On the 24th of December, French defense consortium of Nexter, Thales, and Arquus (formerly Renault Trucks Defense) received an inspection report for the delivery of the 92nd VBMR-GRIFFON Armoured personnel carrier from the quality department of the French Defence Procurement Agency (Direction générale de l’armement or DGA). The consortium meets its objectives for 2019, in accordance with the initial purchase notified in 2017 and as defined in the military programming law. Since 2015, Nexter, Thales, and Arquus parties are fully involved, in partnership with the French Defence Procurement Agency, to achieve the development, qualification and production of the GRIFFON. The first batch production of the 92 GRIFFON required less than six months, it represents a real industrial challenge that permits to respond to French Army (Armée de terre) requirements.
The VBMR Griffon (Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôles or Multi-role Armored Vehicle) is a French multi-role armored vehicle that will replace the French Army’s VAB armored personnel carrier under the program EBMR Scorpion. Nexter, Thales, and Arquus as temporary company group work together to conceive a vehicle with a high level of protection, an effective weapon system, an ultimate ergonomy, a great mobility, and finally the last generation of communication system with new functions such as sensors, electronics and algorithms for the collaborative combat. 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 SCORPION program plans the delivery of 1.872 Griffon to the French army by the temporary company grouping EBMR.
Arquus designs and produces the full driveline for the GRIFFON, including all parts and organs that ensure the vehicle’s mobility. This driveline redefines the mobility standards of armored troop transport vehicles and grants the GRIFFON new generation all-terrain capabilities. The GRIFFON is thus able to accompany all other vehicles of the SCORPION program in all conditions. Arquus also designs and produces the GRIFFON’s remote-controlled self-defense systems, which also equip the other vehicles of the SCORPION program. These remote-controlled weapon systems benefit from the most advanced technologies: Full HD video, augmented reality tactical situation view, extended connectivity with the vetronics, which place the RCWS at the heart of collaborative combat.
Nexter is in charge of the development and production of the vehicle structure, including the armored hull, NRBC and ballistic solutions, and the interior layout. The mechanically-welded structure of the aluminum cases offers, thanks to high-precision machining and robotic welding operations, the best protection performance to the military. Furthermore, Nexter has the responsibility of the vehicles’ assembly and the integrations in the Roanne industrial site. Thales brings on board the vehicles all the technologies enabling the use of data and information for the collaborative engagement of the platforms. This includes on-board vetronics, which are based on computers and link all navigation, protection, observation and communication services. The on-board vetronics allows the management and merging of all data within the vehicle.
source Arquus Defense
