DGA delivers 4 new VBMR-L Serval armored vehicles to French Army

Defense News October 2022 Global Security army industry
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On October 13, the Direction générale de l'Armement (DGA, General Directorate for Armament) of the French Army announced that it had delivered, on October 4, four new light multi-role armored vehicles (VBMR-L) Serval as part of the Scorpio program. These four new vehicles were delivered to CAPCIA-51e RI (51st Infantry Regiment) in Mourmelon.
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Two of the four new BBMR-L Servals that were delivered to CAPCIA-51e RI (51st Infantry Regiment) in Mourmelon (Picture source: DGA)

The delivery target in 2022 is 60 Servals for 70 vehicles produced, with a total of 15 vehicles already delivered. The target for 2030 is 978 vehicles. Serval vehicles are assembled in Roanne, in the Nexter production plant, just like the VBMR Griffon and the EBRC Jaguar.

Complementing the Griffon heavy multirole armored vehicle, replacing the aging VAB (Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé), the particularly maneuverable Serval vehicle is designed to be able to intervene in areas of contact with the enemy. In its armored patrol vehicle (APV) version, the Serval is engaged in an emergency echelon. It will also strengthen the means deployed within the land forces for support and support.

A 4x4 armored vehicle of the 15 to 17tonne class depending on its load, the Serval incorporates equipment common to Scorpion vehicles, in particular a remotely controlled weapon station, threat detectors as well as the Combat Information System - Scorpion (SIC-S) allowing the tactical situation to be shared in real-time with the other Scorpion vehicles engaged in the action. It will be able to carry, in addition to the two crew members, up to eight men equipped with the Félin system.

As a reminder, the Serval vehicle was tested throughout its development in the DGA's expertise and test centers, in order to put the vehicle to the test in the situations of its future operational life: travel in all possible ground conditions, accelerated aging equivalent to several years of use, the behavior of the protection against mine explosions or, for example, loading into an Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft.