VBCI at DSEI Exhibition – London 2013 The Army has told Ibersystems that the 8x8 program remains a priority and that the goal of acquiring the 300 vehicles initially planned is continuing. Luis Sánchez Barbero, the company's technical advisor, told Infodefensa.com that this was communicated to him by representatives of the Army Staff's Logistics Division during his visit to the DSEI 2013 International Defense and Security Exhibition, being held in London from September 10 to 13. The VBR vehicle proposed by Ibersystems—partnered by Nexter Systems and GTD—is based on Nexter's VBCI, although adapted to the requirements of the Spanish Armed Forces. "We believe this type of vehicle is a necessity for our Armed Forces and we hope the program goes ahead, but we are aware that it depends on the budget situation," said Rafael Rodríguez, a company director. Of the 300 vehicles mentioned, 173 would be for troop transport, 8 for command posts and 119 for cavalry. In its offering, Ibersystems draws on GTD's more than 22 years of experience in developing systems and product engineering for the aerospace and defense sectors. Nexter also offers its control of armored ground combat systems and its knowledge of the needs of the French Army and other foreign armies. The VBCI in Mali Attendees at the DSEI Exhibition were able to learn more about the VBCI's operational capabilities during a briefing on the armored vehicle's participation in the French Army's SERVAL operation in Mali. According to a French official, during the five months the vehicle was deployed in the African country—from January to May of this year—it traveled between 80 and 100 km per day and carried out 20 combat missions. He stated that the vehicle had to operate in extreme terrain and environmental conditions and that the results were highly satisfactory, demonstrating its complete effectiveness against the threats encountered during the operation. "It has been demonstrated that the vehicle's 8x8 configuration and automatic fire control system allow it to become effective immediately and with a very significant observation capability," the officer stated.
