, it would be C-UAS systems, most often installed on MRAP vehicles or light APCs. They have simple short-range electro-optical or radar sensors aimed at drones, a powerful ballistic computer, and an effector in the form of a rapid-fire cannon, minigun, or machine gun.
Arquus has a C-UAS system available for the Bastion APC. These are inexpensive solutions, unlike the very expensive Skyrangers or Skynexes. German company Diel Defence is currently testing a C-UAS with a minigun in Ukraine. Italian company Leonardo has developed the Falcon Shield C-UAS system for the Canadian MRAP Senator, which will also be manufactured in the Czech Republic, and Arquus also has an equivalent. The side in Ukraine that can clear the sky of drones will gain an absolute advantage. The Russians do not have any effective anti-drone systems at their disposal, while the West already has a whole range of them. If the APC Bastions for Kiev were equipped with a C-UAS system, it could be the first step in a new direction.
ACMAT Bastion is a modern system
ACMAT Bastion is a modern French armored personnel carrier that Arquus has been manufacturing since 2012. The APC weighs twelve tons, has a crew of two, and can carry up to ten soldiers. Depending on the customer's requirements, the system has STANAG 4569 level one to three protection. This means it can withstand fire from 7.62 mm weapons, resist mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and survive the explosion of a 155 mm shell at a distance of sixty meters, i.e., it is naturally resistant to shrapnel. The main armament of the system consists of a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun, or a remote-controlled turret, which could be a C-UAS system.
VTÚPV cooperates with Arquus for the Czech Armed Forces
The APC Bastion has a 180 hp engine, and the 320 hp version, Fortress, could potentially be used by the Czech Armed Forces, with a range of 1,400 kilometers. It is clear how much Arquus has focused on special units with specific needs; the APC's specifications are definitely not standard, and it has a maximum speed of 110 kilometers per hour. The Arquus APC Bastion, like the LEV and FORTRESS Mk2 for possible acquisition by the Czech Armed Forces with VTÚPV, emphasizes simplicity, reliability, and durability. This vehicle has been tested in conflicts in the Sahel, Somalia, and Yemen. It will be interesting to see how it performs in Ukraine, especially if it has C-UAS at its disposal.
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