France to buy 54 Thales 2R2M mortars on Griffon chassis.

At a forthcoming Ministerial Investment Committee (CMI), French Defense Minister Florence Parly will announce her decision to equip the Army with 54 Thales Defense 2R2M self-propelled mortars, which will equip Griffon armored vehicles equipped with a sunroof, like the VAB mortar currently in service.

VBMR Griffon, a variant of which will be a mortar carrier, armed with Thales' 120mm R2M2 mortar (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Mounted on armored vehicles of more than 15 tons, the 120 mm 2R2M mortar, which will take the French designation of “MEPAC - mortier embarqué pour l'appui au contact, or embedded mortar for the contact support), can be ready for fire in just seconds with two men (pointer/shooter and ammunition supplier). Thanks to its semi-automatic loading system, the mortar can fire ten rounds in one minute, with greater precision compared to the towed version thanks to the recoil brake. It can then quickly get back to the road configuration and simultaneously restart and close its hatches to avoid counter-battery fire.

Thales already exported this system on VAB 6x6 chassis to Saudi Arabia, Italy, Malaysia and the Sultanate of Oman, which have opted for this mortar to equip their elite troops. Thales Defense has already expressions of interest from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The manufacturer delivered the 100th 2R2M at the beginning of 2019.

VAB armed with Thales' 120mm R2M2 mortar (Picture source: Army Recognition)