French SCORPION programme rolls on and shows export potential

Eurosatory, June 17, 2026. France’s SCORPION (Synergie du COntact Renforcée par la Polyvalence et l’InfovalorisatiON) is a broad effort to introduce three types of vehicles and several systems while also outlining future development of the French Army and improving Leclerc main battle tanks. The programme is contracted to a consortium comprising Arquus, KNDS France and Thales.

The multi-billion-dollar programme began in 2017-18 with contracts placed for 6×6 Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôles (VBMR) Griffon armoured personnel carriers (APCs), 4×4 Lightweight VBMR (VBMR-L) Serval, and Jaguar Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat (EBRC) 6×6 reconnaissance platform.

Griffon is a 25t modular vehicle in personnel carrier, ambulance, command post and artillery observer roles capable of carrying two operators and eight personnel. It is fitted with a remotely operated 12.7mm or 7.62mm machine gun or grenade launcher.

Serval is similarly armed and capable of carrying the same number of operators and personnel. The 4×4 weighs 17t and comes in armoured patrol vehicle, tactical communications node and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance roles.

Jaguar is a 25t vehicle with a crew of three and is armed with a two-man turret with 40mm telescoped ammunition cannon, medium-range missile and remotely operated 7.62mm machine gun.

The upgrade of the Leclerc is expected to keep the platform in service until 2040 with an upgrade of 200 tanks by 2028. The upgrade features a new 120mm smoothbore gun, improved rocket0propelled grenade and mine protection, and a new fire-control system as well as SCORPION information and C2 system.

Deliveries and contracts drive programme forward

The Serval vehicle will replace a range of vehicles in French service including 4×4 VAB (Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé) APCs. Four main variants of the Serval are planned to be produced: armoured patrol vehicle (VPB); mobile armoured tactical communications hub; light reconnaissance vehicle (LRV); and an electronic warfare platform. These will be further divided into as many as 25 different sub-variants optimised for specific roles.

According to plans outlined prior to the contract being signed, 108 vehicles in the first batch were planned to be delivered in 2022, to be followed by 154 in 2023, 112 in 2024 and 115 in 2025, for a total of 489. It is believed only 70 vehicles were delivered in 2022 but the remaining 38 vehicles were delivered in 2024 and 2025.

In February 2024, the French procurement agency placed an order for an additional 420 Serval platforms worth US$544 million.

In addition to the 978 VBMR-Ls to be procured for the SCORPION programme, there are also indications that the French Army will procure up to 1,060 additional VBMR-Ls, though it is not clear when the contract(s) for these additional vehicles may be signed.

Should the French Army opt to procure all of these additional vehicles, it could eventually take delivery of 2,038 VBMR-Ls.

Originally, a total of 1,872 Griffons were required by the French Army to replace more than 2,000 legacy VAB armoured vehicles still in service. At IAV 2026, the French Army confirmed that this total also included 54 mortar carrier variants that will be procured simultaneously.

The first production contract for the Griffon programme was signed in April 2017. The first 92 vehicles were delivered in 2019, followed by 128 in 2020. Around 120 vehicles were planned for delivery in 2021 and 119 in 2022.

In reality, 119 were delivered in 2021, followed by 113 vehicles in 2022 and a further 123 in 2023. By the end of 2023, a total of 575 vehicles had been delivered.

The programme originally projected higher cumulative deliveries, with previous estimates suggesting up to 936 by this stage, but actual output has been lower. A total of 1,872 vehicles are planned for delivery by the end of 2034.

The Jaguar, meanwhile, will replace France’s AMX-10RC and Sagaie armoured reconnaissance vehicles and the VAB HOT tank destroyer. Initially, the French government required 248 Jaguars but this requirement quickly rose to 300 platforms. Half of these were delivered by 2025 and all should be operational by 2030.

Exports and opportunities support the programme

In 2017, Belgium announced that it would acquire 60 Jaguars and 417 Griffons to enter service in the period 2025-2030. The order of 60 Jaguar units was confirmed in October 2018, although the number of Griffons was reduced from 417 to 382. In May 2024, Luxembourg approved the purchase of 16 VBMR Griffon, 38 Jaguar and five Serval.

In December 2025, Croatia signed a contract with KNDS to acquire 15 VBMR-Ls, a programme Shephard estimates is worth $12.4 million with deliveries expected to begin in late 2026.

The order took place alongside the purchase of new CAmion Equipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie (CAESAR) artillery pieces with the country already having ordered 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks as part of a substantial overhaul of the army’s equipment.

Ireland currently operates a small fleet of 27 RG32M APCs, which are in need of replacement, and Shephard understands that Ireland is likely to procure the Serval to meet this need along with Jaguars to replace its Piranha IIIs.

The rolling chassis or mobility platform for Serval is provided by KNDS Mobility, formerly Texelis, which has further developed the system as Celeris as a base for localised vehicle bodies and systems.

Finnish company SCATA (Sophisticated Combat Automotive And Technical Assembly) announced on 17 March this year that the Celeris chassis was to form the basis of the SCATA Mk1.

This follows Canada’s Inkas developing M1 4×4 using Celeris and Indonesia’s PT Sentra Surya Ekajaya (PT SSE), the P2 Tiger 4×4, both using Celeris. It was reported in French media in August last year that Texelis had partnered with a Ukrainian company to similarly develop a 4×4.