“SCORPION Days: Unveiling the Evolution of the French Army in Canjuers”

The initial units of the SCORPION initiative were received in 2019. Since that time, considerable investments have been directed towards the final assembly facility of KNDS France in Roanne, boosting manufacturing capability from 92 to 300 units annually—a threefold enhancement in merely five years. The target is to achieve 450 units per year across all models within the program. Furthermore, KNDS France manages all machining processes associated with protection and integration.

          The SCORPION fleet’s versatility remains a principal advantage a decade following the program’s inception. Originally, only three iterations of the GRIFFON were anticipated: currently, the lineup has expanded to six. In this context, the debut of the GRIFFON MEPAC (Mounted Mortar for Close Support) occurred at the end of 2024. The MEPAC is set to showcase its firepower during a tactical demonstration at SCORPION Days. In addition, the GRIFFON Medical Evacuation version, which enhances the capacity for transporting critically injured soldiers when compared to the legacy VAB SAN, is presently being rolled out.

SCORPION: a significant modernization for the French Armed Forces

The industrial collaborators of the SCORPION initiative continue to provide the French Army with state-of-the-art terrestrial capabilities, including advanced communication systems compatible with Syracuse IV. The EBMR Temporary partnership (GME EBMR) has successfully integrated the first stations linked to this next-generation satellite network, delivering unparalleled communication dependability and high data transmission rates, whether stationary or mobile. All adaptation kits from the initial order have been successfully delivered.

SCORPION is also enhanced by modifications based on operational insights from GRIFFON deployments in the Sahel and Eastern Europe. These enhancements, categorized under Increment 2, concentrate on improving vehicle durability, ergonomic refinements, and stealth augmentations. Qualification assessments are scheduled for Q2 and Q3 of this year, with new vehicles implementing these enhancements expected to commence in 2026.

SCORPION’s armored platforms are inherently designed to incorporate the SCORPION Combat Information System (SICS), which facilitates real-time battlefield digitization and collaborative combat by enabling units to exchange tactical information instantaneously.

To fully harness these new combat functionalities, the 6th Light Armored Brigade (6e BLB) has become the inaugural fully “SCORPIONized” combined arms brigade (BIA).

During the significant BIA23 exercise, the GME EBMR consortium played a pivotal role in upgrading and supplying vehicles, enabling the groundbreaking implementation of advanced artillery targeting (VOA) and satellite communication (EPC) capabilities during the drills. This year has seen an accelerated delivery of VOA vehicles, featuring the latest targeting technology upgrades. These units are replacing aging VAB OBS models, greatly fortifying France’s artillery capacities in alignment with lessons learned from recent conflicts.

JAGUAR, GRIFFON, SERVAL: an unparalleled technological advance      
        35 JAGUAR vehicles were delivered in 2024. The JAGUAR has now been fully qualified and deployed at the R2 standard, enabling comprehensive use of its digitized 40mm turret developed by KNDS France, including mobile fire-on-the-move functionalities. The R3 standard, slated for qualification in 2025, will introduce real-time missile redirection capabilities and airburst munitions, which have just entered their ultimate development phase under the oversight of the French procurement defense agency (DGA).

         151 GRIFFON units were delivered in 2024. Available in numerous variants, the GRIFFON is capable of fulfilling diverse roles, including troop transport, command post, communications relay, medical evacuation, artillery observation, and 120mm mortar support (MEPAC).

The GRIFFON was initially deployed in 2021 in the Sahel, where it rapidly gained acclaim for its operational efficacy, mobility, and maintenance simplicity. It shares common equipment with other SCORPION vehicles, comprising vetronics and HORNET remote-controlled turrets from ARQUUS.

The CaMo program (Capacité Motorisée) is advancing as scheduled. The assembly of Belgium’s GRIFFON vehicles commenced in early 2025 at the Mol Cy facility in Belgium, with the initial deliveries planned for July 2025. The first JAGUAR deliveries to Belgium are anticipated in late 2026.

103 SERVAL units were delivered in 2024. An agreement signed by the DGA in late 2024 extends production to an additional 627 SERVAL vehicles and introduces two new variants: 

• Counter-drone warfare, outfitted with the ARX30 turret (KNDS France).
• Ground-based air defense MISTRAL, equipped with the ATLAS RC turret (MBDA).

         KNDS France and Texelis have developed the SERVAL based on a shared core chassis, producing four versions and 16 major variants, addressing a broad array of missions, including Electronic Warfare, Armored Patrol Vehicle, Tactical Communication Node, and Surveillance, Support, Intelligence, and Reconnaissance.

By the end of 2024, the French Army acquired the 34th upgraded Leclerc tank, out of the 200 currently undergoing modernization.

An international exhibition for the SCORPION initiative

         International delegations attending SCORPION Days will have the opportunity to expand their comprehension of the program via discussion forums organized by the French Army. Themes will encompass:

• Evolving doctrine
• Organization of digitized units
• Operational effects of SCORPION vehicles
• Interoperability
• Vehicle support and logistics, an integral component of the program from the very beginning

        These shared insights and operational feedback will enrich discussions, providing a vital perspective on the future of land warfare.