The French defense procurement agency (DGA) has awarded the order for conditional tranche 4 (TC4) of the SCORPION program to Nexter, Arquus and Thales, operating through the EBMR ^(*) Consortium.

Tranche TC4 corresponds to an additional 88 JAGUAR armored reconnaissance and fighting vehicles and 302 GRIFFON (photo) multirole armored vehicles.

This new order will bring the number of JAGUAR and GRIFFON vehicles ordered to 150 and 909 respectively, in line with the target laid out in France’s 2019-2025 Military Programming Law. This represents half of the French government's total commitment for JAGUARs and GRIFFONs (excluding the MEPAC variant) to be acquired under the SCORPION program to renew the medium-tonnage segment of the French Army’s armored vehicle fleet.

The TC4 award comes shortly after an order was placed for 54 GRIFFON MEPAC versions, which are equipped with a 120-mm mortar, with deliveries scheduled from 2024.

These two awards were announced by the French Prime Minister during his visit to Nexter’s Roanne site on 19 February. This latest order underscores France’s continuing confidence in the EBMR consortium partners, which have been ensuring on-time deliveries since the beginning of the program. It provides Nexter, Arquus and Thales, as well as the entire land defense industrial and technological base in France, with better visibility of their industrial activity through to 2025.

Nexter, the leading French land defense company and third-largest European player in the ammunition sector, is part of the KNDS Group. The scope of its business includes the supply of weapon systems and munitions for air and naval forces. Nexter also provides systems and protection solutions in the field of homeland security. The company continues to pursue its international development policy with several orders in 2020 destined for export markets.

In France, Nexter is fully committed to meeting the objectives of the SCORPION program, through the upgrade of the Leclerc tank and the development of the VBMR Griffon and EBRC Jaguar vehicles within the temporary consortium between Nexter, Thales and Arquus, as well as the VBMR-L Serval. The company’s product range also includes the VBCI and TITUS® armored vehicles, the CAESAR® and 105LG1 artillery systems, smart munitions (BONUS, KATANA), robots (NERVA® range), wide-ranging equipment and customer service, support and revaluation. The KNDS Group generated revenue of €2.4 billion in 2020.

Arquus is a French defense company and a leader in ground mobility solutions. As a long-standing partner of the armed forces, Arquus has almost 25,000 vehicles of all types in service with the French Army, including 20,000 supported by the company. Arquus is involved in the production of the new generation of Army vehicles, the VBMR Griffon and EBRC Jaguar, produced by the temporary consortium. In particular, Arquus is responsible for supplying the drivelines and the remotely operated self-defense systems for these two vehicles. Arquus also provides all the logistics for replacement parts and units for the VBMR and EBRC vehicles under the Scorpion program through its new logistics platform at Garchizy. As a support specialist, with almost 20,000 vehicles supported on a routine basis, Arquus offers complete solutions, drawing on the company’s historic competencies.

These solutions rely on an international logistics network supported by the network of the Volvo Group, of which Arquus is a member. Arquus is an innovative company, investing in major projects such as architecture, survivability, mobility, energy, robotics, fire support and support. As a complete systems integration manufacturer, Arquus also offers remotely operated turrets (Hornet range, developed for the Scorpion program), vetronics solutions (Battlenet) and mobility solutions (4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 chassis). Arquus exports to more than 60 countries.

Thales is a global leader in advanced technologies, investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations including connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing. The Group provides its customers (businesses, organizations and governments) in the defense, aeronautics, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains with solutions, services and products that help them fulfil their critical role. Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2021, the Group generated sales of €16.2 billion.

(*) EBMR: Engin Blindé Multi Role (France’s multi-role armored vehicle program)