Ireland to Acquire French Scorpion Combat Vehicles and CAESAR Howitzers in €1B Deal.

Ireland is preparing to acquire more than €1 billion worth of French-made Scorpion armored combat vehicles and Caesar self-propelled howitzers from KNDS France, with deliveries expected before 2030. The move would fundamentally reshape the Irish Defence Forces into a digitally networked, combined-arms formation aligned with modern European land warfare standards.

Ireland is moving to overhaul its land combat capability through a planned multi-tranche procurement of Scorpion armored vehicles and CAESAR artillery howitzers from KNDS France, a package reportedly valued at over €1 billion. First reported by French Newspaper La Tribune on February 21, 2026, the deal would introduce Jaguar reconnaissance and combat vehicles, Serval light multirole armored vehicles, Griffon troop carriers, and CAESAR self-propelled howitzers into Irish service before 2030. The acquisition would shift the Irish Defence Forces from a lightly equipped peace support force toward a digitally networked, combined-arms structure built around protected mobility, precision fires, and integrated battlefield communications.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Irish Defence Forces modernization concept featuring KNDS France Scorpion vehicles, including Jaguar reconnaissance and combat vehicle, Griffon troop carrier, Serval light armored vehicle, and Caesar 155mm self-propelled howitzer as part of a planned €1 billion fleet renewal before 2030.

If confirmed, the acquisition would mark an important shift in Ireland’s defense posture and industrial partnerships. Over the past decade, from 2015 to 2024, Dublin ordered only €53.1 million worth of French military equipment, making it a marginal customer for Paris. A contract exceeding €1 billion would instantly elevate Ireland into a significant European armored vehicle client and align it with France and Belgium, both of which are fielding Scorpion family systems as the backbone of their land forces.

Technically, the proposed package centers on platforms developed under France’s Scorpion modernization program, launched in the 2010s to digitize and network French Army combat units. The Jaguar EBRC 6x6 armored reconnaissance and combat vehicle replaces the legacy AMX-10RC and ERC-90 fleets in French service. Armed with a 40 mm CTA International cannon using telescoped ammunition, MMP anti-tank guided missiles, and a remotely operated 7.62 mm machine gun, Jaguar combines direct fire capability with advanced sensors and battlefield management connectivity. Its integration into the Scorpion Information and Combat System allows real-time data sharing across units, enhancing target acquisition and coordinated fires.

The Griffon VBMR 6x6 multirole armored vehicle serves as a troop carrier and command platform, designed to transport infantry sections under enhanced ballistic and mine protection. With modular mission kits and compatibility with Scorpion’s digital architecture, Griffon enables protected mobility and command and control at the battalion level. The lighter Serval 4x4 fills roles requiring higher strategic mobility, including reconnaissance, liaison, and support missions, while maintaining protection standards superior to many legacy light armored vehicles.

The inclusion of the CAESAR 155 mm truck-mounted artillery howitzer would introduce a new long-range fires capability to Ireland. Caesar, already combat-proven in multiple theaters, offers ranges exceeding 40 km with extended-range ammunition and can deploy and displace rapidly to reduce counter-battery vulnerability. Mounted on a wheeled chassis, it provides a balance between mobility, survivability, and firepower that aligns with expeditionary and territorial defense requirements.

The Serval 4x4 light multirole armored vehicle is designed to provide highly mobile, protected capability for rapid reaction, reconnaissance, and support missions within the French Army’s Scorpion framework. Weighing significantly less than the Griffon and Jaguar, the Serval combines modular armor protection against small-arms fire, mines, and improvised explosive devices with a high degree of tactical mobility suited for urban, expeditionary, and peace-support operations. It can be configured for troop transport, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or specialist roles, and is fully integrated into the Scorpion digital battle management system, enabling real-time data sharing and coordinated maneuver. For a force such as Ireland’s, Serval would offer a modern replacement for legacy 4x4 armored vehicles, enhancing survivability, communications, and interoperability while preserving strategic deployability by air and sea.

Operationally, the modernization appears designed to replace Ireland’s aging fleet of Piranha III 8x8 armored vehicles from General Dynamics and RG-32M 4x4 vehicles from BAE Systems, platforms dating from the 1990s and early 2000s that are increasingly costly to maintain and technologically outdated. Transitioning to Scorpion vehicles would not only refresh mobility and protection but also introduce a digitized command architecture that enables collaborative combat, sensor-to-shooter integration, and improved interoperability with European Union partners.

For Ireland, traditionally militarily neutral but deeply engaged in UN peacekeeping and EU security initiatives, the shift reflects a changing European security environment. Russia’s war in Ukraine, increasing hybrid threats, and pressure on European nations to strengthen defense readiness have reshaped procurement priorities even among states outside NATO. A Scorpion-based fleet would allow Ireland to field heavier, more survivable forces for crisis response while maintaining compatibility with EU battlegroups and multinational operations.

Strategically, the deal would reinforce KNDS France’s export momentum for the Scorpion family. Belgium has already committed to Griffon and Jaguar vehicles under a government-to-government framework with France. An Irish order would further consolidate the Scorpion ecosystem in Western Europe, potentially opening pathways for joint training, logistics pooling, and shared digital architecture standards. Elements of industrial cooperation, including potential maintenance, training, or assembly arrangements in Ireland, could also feature in negotiations, though details have not been disclosed.

The multi-tranche structure reported by La Tribune suggests phased deliveries and budget allocation over several years, likely aligning with Ireland’s defense capital investment plan toward 2030. Financing such a program would represent one of the most significant military expenditures in modern Irish history, signaling a recalibration of defense policy in response to evolving security risks.

If finalized, the procurement would do more than replace aging armored vehicles. It would introduce a network-enabled combined-arms capability centered on reconnaissance, protected mobility, and long-range precision fires, fundamentally reshaping Ireland’s land force doctrine and its role within European security structures.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.