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VBMR Griffon

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VBMR Griffon
VBMR Griffon on Bastille Day Parade (July 14 2021)
TypeArmoured personnel carrier
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service2018 - present
Used byFrance
Belgium
Production history
ManufacturerNexter
Arquus
Thales
Unit cost€1.5 million[1]
Produced2018 - present
VariantsArmored Personnel Carrier / Command Post / Ambulance / Artillery Observer
Specifications
Mass25 tonnes
Length7.58 m (24 ft 10 in)
Width2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Height3.0 m (9 ft 10 in)
Crew2 (Driver + Gunner)
Passengers8
Main
armament
12.7mm or 7.62mm machine gun or 40mm automatic grenade launcher in a remote weapons station
Engine298 kW (400 hp)
Suspension6 wheel drive
Operational
range
800 km (500 mi)
Maximum speed 110 km/h (68 mph)

The Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôle Griffon (English: Multirole Armoured Vehicle Griffon) or VBMR Griffon is a French multi-purpose armoured personnel carrier developed and manufactured by Nexter in cooperation with Arquus and Thales. Entering service in 2018 it will, alongside the VBMR-L Serval variant, succeed the Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé (VAB).

History

The French army has been preparing to replace the VAB since the early 2000s. According to the Army's 2020 Defense White Paper it plans to buy up to 2,122 VBMR vehicles between 2018 and 2025. A consortium of Nexter, Thales, and Renault Trucks Defense is building the vehicles. The same consortium also builds the EBRC Jaguar reconnaissance and combat vehicle for the French Army, which shares 70% of its components with the VBMR Griffon.

On 6 December 2014, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced that deliveries will commence in 2018 and a first tranche of 319 Griffons and 20 Jaguars was ordered in April 2017.[2][3] A second tranche for 271 Griffons and 42 Jaguars was ordered on 24 September 2020.[4][5] In total the French Army plans to buy 1,872 Griffons and 300 Jaguars.[4]

On 26 October 2018, Belgium's cabinet formalized the plan to purchase 60 "Jaguar" and 382 “Griffon” vehicles for €1.5 billion. The vehicles will replace the Belgian Army's Piranha IIIC armored personnel carriers and Dingo 2 infantry mobility vehicles. The deal includes spare parts and secure communications equipment and deliveries are planned to commence in 2025.[6]

Design

The vehicle is based on a 6×6 commercial all-terrain truck chassis and will carry up to eight infantry soldiers. The consortium building the "Griffon" and "Jaguar" is contractually obliged to keep the price per Griffon under €1 million. Currently, six versions of the Griffon are planned, with four of these (Armored Personnel Carrier, Command Post, Ambulance, and Artillery Observer) ordered in the first tranche.

The vehicles are designed for simple maintenance and logistics. For example, Griffon and Jaguar both use standard commercial truck engines, which have been adapted to use a wider range of fuel. The vehicle has an overpressure system to maintain constant protection to the troop compartment against chemical, biological and radiological threats. For service in hot climates, the Griffon is equipped with air conditioning.

Armament

The Griffon is equipped with a remote weapons station that can be armed with either a 12.7mm or 7.62mm machine gun, or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher. The addition of two Akeron MP anti-tank guided missiles is optional. Eight launchers for smoke grenades are fitted to the remote weapon station, which also includes an acoustic sniper localisation system.

VBMR-L Serval

VBMR-L Serval, May 2022
  • Complementing the heavier Griffon armoured vehicle, the Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôle Léger Serval (English: "Lightweight Multirole Armored Vehicle Serval") or VBMR-L Serval is also intended as a replacement for the VAB. 4-wheeled and designed to operate in areas of contact with the enemy, it is particularly maneuverable and will primarily equip infantry units of light brigades such as the 11th Airborne Brigade and the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade.[7] The contract for the French Army was awarded in February 2018, which included funding for 489 units by 2025, reaching 978 vehicles by 2030.[8][9]

Furthermore, 1060 additional Serval VLTP P segment haut (multipurpose light tactical vehicles) will also be purchased by 2033.

Variants

VBMR Griffon

VBMR-L Serval


Operators

  •  Belgium - Ordered 382 units of the VBMR Griffon in October 2018.[10]
  •  France - Planned purchase of 1872 units of the VBMR Griffon[11][12] and 978 units of the VBMR-L Serval[13][14] by 2030. An additional 1060 Serval VLTP P segment haut vehicles to be purchased by 2033.

References

  1. ^ "PRÉPARATION ET EMPLOI DES FORCES: FORCES TERRESTRES". 12 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Le ministre de la Défense dévoile le GRIFFON et le JAGUAR". French Defense Ministry. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Scorpion : Commande des premiers véhicules blindés Griffon et Jaguar". French Defense Ministry. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  4. ^ a b "France orders 313 more Griffon and Jaguar vehicles". Army Technology. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  5. ^ "French forces to get new batch of Jaguar, Griffon armored vehicles". Defense News. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  6. ^ Fassot, Frédéric (26 October 2018). "LA BELGIQUE ACHÈTE 442 BLINDÉS AUX INDUSTRIELS FRANÇAIS". VIPress.net. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  7. ^ Tran, Pierre (26 November 2017). "In a blow to RTD, France selects Nexter for light multirole vehicle". Defense News. Paris. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  8. ^ Bingham, James (13 February 2018). "DGA awards VBMR-L contract". IHS Jane's 360. London. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  9. ^ Tran, Pierre (12 February 2018). "French deal with Nexter, Texelis to provide 'operational superiority'". Defense News. Paris. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  10. ^ Fassot, Frédéric (26 October 2018). "LA BELGIQUE ACHÈTE 442 BLINDÉS AUX INDUSTRIELS FRANÇAIS". VIPress.net. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Griffon Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle (VBMR)". Army Technology. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  12. ^ "Le ministère des Armées commande 313 véhicules blindés à l'industrie française". Ministère des armées. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  13. ^ Bingham, James (13 February 2018). "DGA awards VBMR-L contract". IHS Jane's 360. London. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  14. ^ Tran, Pierre (12 February 2018). "French deal with Nexter, Texelis to provide 'operational superiority'". Defense News. Paris. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.

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