The 5G leap for cavalry: France's new high-tech scout

Countries & Cities · Published 14 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Modern warfare demands a paradox: vehicles that are as stealthy as they are aggressive. The EBRC Jaguar is designed to bridge this gap, offering French crews a technological jump described as moving from 2G to 5G in terms of situational awareness and mobility.

To supersede three old models—the VAB HOT, ERC 90 Sagaie, and AMX-10 RC—the EBRC Jaguar was created during the SCORPION initiative's late 2014 debut. The project aimed to solve four critical issues: operational mobility, flexibility, protection, and aggression. Unlike many military upgrades that iterate on existing designs, the Jaguar was an ambitious 'reference architecture'—a 6x6 wheeled vehicle with a manned turret and a remotely-operated secondary turret. It was built from nearly scratch, with very few components carried over from previous models.

The development faced significant hurdles due to its complexity. While the initial goal was to keep unit costs at €3 million through economies of scale, the final estimated cost rose to €6 million by FY2019—double the original target. To mitigate these costs and streamline logistics, the Jaguar shares 70% of its components with the VBMR Griffon, including the suspension system from Quiri and various acoustic and intercom systems.

Technologically, the Jaguar is a masterclass in versatility. It features a hydraulic body height adjustment allowing it to 'hide' behind trenches by lowering its profile so only sensors remain visible. It can reach 90 km/h on roads and 70 km/h off-road while maintaining a quiet signature thanks to a soundproofed Volvo D11 engine. For the crew, it offers STANAG 4569 Level 4 protection against 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds and IEDs, alongside an overpressure system for CBRN threats.

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