# VAPE

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This article is about the Argentine reconnaissance vehicle. For the smoking device, see [Vape](/source/Vape).

Amphibious Reconnaissance Vehicle

VAPE VAPE-1 (Renault prototype) Type Amphibious Reconnaissance Vehicle Place of origin Argentina Production history Designed 1979 Manufacturer Renault Panhard No. built 2 Specifications Mass 15.535 t Length 6.00 m 8.25 m gun forward Width 2.50 m Height 2.83 m Crew 3 Armor Rolled steel Main armament 90 mm GIAT F4 Secondary armament 2 × 7.62mm Engine Diesel 254 hp Suspension 4 × 4 (VAE-2) 6 × 6 (VAE-1) Operational range 1000 km Maximum speed 100 km/h

The **Vehículo Anfibio Pesado de Exploración** (**VAPE**, "Heavy Amphibious Exploration Vehicle") was a wheeled amphibious [reconnaissance vehicle](/source/Reconnaissance_vehicle) project developed by [Argentina](/source/Argentina) in the 1970s. Commissioned by the [Argentine Army](/source/Argentine_Army), two prototypes were developed by the [French](/source/France) companies [Renault](/source/Renault) and [Panhard](/source/Panhard). On top of reconnaissance, the vehicle was also designed for direct infantry support and [anti-tank warfare](/source/Anti-tank_warfare).

## History

The production of armored vehicles in Argentina ceased after the production of 16 [Nahuel](/source/Nahuel_DL_43) tanks in 1940. In 1960, *Plan Europa* was formulated, planning for the development of armored vehicles production in Argentina. In 1968, under license from French firms, [AMX-13](/source/AMX-13) light tanks were manufactured at the [Astarsa](/source/Astarsa) shipyard. By the 1970s, Argentina had become the second largest arms producer in [Latin America](/source/Latin_America) (after [Brazil](/source/Brazil)), producing equipment such as ships, military aircraft and rifles,[1] and the government was attempting to produce its own armored vehicles. In 1974, the [West German](/source/West_Germany) firm [Thyssen-Henschel](/source/Thyssen-Henschel) received a contract for the development of the medium tank [TAM](/source/Tanque_Argentino_Mediano) and the [infantry fighting vehicle](/source/Infantry_fighting_vehicle) [TAM VCTP](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=TAM_VCTP&action=edit&redlink=1) [[es](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/TAM_VCTP)].[2] In January 1979, the state-owned company [TAMSE](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tanque_Argentino_Mediano_Sociedad_del_Estado&action=edit&redlink=1) [[es](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanque_Argentino_Mediano_Sociedad_del_Estado)][3] ordered the French companies [Renault](/source/Renault) and [Panhard](/source/Panhard) to build prototypes of a reconnaissance vehicle for the [Argentine Army](/source/Argentine_Army). The vehicle, called VAPE, was to be exported.[4] The [APV](/source/Armoured_personnel_carrier) [VAE](/source/VAE_(vehicle)) was also developed concurrently by the two companies.[4][5]

At the time, Argentina did not have a developed road network and required fast, lightweight military equipment. The VAE/VAPE, along with the TAM/VCTP and the plane [DINFIA IA 38](/source/DINFIA_IA_38), was developed with this in mind.

The contract called for the construction of 1000 units, to be assembled at the factory of TENSA in [Córdoba](/source/C%C3%B3rdoba%2C_Argentina). From 1979 to 1980, Renault and Panhard presented their 6×6 prototypes, which were transferred to the [Institute of Scientific and Technical Research for Defense](/source/CITEDEF) for testing.[4] While the tests were successful, the military dictatorship of the [National Reorganization Process](/source/National_Reorganization_Process) was then involved in the [Dirty War](/source/Dirty_War), and financial difficulties caused the discontinuation of the project.

## Design and specifications

VAPE has a frontal control compartment and a fighting compartment in the middle of the vehicle. The body of the BRM is sealed, made of bulletproof and splinter-proof steel armor. The regular crew consists of three personnel: the vehicle commander, the driver and the gunner. The turret is located behind the engine compartment, in the center of the hull. The vehicle is equipped with [NBC protection](/source/CBRN_defense), air conditioning and fire extinguishers. The VAPE is equipped with a 90mm [GIAT](/source/Nexter_Systems) F4 cannon located in the Argentinean SAMM-TAMSE-TENSA AR90 turret, with an ammunition stock of 20 rounds. The initial velocity of the shell is 1500 m/s. In addition, the vehicle has two 7.62mm machine guns with 1,000 rounds and smoke grenade launchers located on both sides of the turret.[6]

## Variants

- **VAPE-1** (6 × 6) – Renault armored vehicle variant.

- **VAPE-2** (6 × 6) – Panhard armored vehicle variant.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ZVO_1-0)** Nikolaev, V. (1982). "Proizvodstvo vooruzheniya v Argentine" Производство вооружения в Аргентине [Arms production in Argentina]. *Zarubezhnoe voennoe obozrenie* Зарубежное военное обозрение [*Foreign Military Review*] (in Russian). **2** (26). [Krasnaya Zvezda](/source/Krasnaya_Zvezda). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0134-921X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0134-921X).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPiñeiro2006146_2-0)** [Piñeiro 2006](#CITEREFPiñeiro2006), p. 146.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-TAMSE_3-0)** ["Tanque Argentino Mediano S.E. (TAMSE)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201026223459/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/argentina/tamse.htm). *Military*. [GlobalSecurity.org](/source/GlobalSecurity.org). Archived from [the original](https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/argentina/tamse.htm) on 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2021-08-15.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fogliani_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fogliani_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Fogliani_4-2) Fogliani, Ricardo (1997). *Blindados argentinos, uruguayos y paraguayos* [*Argentine, Uruguayan and Paraguayan armored vehicles*] (in Spanish). Buenos Aires: Ayer y Hoy. p. 69–71. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [987-95832-7-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/987-95832-7-2). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [38157439](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/38157439).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPiñeiro2006147_5-0)** [Piñeiro 2006](#CITEREFPiñeiro2006), p. 147.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Taringa_6-0)** ["Vehiculos olvidados del ejercito argentino, VAPE"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210505180903/https://www.taringa.net/+apuntes_y_monografias/vehiculos-olvidados-del-ejercito-argentino-vape_12rpk2) [Forgotten vehicles of the Argentine army, VAPE] (in Spanish). [Taringa!](/source/Taringa!). 2012-05-27. Archived from [the original](https://www.taringa.net/+apuntes_y_monografias/vehiculos-olvidados-del-ejercito-argentino-vape_12rpk2) on 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2021-08-15.

## Bibliography

- Piñeiro, Luis F. (August 2006). "VAE-VAPE". *Ares World Defense Security* (in Spanish). No. 3. Buenos Aires. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1669-7332](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1669-7332).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [VAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAPE) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAPE?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.