The Vextra 105 wheeled armored reconnaissance vehicle is being developed by Giat Industries in Versailles, France. The new generation 8 x 8 vehicle is capable of anti-tank combat and has fire-on-the-move capability against stationary or moving targets. The vehicle is based on the same wheeled chassis as Giat's Vextra 25 and has demonstrated high tactical and strategic mobility in trials, including desert trials carried out in the United Arab Emirates in October 1997. During the trials, the Vextra 105 covered 200 km on very soft sandy tracks at speeds greater than 50 km/h, reaching top speeds of 120 km per hour on roads.

Gun firing tests were carried out on the 105mm gun, the 7.62 mm machine gun and the Galix self-defense system, by day and night, with the Vextra 105 halted and on the move at speeds of 60km/h, against both static and mobile targets.

The reconnaissance vehicle is operated by four crew members - driver, commander, gunner and loader.

The vehicle is equipped with a version of the FINDERS (Fast Information, Navigation, Decision and Reporting System) battlefield management system, developed by Giat and installed on the Leclerc main battle tank. FINDERS includes a colour map display which shows the positions of the host vehicle, allied and hostile forces and designated targets. Functions include digital mapping, navigation/positioning, graphic/alphanumeric messages, tactical situation reports, automatic updating of overlays, logistic reports and communication network management.

The Giat TML 105 stabilized turret installed on the Vextra 105 is a light 3-man turret armed with a 105 mm CN 105 G2 NATO standard low recoil gun. The turret's electro-hydraulic drive has been replaced by an all-electric system by SIG of Switzerland. It is controlled by a digital computer and allows the turret and the gun to be finely stabilized. The gun is fitted with electrical aiming system, muzzle brake, fume extractor and thermal sleeve. Elevation is from -6 to +15 degrees.

The stabilized gun can fire a range of standard NATO ammunition including APFSDS (Armour Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) rounds. Twelve rounds of ready to fire 105 mm ammunition are carried with 23 rounds stowed.

Secondary armament on the turret is a coaxially mounted 7.62 mm machine gun

The armoured vehicle is protected against 14.5 mm heavy machine gun rounds and artillery splinters. Modular or reactive armour can be fitted to provide protection against medium caliber and infantry missiles.

Vextra 105 is fitted with the Galix close defense system, which consists of four launchers for 80 mm rounds either side of the gun at the front of the vehicle and three on each side at the rear. Types of rounds include: instant smoke screen round (in the visible spectrum), instant wide area smoke round (in the visible and infrared spectrum), illumination round and infrared decoy round.

The gunner's station is fitted with the SAGEM Savan 15 three-axis stabilized sight similar to that used on the Leclerc main battle tank. Savan 15 sensors include a dual field of view thermal imager, high resolution TV channel and laser rangefinder (eye safe if required) coupled with a digital fire control computer for sensor management and ballistic calculations.

The commander has a stabilized panoramic sight which is controlled by the fire control computer.

The Vextra 105 vehicle has eight drive wheels and is fitted with the Syegon variable tyre pressure system and run flat device and new generation wide dimension tyres. It is powered by a Saab Scania 260 DaN.m diesel engine with Renk HS automatic gearbox and two steered axles. Suspension is hydropneumatic.

Total combat weight is 28 to 34 tons, depending on the level of ballistic protection. Average road speed is 110 km/hour and range is greater than 800 km on roads at stabilized speed.

The VEXTRA (8 x 8) vehicle was developed as a private venture by Giat Industries of France and first shown in 1994 fitted with a Giat Industries 25 mm Dragar one-man turret armed with a 25 mm cannon and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.

In 1997, the VEXTRA (8 x 8) high-mobility concept demonstrator was fitted with the latest version of the Giat Industries three-man TML 105 105 mm turret system and completed a successful series of firing trials in France.

The Giat Industries TML 105 105 mm turret has been developed in two versions, both of which are armed with a Giat Industries 105 mm G2 rifled gun, firing standard NATO ammunition.

The first version has an unstabilised 105 mm gun and sights and for trials purposes has been fitted to the Giat Industries AMX-10RC (6 x 6) armoured car as well as the Swiss MOWAG Piranha Armoured Combat Vehicle (10 x 10) and the Hagglunds Vehicle CV 90 full-tracked chassis.

The latest version has a fully stabilised 105 mm G2 gun, stabilised commander's sight and stabilised gunner's day/thermal sight which incorporates a laser range-finder. This enables the system (stationary or moving) to engage stationary and moving targets with a high first round hit probability.

Late in 1997, the VEXTRA fitted with the latest TML 105 105 mm turret was flown to the United Arab Emirates for an extensive series of firepower and mobility trials manned by Giat Industries and UAE crews.

During these trials almost 2,500 km were clocked up on various types of terrain including 500 km in one day to demonstrate the strategic mobility of VEXTRA 105. A total of 115 rounds of 105 mm ammunition was fired at ranges of up to 2,500 m while the vehicle was stationary and moving.

The VEXTRA 105 mm is being marketed by Giat Industries as a highly mobile reconnaissance/tank destroyer with a combat weight of 28 tonnes.

It can also befitted with other turrets, for example the Dragar 25 mm, or used as a base design for other battlefield missions for the export and domestic markets. When fitted with a 25 mm turret, for example, four personnel can be carried in the rear.

According to Giat Industries, the infantry fighting vehicle model of the VEXTRA would have a crew of three and carry eight fully equipped troops.

Prototype. Not yet in production or service.