PARIS — The French Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) and the French Army (Armée de Terre) have officially operationalized the EBRC Jaguar 6×6 Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle in its full operational “R3 Standard” configuration. As of early September, a total of 21 R3-standard Jaguar vehicles have been delivered by the industrial consortium formed by KNDS France, Arquus, and Thales.
The R3 standard represents the definitive operational baseline for the Jaguar within France’s overarching SCORPION force-modernization framework. The core capability upgrade introduced in the R3 variant is the functional integration of MBDA’s Akeron MP (formerly MMP) medium-range anti-tank guided missile system. Previously reliant solely on its 40mm cased telescoped cannon for direct engagements, the Jaguar R3 gains a long-range precision anti-armor capability capable of defeating heavy armor and main battle tanks (MBTs) at ranges of up to 4 kilometers.
The technical qualification of the R3 standard followed extensive live-firing and mobility trials conducted by DGA Land Equipment at testing facilities in Bourges and Angers. Following formal military qualification on April 8 and operational service authorization on July 20, the French Army will now retrofit the remainder of its fielded Jaguar fleet to the R3 standard by the end of 2027. The platform completes the retirement and consolidation of three legacy French cavalry platforms: the AMX-10RC, ERC-90 Sagaie, and VAB HOT missile carrier.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: EBRC JAGUAR (STANDARD R3 CONFIGURATION)
* Platform Classification: 6×6 Wheeled Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle (Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat – EBRC)
* Industrial Consortium: KNDS France (Overall integration & CT40 turret), Arquus (Chassis & drivetrain), Thales (SCORPION vetronics, C4I & EO sensors), MBDA (Akeron MP missiles)
* Combat Mass: 25.0 metric tons (with modular armor package)
* Primary Autocannon: CTA International 40mm Cased Telescoped Armament System (CTAS) CT40 cannon (firing APFSDS, GPR-PD, and A3B airburst munitions)
* Anti-Tank Guided Missile System: Integrated retractable elevation launcher housing 2x MBDA Akeron MP (MMP) anti-tank missiles (+ 2 reloads stored internally)
* Akeron MP Engagement Range: Exceeds 4,000 meters (4 km)
* Guidance Modes: Fire-and-forget, TV/IR optical man-in-the-loop via fiber-optic link, and Beyond-Line-Of-Sight (BLOS / NLOS) target handover
* Secondary Armament: T3 Hornet S Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun
* Powertrain & Mobility: Militarized Volvo D11 6-cylinder inline turbodiesel engine producing 500 hp, coupled with a ZF 7-speed automatic transmission and 6×6 drive with active rear-wheel steering
* Speed & Operational Range: Maximum road speed of 90 km/h with an operational range of up to 800 km
* Protection Architecture: Modular armor hull certified to STANAG 4569 Level 4; high-clearance V-shaped floor structure for mine/IED blast mitigation
* Sensor Suite & Survivability: PILAR IV acoustic gunshot detection, laser warning receivers, BARAGE active RF jamming suite, and GALIX 80mm multi-spectral smoke launchers
* Network Integration: Embedded into the SICS (Système d’Information du Combat SCORPION) collaborative combat network for real-time tactical telemetry and target sharing
