Renault Sandouville. Will E-Tech Traffic equip the French Army?

Hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian front, defense manufacturers are looking for new solutions to quickly equip the European armies. At the Eurosatory international exhibition, which is currently taking place in Villepinte near Paris, Renault Group and Thales unveiled a new prototype called 4 TROOP on Monday June 15. A tactical vehicle designed from a civilian platform which could, ultimately, directly concern the Renault Sandouville factory.

A prototype based on the Traffic Van E-Tech

The images broadcast by Renault Group did not go unnoticed by certain employees at the Pays de Caux factory. One of the prototypes presented by the manufacturer is a utility vehicle from the Renault range: it is a variation of the new Trafic Van E-Tech, production of which is due to start soon at the site near Le Havre.

Drone and embedded robot piloting capabilities

Presented as a Civil Multi-Role Vehicle (VCMR), the 4 TROOP is intended for land forces. Developed with Thales, it embeds secure communications systems, decision support tools, drone and robot piloting capabilities as well as mobile command equipment. Renault Group could industrialize the 4 TROOP from 2027.

The objective is to rely on vehicles from large series in order to quickly respond to new military needs. “By relying on proven civil platforms and our industrial capacity, we offer an agile, resilient and immediately mobilizable solution.“, explains Franck Naro, vice-president of engineering at Renault Group. This is not, however, a strategic shift, underlines management. “Regarding defense issues, we are never the only ones to take the initiative. We respond to needs expressed by the General Directorate of Armaments. We are in a logic of opportunity for our industrial sites in France and Europe“. 

Rapid production thanks to existing factories

The geopolitical context explains this approach. Faced with rising international tensions and the acceleration of European rearmament, the armies are looking for equipment that is available quickly, without waiting for the sometimes long lead times of the traditional military industry.

Renault highlights its ability to produce in volume thanks to its existing industrial sites. The group specifies that this solution can be adapted to several vehicles in its range, “from SUV to utility vehicle“. No timetable or production location are mentioned in the press release, but there is no doubt that the 4 Troop version of the Trafic Van E-Tech would be produced in Sandouville. The FO union at the Cauchoise factory is not opposed to it. “Europe and France want to ensure their own defense to be less dependent on the United States. Producing more vehicles in our factory is a good thingdeclares union representative Fabien Gloaguen. But FO has two red lines: that no lethal weapon enters our industrial site and ensure that only volunteers work on this type of vehicle“.