The EBRC (Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat, Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle) Jaguar is a French armored reconnaissance and combat vehicle that will replace the French Army’s VCAC (HOT missiles equipped VABs), AMX 10 RC and ERC 90 Sagaie reconnaissance and fire support vehicles. According to the French Army’s 2020 Defense White Paper it plans to buy 250 pieces of a new armored reconnaissance vehicle. A consortium of Nexter, Thales, and Renault Trucks Defense was formed to develop and produce the new vehicle. The same consortium also builds the VBMR Griffon multi-role armored vehicle for the French Army, which shares 70% of its components with the EBRC Jaguar.
On 6 December 2014, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced that deliveries will commence in 2020 and a first tranche of 20 Jaguars and 319 Griffons was ordered in April 2017. In total the French Army wants to buy 248 EBRC Jaguar. On 22 June 2017, Belgium’s cabinet approved a plan to purchase 60 Jaguar and 417 Griffon vehicles for €1.1 billion. The vehicles will replace the Belgian Army’s Piranha IIIC armored personnel carriers, Pandur I reconnaissance vehicles and Dingo 2 infantry mobility vehicles. The deal includes spare parts and secure communications equipment and delivers are planned to commence in 2025.
The consortium building the “Griffon” and “Jaguar” is contractually obliged to keep the price per Jaguar under €1 million, therefore the vehicles are based on a 6×6 commercial all-terrain truck chassis and use commercial truck engines. The engines have been adapted to use a wider range of fuel. The Jaguar has an overpressure system to maintain constant overpressure in the armored troop compartment to protect it against chemical, biological and radiological threats. For service in hot climates the Jaguar is equipped with air conditioning. The vehicle is built with STANAG 4569 Level 4 armor protection, giving it defense against 14.5×114mm armor-piercing rounds, 155mm artillery shell splinters, and 10 kg (22 lb) mine blasts
The Jaguar’s primary weapon, mounted in a two-man turret, is the CTA International CT40 cannon firing 40mm case telescoped ammunition with a rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute. Two MMP anti-tank guided missiles are fitted to the turret launcher with two reloads stored inside. It also carries a 7.62mm remote controlled machine gun mounted on top of the turret and eight smoke grenades. The Jaguar can lift its cannon 45° up, allowing it to fire on aerial targets. Electronic defenses include the Thales Group Barage active jamming device to counter IEDs, two sets of Antares missile warning alert systems, a TDA Armements active blocking system, and a roof-mounted Metravib Pilar V gunfire locator.
