Belgium Officially Joins French Combat Engineering Vehicle Project.

Belgium announced its official participation in the French Combat Engineering Vehicle (Engin du Génie de Combat EGC) project at Eurosatory on June 19, 2024, forming a new partnership within the framework of the CaMo project. This partnership was formalized by the chiefs of the land forces of both nations.
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A consortium including CNIM Systèmes Industriels, KNDS France, and Texelis has already positioned itself to respond to a potential call for tenders, they propose the Auroch.(Picture source: CNIM)

The Franco-Belgian CaMo partnership now includes the engineering branch through the joint acquisition of the EGC. This partnership was sealed on June 19 in Paris by General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army, and his Belgian counterpart, General Jean-Pol Baugnée, with the signing of a "Chief of Staff Objective" (OEM). The ceremony was attended by the leaders of KNDS France, Thales Belgium, and FN Herstal.

The first deliveries of these vehicles are scheduled for 2030, according to the Belgian Land Component. Although the precise Belgian requirement is not yet detailed, it is estimated to be around thirty units. For France, the targets are set in the 2024-2030 military programming law, with five units in service by the end of the decade and a total of 125 by 2035.

The next step is to launch a joint development program, potentially led by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), which already oversees the Franco-Belgian Armored Engagement Support Vehicle (VBAE) program.

A consortium including CNIM Systèmes Industriels, KNDS France, and Texelis has already positioned itself to respond to a potential call for tenders. They propose the Auroch, a 28.6-ton armored vehicle based on an 8x8 platform, with the integration of Belgian equipment under study.

The EGC is equipped with a front bucket and a side arm that can be fitted with various tools, such as an excavator bucket, to perform clearing, earthmoving, and rapid fortification construction tasks.

The vehicle is armored and armed, thus ensuring the protection of the three-person crew. The EGC can integrate various modern equipment, such as a remotely operated turret, an acoustic shot detection system, and an IED jammer, making it suitable for operations in urban or high-intensity environments.

This project aims to replace older engineering armored vehicles, some of which are over 30 years old, and to provide increased capacity for complex missions such as building defensive positions, clearing obstacles, and protecting maneuver units. The EGC program is currently in the development phase, with prototypes and concepts being evaluated to meet the future needs of the French and Belgian armed forces.

Intended to partially replace the pioneer tanks, this EGC represents "excellent news for the engineering troops," according to the Belgian Land Component. These engineering units thus strengthen their ties with their French counterparts, such as the 4th and 11th Belgian engineering battalions, which have recently concluded partnerships with the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment and the 6th French Engineer Regiment.