Renault 4 Troop: the European automotive industry prepares to go to war

Although most European civilians do not quite like it, European administrations have been warning for years about the military risk derived from the international scenario and the need to reorient European industrial priorities towards the armament needs of EU states. In this rearmament framework, Renault has surprised everyone with the presentation of the 4 Troop prototype, a vehicle that uses the base of an SUV or crossover like the Rafale to turn it into a military vehicle prepared for the command and management of drones on the battlefield.And it is that the Ukrainian front in Donbas has shown the world the military possibilities of drone warfare, or unmanned combat aerial vehicles, and it is not surprising that the European Union has promoted its own drone development program called Eurodron, which in a first moment will supply the armed forces of France, Italy, Germany and Spain.A prototype of a tactical military vehicle

Drones require a launch and remote control infrastructure to be effective on the battlefield, and possibly a coupe SUV like the Rafale would be one of the last vehicles we would imagine in the middle of a military conflict. But Renault has surprised everyone with the new 4 Troop, a vehicle that is easy to build and relatively inexpensive and that can serve on the front lines of combat.In reality, this 4 Troop is a Rafale with special camouflage paint, protections and covers for the optical groups, and modifications to the roof and trunk that allow for drone management, as well as launching and landing them. This military prototype also features advanced sensors, encrypted secure tactical connectivity, data processing capabilities, and AI-assisted decision-making systems.

Mechanically, Renault assures that the vehicle uses the CMF-CD platform base shared by the Rafale, Austral, and Espace to offer a four-wheel all-wheel-drive system, similar to the one used by the Rafale e-tech 4x4, with a total combined power of 300 HP and a range in fully electric (and silent) mode of about 100 kilometers. The military preparation of Renault's 4 Troop also includes contact tires to easily move off-road on ground, stone, and mud surfaces.The idea of adapting a commercial vehicle into a military vehicle adapted for modern warfare is not new, as Ford offers versions of the Ranger geared towards the military needs of the United States Army. In this regard, Renault's idea of offering a vehicle that meets European military needs at a contained cost, manufactured in Europe and utilizing its own technology, makes perfect sense, even though it may unnerve and shock a large part of the European civilian population.