Griffon Ambulance for Combat Medical Evacuation Presents at Eurosatory 2024.

At the Eurosatory 2024 exhibition, the French Armed Forces presented the Griffon Ambulance, a 6x6 armored vehicle designed for medical evacuation directly from the battlefield. This vehicle, part of the SCORPION program, exemplifies modern military medical transport with its capacity to evacuate up to five wounded personnel while providing comprehensive protection against ballistic threats, mines, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
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The vehicle's design includes a medical module with specialized equipment for treating and evacuating the wounded (Picture source: ArmyRecognition)

Weighing up to 24.5 tons, the Griffon Ambulance is equipped with a remote-controlled weapon station and can be airlifted by an A400M aircraft. Its all-terrain mobility and integration into the SCORPION collaborative combat system make it an essential asset for military operations in challenging environments, including deployments in the Sahel and Estonia.

The vehicle's design includes a medical module with specialized equipment for treating and evacuating the wounded. The interior configuration accommodates both seated and stretcher-bound casualties, with a capacity for four stretchers. A mobile table and a lifting winch system facilitate the loading of injured personnel. The Griffon Ambulance retains the mobility, armament, protection, and connectivity common to all Griffon variants.

Developed under the SCORPION program, the Griffon Ambulance is one of the four main versions of the Griffon vehicle, alongside the troop transport version (VTT), command post version (EPC), and artillery observation version (VOA). The program, outlined in the 2019-2025 Military Programming Law, aims to produce over 3,000 medium armored vehicles, including Griffons, MEPAC Jaguars, and Servals. By 2030, the French Army will have 1,818 Griffons in service, with 196 in the ambulance configuration, with the first deliveries starting in 2023.

The Griffon Ambulance replaces the aging VAB (Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé) and supports combat units equipped with the Félin weapon system, operating close to the front lines. Qualification tests for the sanitary version were conducted by the DGA in collaboration with the French Military Health Service, focusing on the overall ergonomics of the medical module, the casualty loading assistance system, personnel protection against mines and IEDs, and the electromagnetic compatibility of equipment and electrical networks.

The SCORPION program is implemented incrementally, ensuring that each capability is delivered to the forces as soon as it reaches maturity. The qualifications of the various Griffon versions are managed sequentially by the DGA, with the artillery observation vehicle version set to be qualified in the coming months.

The SCORPION program aims to renew and modernize the French Army's combat capabilities with interconnected modern armored vehicles capable of collaborative combat through near real-time data exchange. The program includes four new armored vehicles, the SICS tactical coordination system, and the operational preparation system for these combat capabilities.