DGA conducts first firing of MMP from Jaguar EBRC

The Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA – the French Procurement Agency), in association with MBDA and Nexter, has conducted the first lock-on-before launch (LOBL) firing of a Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP) land combat missile from a Jaguar EBRC (Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat) 6×6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle.

Conducted on 14 April at DGA’s Land Techniques test centre in Bourges, central France, but disclosed by MBDA on 10 May, the MMP launch from the retractable pod on the Jaguar’s turret against a static target was part of qualification of the Jaguar EBRC platform for the French Army. MBDA said ‘the integration of MMP onto Jaguar is being carried out in stages during the qualification’, and that the successful engagement of a static target marked the first stage of the integration roadmap.

An MMP medium-range land combat missile is launched from the Jaguar two-person turret in the first firing of the weapon system from the Jaguar EBRC platform at the DGA Techniques Terrestres Test Centre in Bourges on 14 April. (MBDA)

Developed by a consortium of Nexter Systems, Arquus, and Thales, the Jaguar EBRC, along with the Griffon 6×6 VBMR (Véhicule Blindé Multirôles) multirole armoured vehicle, and the 4×4 Serval lightweight multirole armoured vehicle (Véhicule Blindé Multirôles léger), will replace the 6×6 AMX10 RC, 6×6 ERC90, and 4×4 VAB (Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé) HOT armoured platforms as part of the Engin Blindé Multirôles (EBMR – multirole armoured vehicles) segment of the French Army’s SCORPION modernisation programme. The MMP weapon system will be integrated with the SICS (Système d’Information du Combat SCORPION) battle management system on both the Jaguar and Griffon platforms.