The first serial armored car VBMR Griffon: great French hopes
Currently in France, the SCORPION (Synergie du Contact Renforcée par la Polyvalence et l'Infovalorisation) land rearmament program is being implemented, providing for the delivery of fundamentally new armored combat vehicles. Recently in stories of this program, the most important event happened - the first serial armored car of the type VBMR Griffon was handed over to the customer. In the near future, the number of such vehicles in the army will increase by several times, which further will lead to the required fleet renewal.
French military plans include the purchase of a large number of VBMR Griffon (Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôles) armored vehicles. In April, 2017 signed the first contract for the supply of such equipment. In accordance with it, in the coming years, the industry was supposed to build and transfer the Griffin 319 to the army. The development and construction of the machines is carried out by the Groupement Momentané d'Entreprises (GME) group of companies comprising Nexter, Arquus and Thales.
On the twentieth of June 2019, it was announced that the factory tests of the first production armored car VBMR were completed. For the near future, they have planned a solemn ceremony of handing over the car to the troops. In parallel, GME enterprises continue to assemble new machines and test already built ones.
The transfer of the army machine took place on July 4 at the GME site in Satori. The event was attended by a delegation of the military department headed by the Minister of Defense Florence Parley. The first serial "Griffin" received its license plate and officially entered the service.
Also at the ceremony there were statements about the important role of the VBMR project in re-equipping the French army, about the advantages of such equipment, etc. In addition, it was announced the expansion of existing plans in relation to the number of purchased equipment. The order will be increased, and the construction schedule is changed.
Until recently, the French Defense Ministry in the framework of the SCORPION program planned to acquire 1722 VBMR armored vehicles and certain quantities of other types of unified equipment. The construction of such machines has already started. The first armored car was handed over to the customer, and the last one was handed over to 2030.
During a recent ceremony, F. Parley revealed plans to increase the series of “Griffins” by 150 units. Thus, the total number of such equipment will grow to 1872. Also revised production schedule in the direction of accelerating work. Now half of the series (936 machines) will be completed by 2025. Plans for other samples of the SCORPION program have not yet been revised.
To carry out such plans, the GME group needs to produce at least one hundred and fifty armored cars a year. However, while the pace of construction will be modest. On 2019, the delivery of 92 serial machines is scheduled, and only at the next will they start to reach the planned rates. The annual supply of 140-160 machines will ensure the implementation of current plans - 936 units by the mid-twenties.
The second half of the general plans for VBMR Griffon will be implemented in the second half of the twenties. To implement such plans, it may be necessary to increase production rates to 180-190 units per year. Otherwise, the construction of 1872 armored vehicles can go beyond the established framework and continue in the thirties. Of course, if the army does not decide to reduce the order or increase the deadline for its implementation.
It should be noted that the GME group will have to simultaneously carry out two orders. In 2017, a contract was signed for the supply of 417 armored vehicles "Griffin" to the army of Belgium. Thus, the contractor faces a rather difficult task of simultaneously producing large quantities of equipment for two customers.
From the very beginning, the VBMR Griffon armored car was considered a modern replacement for the obsolete VAB armored personnel carriers. The troops have several thousand of these machines, both in the configuration of a protected transport and in the form of carriers of weapons or special equipment. VAB BTR have not met the current requirements for a long time, because of what they need to be replaced.
Deliveries of this year will allow to begin re-equipment of several large formations of ground forces and marines. According to French media reports, these will be the 1th Infantry Regiment, the 13th Battalion of Alpine Huntsmen, as well as the 3th and 21th Marine Regiments. The number of armored vehicles scheduled for transfer to one or another part has not yet been specified.
As the serial production continues, next year and until the end of the decade, almost all other units and formations that are currently operating obsolete armored personnel carriers will switch to new technology. Those parts that do not get armored cars "Griffin", will use promising machines VBMR-L Serval similar purpose.
According to the results of the SCORPION program, the infantry units of the French army will fully switch to new models of armored vehicles that meet current requirements and threats.
One of the main objectives of the SCORPION program and the VBMR Griffon project is to increase the level of crew protection in the characteristic conditions of a modern armed conflict. In addition, it is planned to increase combat capability by including the unit and its transport in the general system of communications and command and control of troops. Armored cars are often referred to as the most advanced from the point of view of electronics French products.
There were also cost requirements for the VBMR project - the price of a serial armored car should not exceed 1 million euros. This task group GME decided by maximizing the use of ready-made units. Thus, the armored vehicle is built on a remanufactured three-axle chassis of a serial Renault brand truck. Most of the other equipment is also serial samples.
On the wheeled chassis mounted armored hull layout with ballistic and mine protection. The level of protection remains unknown. The crew of two people and eight paratroopers are located in the general inhabited compartment. Fast landing and landing in any conditions is provided. There is a set of bulletproof glass, giving a good overview of the terrain. The armored car is equipped with modern means of communication and control, which will simplify the interaction of troops in different conditions.
In the configuration of the transport armored car "Griffin" is equipped with a remotely controlled combat module with a machine gun of normal or large caliber. It also proposes the use of modules with anti-tank missiles or special equipment.
The combat weight of the armored vehicle is 24,5 tons. Diesel engine with horsepower 400. allows it to accelerate to 110 km / h, power reserve - 800 km. On cross VBMR is not inferior to replaceable armored vehicles.
The SCORPION program as a whole and the VBMR Griffon armored cars have high hopes. With their help, over the next decade, France plans to carry out a radical modernization of the fleet of ground forces and marine infantry vehicles. Such re-equipment should ensure full compliance of infantry units with modern requirements. As a result, the technique will affect the combat capability of the army.
Apparently, we are really talking about a good example of a multi-purpose armored combat vehicle. Foreign countries have already become interested in the French "Griffin", and one of them even placed a real order. Construction of more than two thousand armored vehicles Griffon and Serval, apart from other promising technology, will be a very difficult task. However, the GME group of companies should make every effort to solve it successfully. Then the two armies will get the desired modern equipment, and the industry - honestly earned money.
First serial
French military plans include the purchase of a large number of VBMR Griffon (Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôles) armored vehicles. In April, 2017 signed the first contract for the supply of such equipment. In accordance with it, in the coming years, the industry was supposed to build and transfer the Griffin 319 to the army. The development and construction of the machines is carried out by the Groupement Momentané d'Entreprises (GME) group of companies comprising Nexter, Arquus and Thales.
On the twentieth of June 2019, it was announced that the factory tests of the first production armored car VBMR were completed. For the near future, they have planned a solemn ceremony of handing over the car to the troops. In parallel, GME enterprises continue to assemble new machines and test already built ones.
The transfer of the army machine took place on July 4 at the GME site in Satori. The event was attended by a delegation of the military department headed by the Minister of Defense Florence Parley. The first serial "Griffin" received its license plate and officially entered the service.
Also at the ceremony there were statements about the important role of the VBMR project in re-equipping the French army, about the advantages of such equipment, etc. In addition, it was announced the expansion of existing plans in relation to the number of purchased equipment. The order will be increased, and the construction schedule is changed.
Plans and supplies
Until recently, the French Defense Ministry in the framework of the SCORPION program planned to acquire 1722 VBMR armored vehicles and certain quantities of other types of unified equipment. The construction of such machines has already started. The first armored car was handed over to the customer, and the last one was handed over to 2030.
During a recent ceremony, F. Parley revealed plans to increase the series of “Griffins” by 150 units. Thus, the total number of such equipment will grow to 1872. Also revised production schedule in the direction of accelerating work. Now half of the series (936 machines) will be completed by 2025. Plans for other samples of the SCORPION program have not yet been revised.
To carry out such plans, the GME group needs to produce at least one hundred and fifty armored cars a year. However, while the pace of construction will be modest. On 2019, the delivery of 92 serial machines is scheduled, and only at the next will they start to reach the planned rates. The annual supply of 140-160 machines will ensure the implementation of current plans - 936 units by the mid-twenties.
The second half of the general plans for VBMR Griffon will be implemented in the second half of the twenties. To implement such plans, it may be necessary to increase production rates to 180-190 units per year. Otherwise, the construction of 1872 armored vehicles can go beyond the established framework and continue in the thirties. Of course, if the army does not decide to reduce the order or increase the deadline for its implementation.
It should be noted that the GME group will have to simultaneously carry out two orders. In 2017, a contract was signed for the supply of 417 armored vehicles "Griffin" to the army of Belgium. Thus, the contractor faces a rather difficult task of simultaneously producing large quantities of equipment for two customers.
Role in the troops
From the very beginning, the VBMR Griffon armored car was considered a modern replacement for the obsolete VAB armored personnel carriers. The troops have several thousand of these machines, both in the configuration of a protected transport and in the form of carriers of weapons or special equipment. VAB BTR have not met the current requirements for a long time, because of what they need to be replaced.
Deliveries of this year will allow to begin re-equipment of several large formations of ground forces and marines. According to French media reports, these will be the 1th Infantry Regiment, the 13th Battalion of Alpine Huntsmen, as well as the 3th and 21th Marine Regiments. The number of armored vehicles scheduled for transfer to one or another part has not yet been specified.
As the serial production continues, next year and until the end of the decade, almost all other units and formations that are currently operating obsolete armored personnel carriers will switch to new technology. Those parts that do not get armored cars "Griffin", will use promising machines VBMR-L Serval similar purpose.
According to the results of the SCORPION program, the infantry units of the French army will fully switch to new models of armored vehicles that meet current requirements and threats.
Technical features
One of the main objectives of the SCORPION program and the VBMR Griffon project is to increase the level of crew protection in the characteristic conditions of a modern armed conflict. In addition, it is planned to increase combat capability by including the unit and its transport in the general system of communications and command and control of troops. Armored cars are often referred to as the most advanced from the point of view of electronics French products.
There were also cost requirements for the VBMR project - the price of a serial armored car should not exceed 1 million euros. This task group GME decided by maximizing the use of ready-made units. Thus, the armored vehicle is built on a remanufactured three-axle chassis of a serial Renault brand truck. Most of the other equipment is also serial samples.
On the wheeled chassis mounted armored hull layout with ballistic and mine protection. The level of protection remains unknown. The crew of two people and eight paratroopers are located in the general inhabited compartment. Fast landing and landing in any conditions is provided. There is a set of bulletproof glass, giving a good overview of the terrain. The armored car is equipped with modern means of communication and control, which will simplify the interaction of troops in different conditions.
In the configuration of the transport armored car "Griffin" is equipped with a remotely controlled combat module with a machine gun of normal or large caliber. It also proposes the use of modules with anti-tank missiles or special equipment.
The combat weight of the armored vehicle is 24,5 tons. Diesel engine with horsepower 400. allows it to accelerate to 110 km / h, power reserve - 800 km. On cross VBMR is not inferior to replaceable armored vehicles.
Great expectations
The SCORPION program as a whole and the VBMR Griffon armored cars have high hopes. With their help, over the next decade, France plans to carry out a radical modernization of the fleet of ground forces and marine infantry vehicles. Such re-equipment should ensure full compliance of infantry units with modern requirements. As a result, the technique will affect the combat capability of the army.
Apparently, we are really talking about a good example of a multi-purpose armored combat vehicle. Foreign countries have already become interested in the French "Griffin", and one of them even placed a real order. Construction of more than two thousand armored vehicles Griffon and Serval, apart from other promising technology, will be a very difficult task. However, the GME group of companies should make every effort to solve it successfully. Then the two armies will get the desired modern equipment, and the industry - honestly earned money.
- Ryabov Kirill
- Nexter / nexter-group.fr, Twitter.com/florence_parly
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