French Army deploys Griffon armored vehicles on NATO Eastern flank for first time.

According to a tweet posted on July 14 by French Army's Headquarters, VBMR Griffons armored vehicles have been deployed for the first time on NATO's Eastern flank, in the framework of the enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup Estonia.
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The French army is deploying VBMR Griffons for the first time on NATO's Eastern flank (Picture source: Twitter account of French Headquarters)

NATO has enhanced its presence in the eastern part of the Alliance, with four multinational battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. These battlegroups, led by the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and the United States respectively, are multinational, and combat-ready, demonstrating the strength of the transatlantic bond. Their presence makes it clear that an attack on one Ally will be considered an attack on the whole Alliance. NATO's battlegroups form part of the biggest reinforcement of NATO's collective defense in a generation.

The French army has been preparing to replace its aging VAB 4x4 armored vehicles since the early 2000s. The VBMR Griffon (Engin Blindé Multi-Rôle - Armoured Multi-roles Vehicles) is produced in the framework of the SCORPION programme. The vehicle was designed and developed by a consortium of French Companies including Nexter Systems, Arquus (formerly Renault Trucks Defense), and Thales. It initially planned to buy up to 2,122 VBMR Griffons by 2025 (the figure has changed since the original plan, with 1,722 seeming to be the latest figure). A consortium made of Nexter, Thales, and Arquus (formerly named 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.

The vehicle is based on a 6×6 commercial all-terrain truck chassis and carries up to eight infantry soldiers. The consortium building the VBMR Griffon and EBRC 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.

French VBMR Griffons deployed in Estonia (Picture source: Twitter account of French Headquarters)

Defense News July 2023