Belgian Army conducts first live fire test of Jaguar 6x6 armored reconnaissance vehicle to strengthen joint operations with France.

On April 8, 2025, the Belgian Army published a video showing the first live firings of its future Jaguar armored reconnaissance and combat vehicle. This event marks a significant step in the operational integration of the French-designed Jaguar into the Belgian Armed Forces, which ordered 60 of these 6x6 armored vehicles as part of the strategic CaMo (Capacité Motorisée) partnership with France. These vehicles are to be delivered progressively from 2025 to 2030, replacing the Piranha IIIC and Dingo 2 vehicles currently in service within Belgium’s Motorized Brigade. The CaMo agreement, valued at approximately €1.5 billion, also includes 382 Griffon multi-role armored vehicles, along with spare parts, communications systems, joint training, and logistics coordination between France and Belgium.
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The Jaguar is equipped with three main weapon systems;  a 40 mm cannon, capable of firing up to 200 rounds per minute, four anti-tank guided missiles, two of which are ready to fire from a retractable launcher, and a 7.62 mm machine gun. (Picture source: Belgian Army)

The EBRC Jaguar (Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat - Armoured Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle), jointly developed by KNDS France (formerly Nexter), Arquus, and Thales, entered service with the French Army in 2022 after more than a decade of design and development. Conceived as a successor to the AMX-10 RC, ERC 90 Sagaie, and VAB HOT, the Jaguar is a key pillar of France's SCORPION program. This overarching modernization initiative seeks to overhaul the French Army’s medium-weight armored capabilities, aiming to improve battlefield connectivity, survivability, and firepower through an integrated digital architecture and shared vehicle components across a family of platforms. Under SCORPION, France plans to acquire 300 Jaguars by 2035, with 238 scheduled for delivery by 2030. The Belgian Army’s integration of the Jaguar follows this logic, ensuring interoperability with French units through a shared combat information system and communications infrastructure.

The EBRC Jaguar combines mobility, protection, and lethality in a compact 25-ton, six-wheeled platform. Its design prioritizes high agility and stealth for reconnaissance missions in complex terrain such as urban and mountainous areas. Powered by a 500 hp militarized Volvo D11 six-cylinder engine and a ZF seven-speed automatic gearbox, the Jaguar reaches speeds of up to 90 km/h and has an operational range of 800 km. The independent oleopneumatic suspension, variable ride height, and tire pressure control systems enhance off-road performance, while run-flat tires and rear-wheel steering up to 20 km/h improve maneuverability. The vehicle’s architecture incorporates STANAG 4569 Level 4 protection against 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds and 155 mm artillery fragments. It also features modular armor upgrades and mine protection designed to withstand blasts equivalent to 8 kg of TNT.

The Jaguar is equipped with three main weapon systems. Its primary armament is the 40 mm Cased Telescoped Armament System (CTAS) developed by CTA International, capable of firing up to 200 rounds per minute with a maximum elevation of 45°, allowing engagement of aerial and elevated targets. The gun fires a variety of programmable munitions, including airburst and armor-piercing rounds, with effective ranges of up to 3 km. The secondary armament includes four Akeron MP medium-range anti-tank guided missiles, two of which are ready to fire from a retractable launcher. These missiles support fire-and-forget, LOBL, and LOAL modes, and can strike targets up to 5 km away, even beyond direct line of sight. Complementing these systems is the T3 Hornet S remote-controlled weapon station from Arquus, armed with a 7.62 mm FN MAG machine gun and integrated with Safran’s PASEO panoramic sight, offering advanced multi-axis tracking and high-resolution target identification.

Situational awareness and combat coordination are central to the Jaguar’s operational concept. The vehicle integrates the SICS (Système d’Information du Combat de SCORPION) and CONTACT radio systems, developed respectively by Atos-Bull and Thales, to form a combat cloud that enables collaborative targeting, real-time data sharing, and multi-vehicle coordination. Thales’ TopAxyz inertial measurement unit provides autonomous navigation in GPS-denied environments. The vehicle also includes multiple optical and thermal imaging systems, notably the PASEO fire-control sight duplicated for both gunner and commander, with ranges of up to 15.4 km for detection and 4 km for identification. The ANTARES system from Thales, acting as a 360° laser warning receiver and close observation sensor, enhances threat detection, while the PILAR V acoustic gunfire locator, with real-time triangulation and shot source identification, contributes to rapid situational response.

Crew survivability is enhanced by the GALIX countermeasure system with 14 smoke grenade launchers, the ECLIPSE anti-IED jammer, and the BARAGE radio-frequency jammer. GALIX can launch multispectral smoke within a second of detecting a threat, obscuring the vehicle from optical, laser, and infrared targeting. An active protection system, Diamant, is currently under development through the PROMETEUS program to provide hard-kill defenses against incoming projectiles. Internally, the three-man crew—driver, gunner, and commander—benefit from ergonomic layouts, augmented-reality-enabled episcopes, and optical backups for sensor failure. The driver operates from a forward compartment with independent optronics and a three-screen dashboard, while both commander and gunner have touch displays and joysticks linked to the turret's targeting systems.

The Jaguar was designed with extensive use of shared components from the VBMR Griffon, which simplifies maintenance and reduces lifecycle costs. Predictive maintenance is supported by Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS), which track the condition of key components and integrate with Arquus’ SERUM diagnostic tool. Fifteen modular kits are available for the Jaguar, including additional sensors and a winch system. The vehicle is also air-transportable by A400M and allows for a 300 kg payload growth margin to support future upgrades.

Belgium’s acquisition of the Jaguar is part of the broader CaMo program initiated in 2017, which aims to establish a high level of integration between Belgian and French land forces. Under the agreement, both countries will operate identical vehicles and share doctrine, training, logistics, and operational concepts. A joint Franco-Belgian office has been set up to oversee the evolution of armored vehicle requirements and maintain common standards. Belgian industry is actively involved, with FN Herstal producing remote weapon stations, Mecar supplying part of the munitions, and CMI Defence responsible for assembling the Jaguar’s 40 mm turrets and participating in post-delivery support. The partnership strengthens not only interoperability within NATO but also contributes to a more cohesive European defense posture.