58 · MT 3/2022 Nations in Focus to allow them to integrate into the Scorpion network architecture. At an industrial level, consideration is being given to development of a hybrid propulsion solution for the Leclerc. Finally, there is another French light armour programme that will eventually have to be integrated into Scorpion architecture – the Véhicule blindé d’aide à l’engagement (VBAE). This will be the replacement for the existing VBL light reconnaissance vehicle. In total ,between 1,900 and 2,500 VBAE could be required by the French Army, with first deliveries in 2027. Belgium Decides The first export customer for the EBRC Jaguar and the VBMR Griffon was Belgium. In November 2018, Belgium and France signed an accord covering the Capacités Motorisée (CaMo) programme. This will see the Belgian Land Component establish a mechanised brigade that will be equipped with 60 Jaguar and 382 Griffon vehicles. CaMo heralds a new era of interoperability between French and Belgian land forces, the mechanised brigade will be able to seamlessly integrate into French Army operations in terms of doctrine and equipment, while French units will be able to integrate into Belgian operations. Service entry of the Jaguar and Griffon into the Belgian Land Component is due to occur between 2025 and 2030. Under the terms of the CaMo programme, Belgian industry will be involved in the manufacture of the Jaguar and Griffon vehicles destined for the Belgian Land Component. In April, Nexter announced that it has selected MOL in Belgium as the industrial partner for the local assembly of Griffon vehicles. MOL makes trucks, trailers and specialist heavy goods vehicles; production and assembly of the Griffon will take place at MOL from 2024 to 2030. Potentially, Belgium could acquire more vehicles and, separately from CaMo, has expressed an interest in acquiring quantities of the winner of the French VBAE requirement. six primary variants; troop transport, command post, engineer vehicle, CBRN vehicle, ambulance and mortar carrier. Standard Griffon variants are equipped with an Arquus Hornet RWS. A first order for 319 Griffon was placed in 2017, with a second order for 271 placed in September 2020. The total French Army Griffon requirement stands at some 1,818 vehicles, with 936 to be in service by 2025. By that time, VAB numbers will have been reduced to 1,536 vehicles, although many of these will have gone through an upgrade/life extension programme at Arquus to extend their service lives. In 2019, an order for the mortier embarqué pour l’appui au contact (MEPAC), a mortar vehicle variant of the Griffon, mounting a Thales 120 mm 2R2M mortar, was placed by the DGA. In total, 54 MEPAC vehicles have been ordered, first deliveries will be in 2023 and all vehicles are due to be delivered by 2027. Environmental considerations could lead to a further evolution of Griffon capabilities. In September 2020, Florence Parly, the French defence minister, announced a programme to look at hybrid propulsion options for the Griffon and the VBCI wheeled IFV. As a part of this effort, Arquus is working with the DGA to develop a hybrid propulsion package for the Griffon: the next step is a vehicle installation for a demonstrator programme. A successful Griffon hybrid programme could potentially lead to a hybrid opportunity for the Jaguar. In early May, Nexter and Texelis announced the first deliveries of the VBMR Serval to the DGA, stating that, by the end of 2022, a total of 70 Serval would have been delivered of the 364 ordered by the DGA in 2018. The current loi de programmation militaire (LPM) 2019-2025 calls for 489 Serval vehicles to be in service by 2025, with the force objective for Serval calling for 2,038 vehicles to be acquired in three different versions and 16 separate variants. The last element of the Scorpion programme is not a wheeled armoured vehicle at all, rather, it is an upgrade programme for the Leclerc tank that is being conducted by Nexter. The existing tank fleet numbers some 240 Leclerc, of these 200 are being upgraded to the Leclerc XLR configuration, A Foreign Legion AMX-10 during a live fire exercise at Canjeurs. The French Army originally ordered 256 AMX-10RC vehicles, with 250 remaining in service. The AMX-10RC will be replaced by the EBRC Jaguar and by 2025 only 150 AMX-10RC/RCR will be in service. (Photo: Armée de Terre) The first Véhicule Blindés Multi-Rôles léger (VBMR) Serval vehicles were delivered in early May. In total, 70 Serval will be delivered in 2022, of the 364 ordered by the DGA in 2018. The industrial aspects of the Serval programme are managed by Nexter and Texelis. (Photo: DGA)
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