KNDS Celebrates Success Of Scorpion Program

The first vehicles of the SCORPION program were delivered in 2019. Since then, significant investments have been made at the final assembly site of KNDS France in Roanne, increasing production capacity from 92 to 300 vehicles per year—a threefold increase in just five years. The goal is to reach 450 vehicles per year for all program models combined. KNDS France also handles all machining operations related to protection and integration.

The SCORPION fleet’s adaptability remains a key strength 10 years after the program’s launch. Initially, only three versions of the GRIFFON were planned, but today, there are six. In this regard, the first GRIFFON MEPAC (Mounted Mortar for Close Support) was delivered at the end of 2024. The MEPAC will demonstrate its firepower during a tactical scenario at SCORPION Days. Additionally, the GRIFFON Medical Evacuation variant, which doubles the capacity for evacuating severely wounded soldiers compared to the old VAB SAN, is currently being deployed.

SCORPION: A Major Modernization Of The French Army

The SCORPION program’s industrial partners continue to equip the French Army with cutting-edge land capabilities, such as new communication stations compatible with Syracuse IV. The Temporary consortium of companies (GME EBMR) has integrated the first stations connected to this next-generation satellite system, providing unprecedented communication reliability and high data transfer rates, whether stationary or on the move. All adaptation kits from the first order have been delivered.

SCORPION also benefits from upgrades based on operational feedback from GRIFFON deployments in the Sahel and Eastern Europe. These improvements, grouped under Increment 2, focus on enhanced vehicle robustness, ergonomic optimizations, and stealth improvements. Qualification tests will take place in Q2 and Q3 of this year, with new vehicles incorporating these upgrades starting in 2026.

SCORPION’s armored vehicles are natively designed to integrate the SCORPION Combat Information System (SICS), which enables real-time battlefield digitization and collaborative combat by allowing units to share tactical information instantly.

To fully implement these new combat capabilities, the 6th Light Armored Brigade (6e BLB) has become the first fully “SCORPIONized” combined arms brigade (BIA).

For the major BIA23 exercise, the GME EBMR consortium played a critical role in upgrading and supplying vehicles, enabling the first-ever use of new artillery targeting (VOA) and satellite communication (EPC) capabilities during an exercise. This year, the delivery of VOA vehicles has accelerated, incorporating the latest targeting technology updates. These vehicles replace aging VAB OBS models, significantly strengthening France’s artillery capabilities in response to lessons learned from recent conflicts.

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