France Orders €1B Serval Appui SCORPION Armored Vehicles

The French Armament Directorate (DGA) has placed an order for 530 Serval Appui SCORPION armored vehicles for the French Army as part of the SCORPION program, with deliveries scheduled from late 2025 to 2031.

The order, valued at over €1 billion, was placed on December 31, 2024, the French defense ministry announced this week. It is part of the Multipurpose Light Tactical Vehicle (VLTP) program and aims to enhance ground-to-air defense, anti-drone warfare, and battlefield communication capabilities.

The Serval Appui SCORPION is adapted for high-intensity conflicts, inheriting the mobility, protection, and modularity of the original Serval armored vehicle. It will be deployed in command, support, and assistance roles within the Joint Brigade and division-level units. This procurement also includes 97 additional standard Serval vehicles, reinforcing the modernization of the French Army’s armored fleet.

The contract supports the activities of several French defense manufacturers, including KNDS France, TEXELIS, MBDA, and CS GROUP, across multiple production sites. The new armored vehicles will feature specialized configurations, including a variant with a turret-mounted Mistral 3 missile system for ground-to-air defense, an anti-drone warfare version with a 30-113 mm cannon and radar system, and a communication node equipped with SYRACUSE IV satellite technology.

This procurement marks the third phase of the VLTP program, following previous acquisitions of VT4 vehicles and medical transport units. The investment aligns with the 2024-2030 military programming law, ensuring the integration of modern armored platforms into a networked battlefield environment.