New version of EBRC Jaguar planned for 2024 for French Army.

In March, it was revealed that the turret of the Jaguar was not yet stabilized, leading to significant delays in equipping the Marine Infantry Tank Regiment (RICM, Régiment d'Infanterie Chars de Marine), which is set to replace its older AMX-10RC vehicles. During a recent hearing in the French Senate, General Pierre Schill, the Chief of Staff of the French Army, provided clarification on these issues. He stated that the Jaguar is an excellent piece of equipment but still requires further adjustments. He also announced that a new version of the Jaguar, equipped with new software, would be delivered by mid-2024.
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French EBRC Jaguar reconnaissance and combat vehicle at the rehearsal for the 14 July parade (Picture source: Army Recognition )

However, during the review of the Military Programming Law for 2024-2030, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, expressed his concerns about the delivery timelines of the Jaguar vehicles. He mentioned complications without going into details, emphasizing the need to speed up the process. Apparently, these complications were due to the stability of Jaguar's turret.

The Jaguar is an armored reconnaissance and combat vehicle (EBRC, Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat). Developed by a French consortium consisting of Nexter, Renault Trucks Defense (RTD), and Thales, this vehicle is currently in service in the French Army and has also garnered interest from Belgium.

Weighing 25,000 kg, the Jaguar is capable of reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h. In terms of mobility, the Jaguar has a range of 800 km. Its dimensions are as follows: a length of 7.3m, a width of 3m, and a height of 2.6m.

The Jaguar is equipped with a 40mm cannon, a 7.62mm machine gun, and medium-range anti-tank guided missiles. The French vehicle is designed to withstand small arms fire and shell splinters, in accordance with NATO STANAG 4569 Level 4 standards. This ensures that the three-person crew can operate safely in hostile environments.

It is equipped with day/night vision systems, providing 24/7 operational capability. Additionally, it has NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) protection with internal overpressure and air conditioning, ensuring a safe working environment for the crew. The vehicle also features a laser warning system, a missile threat detection system, and radio and infrared jamming systems, further enhancing its resilience on the battlefield.

General Schill specified that the new Jaguar would be capable of firing on the move at moving targets. If this capability proves effective, the transformation process of the regiments will continue. However, it remains to be seen whether the concerns of the French Minister of the Armed Forces are justified and whether this new version of the Jaguar will slow down its production.