Belgium is ready to expand its ongoing ground military partnership with France by ordering a new batch of Griffon 6×6 and Serval 4×4 armored vehicles.
The Land Force has long established a close collaboration with the French Army, aligning its decisions in the fields of armored vehicles, artillery systems, and air defense.
The Motorized Capacity (CaMO) 1
Following the decisions made by the Army de Terre, the Land Force has ordered 60 reconnaissance and combat armored vehicles, or EBRC Jaguar 6×6, along with 382 multi-purpose medium armored VBMR-M Griffon 6×6 vehicles within the Motorized Capacity ‘CaMo 1’ aimed at revamping the armored and mechanized component.
The EBRC Jaguars are armed with a 40mm gun with telescopic ammunition, a twin launcher for anti-tank Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP) by MBDA, and RcWS T1 Hornet S. The VBMR-M Griffon 6×6 vehicles are available in armored troop transport versions, pioneers and recovery variants as well as advanced observer, command and control, and medical evacuation versions.
The Griffon 6×6 vehicles are equipped with an RcWS T1 Hornet featuring a heavy machine gun measuring 12.7×99 mm or an automatic 40/53 mm grenade launcher.
The Motorized Capacity (CaMO) 2
Subsequently, through ‘CaMo 2’, the Land Force embarked on a mission to renew and strengthen terrestrial artillery, fire support, and anti-aircraft defense.
To this end, the Land Force has ordered from KNDS FR 28 CAESAR Mk 2 155/52 mm artillery systems, and from Arquus 24 multi-purpose VBMR-M Griffon 6×6 vehicles in a 120mm MEPAC mortar carrier version.
For anti-aircraft and anti-UAS defense, Belgium has joined the agreement managed by France for other countries to make a joint purchase of Mistral 3 surface-to-air missiles produced by MBDA.
The Motorized Capacity (CaMO) 3
Now, Belgium intends to activate ‘Camo 3’ by ordering a new batch of 92 VBMR-M Griffon 6×6 and 123 VBMR-L Serval 4×4.
Of the latter, VSHORAD versions armed with Mistral 3 missiles, command stations, artillery command vehicles, and communications vehicles will be distributed.
The VSHORAD version of the Serval includes a VBMR-L Serval equipped with a Saab Giraffe 1X radar serving as the command and control center of other VBMR-L Serval, likely armed with ATLAS RC systems for Mistral 3 missiles; an additional model of Serval armed with an anti-aircraft cannon (SPAAG) may also be added.
Photo credit @Armée de Terre
