Nations in Focus MT 3/2022 · 57 Another French Army light armoured vehicle to be replaced under the auspices of the Scorpion programme is the Véhicule de l’avant blindé or VAB. Originally developed by Renault (now Arquus), it was ordered by the French Army in 1974 and first deliveries were in 1976. The VAB was available in 4x4 and 6x6 versions and was widely exported to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. France was the biggest customer though, acquiring nearly 4,000 VAB in an extraordinary 30 different variants. The French Air Force and the Gendarmerie also acquired the VAB. Replacing these vehicles would obviously require different vehicle solutions, but there were other factors that needed to be taken into account. As we have seen, France has long been successful in developing and fielding light armour. There was therefore a requirement to sustain the French industrial base to design, develop and manufacture systems in this category, as well as to provide through-life support to the French military customer. Successfully developing a new generation of wheeled armoured vehicles would also open up export sales opportunities, with the attendant financial benefits to the French state and defence industry. The industrial aspects of how France sought to meet these new vehicle requirements would appear worthy of emulation, as at the same time that they were able to develop and field three new armoured vehicle systems, others were experiencing horrendous armour programme problems, with Britain as an object example of what can go wrong. Evidenced by the cancellation of the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) and the ongoing difficulties of the Ajax vehicle programme. The French industrial solution was not to appoint a single prime contractor to helm each vehicle programme. Instead, they worked towards the establishment of what were called Groupement Momentané d’Entreprises (GME), a collaborative business group covering a particular project. The GME helps to sustain the defence industrial base, and all members commit to the standardisation of practices and procedures in line with the requirements of the Direction générale de l’Armement (DGA) and the French military. For the Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat (EBRC) Jaguar, (armoured reconnaissance and combat vehicle), and the Véhicule blindé multi-rôles (VBMR) Griffon, (multi-role armoured vehicle), the GME was formed by Arquus, Nexter and Thales. For the Véhicule Blindés MultiRôles léger (VBMR) Serval (light multi-role vehicle), the GME was formed between Nexter and Texelis. The EBRC Jaguar is intended to replace the AMX-10RC/RCR (250 in service), the ERC-90 Sagaie (less than 80 in service) and the version of the VAB mounting HOT anti-tank missiles. The first 20 Jaguar vehicles have been delivered, with the force objective being 300 vehicles. By 2025, the French Army will have 150 Jaguar in service, the AMX-10RC/RCR fleet will by that point be reduced to 150 vehicles, with the ERC-90 withdrawn from service. The Jaguar is a 25t 6x6 vehicle with a crew of three, armament consisting of a 40mm CTA cannon, two MBDA MMP anti-tank missiles and an Arquus Hornet RWS on the turret roof, mounting a 7.62x51mm machinegun. The VBMR Griffon will replace the VAB in a number of applications, and there will be of the Panhard ERC-90 Sagaie. Panhard had designed the ERC-90 at the end of the 1970s as a replacement for the AML, with the first export orders coming from South America. The French Army would order 192 Sagaie in 1980. The 8t-class 6x6 vehicle mounts a 90mm F4 smoothbore gun, later 160 in-service vehicles were upgraded with a new engine and transmission to improve mobility. Enter The Scorpion Both the AMX-10RCR and the ERC-90 Sagaie will be replaced with a new generation of wheeled armour being developed for the French Army Synergie du contact renforcé par la polyvalence et l’info valorisation programme – more widely known as the Scorpion programme. Concept development work started in 2005, by this time it was clear that the French Army would have to introduce a new generation of light armoured vehicles, and these vehicles would have to take advantage of new digital technologies, such as networking. Scorpion would also cover modernisation of existing assets, such as the Leclerc tank, improving performance and maintainability of the vehicle, and integrating it into the transformational combat information system network structure envisaged by the French Army. Resident in Paris, with nearly four decades’ experience of the defence and security worlds, David Saw writes regularly for MilTech on a broad range of subjects. The Véhicule blindé multi-rôles (VBMR) Griffon will replace the VAB in French Army service. Since 2019 some 358 Griffon vehicles have been delivered, with a total of 1,818 vehicles to be delivered by 2030. Additionally, 54 MEPAC versions of the Griffon with a 120 mm mortar have been ordered. (Photo: Armée de Terre) The Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat (EBRC) Jaguar goes through its paces during a mobility demonstration at Canjeurs. The Jaguar will replace the AMX-10RC/RCR, the ERC-90 Sagaie and the version of the VAB mounting HOT anti-tank missiles. The first 20 Jaguars have already been delivered. (Photo: Armée de Terre) f
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