France qualifies Griffon command post
The French Delegation for Armaments (DGA) has qualified the command post vehicle (EPC) variant of the Griffon VBMR (Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôles) under the Scorpion programme.
The GME EBMR (temporary grouping of companies comprised of Nexter, Arquus and Thales) has announced the qualification and the delivery of the three first Griffon EPC to the French Army Technical Section (STAT) on 26 November.
The first 20 platforms will be presented to verification operations by the end of this year. The Scorpion programme calls for the acquisition of 333 units of this variant, half of which will be handed over by 2025.
Griffon EPC can accommodate a pilot and a gunner in the front and five soldiers in the rear of the vehicle. It features a new-generation T2 remotely operated turret armed with a 7.62mm calibre and is fully equipped to accommodate a command post with communication means, large screens, a board and a printer.
This variant is designed to accommodate the vetronics common to the Scorpion platforms, the Contact joint radio, the Scorpion Combat Information System, the Antares optronic system offering a 360° vision of the environment and a gunfire location detector.
In addition, the air-conditioning system adapts to all environments to guarantee crew’s comfort and the proper functioning of onboard electronics.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Rheinmetall and KNDS tank tie-up narrows trans-European options
The French and German governments signed an agreement in June 2018 to cooperate on the development of a new main battle tank under the Main Ground Combat System programme but the effort has struggled. This new agreement may damage it further.
-
2025 land market review: British Army woes, European heavy armour and US MBT progress
The last year has seen several major procurements in the land market. Shephard’s Dr Peter Magill reviews the main trends and themes in land procurement of 2025.
-
Hungary set to begin using Hero 400 loitering munitions
Developed by Israel's Uvision and with systems being sold in the thousands to multiple European NATO countries and the US, the Hero family of loitering systems is also in production in the US and Italy, the latter through Rheinmetall.