Less than a year after the delivery of the first four copies to the Combined Arms Combat Readiness Support Center – 51st Infantry Regiment [CAPCIA-51e RI] by Mourmelon [Marne]the “Serval” light multi-role armored vehicle, from the SCORPION program, has just arrived at the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment [RPIMa]which thus becomes the first operational unit of the Army to be equipped with it.

According to the details given during the last press briefing of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the 3rd RPIMa, which falls under the 11th Parachute Brigade [BP]has thus received twelve Servals and twenty others will be delivered within a few days.

As a reminder, which can be declined in several versions, [patrouille, noeud de communication tactique, guerre électronique, reconnaissance, sanitaire, etc], the Serval must equip the rapid reaction force of the national emergency level as a priority. Produced by Nexter and Texelis, this armored 4×4 from 15 to 17 tonnes has equipment common to all vehicles in the Scorpion program. Equipped with a remotely operated cupola armed with a 12.7mm machine gun and threat detectors, it can transport eight soldiers equipped with the FELIN system [Fantassin à équipements et liaisons intégrés]in addition to its two crew members.

“It is a platform for implementing complete command resources, integrating the Scorpion command information system [SICS]the Armed Forces information system [SIA] and the automation of ground/ground artillery firing and liaison. Thanks to its sensors and sophisticated electronics, it is at the heart of collaborative combat,” underlines the Army.

#JeudiPhoto📸 | 24 porpoises-parachutists from @3eRPIMa continue their vehicle training #SCORPION last cry➡️le #ON THE EDGE😎

Soon the @3RPIMa will become the first regiment of the@armedeterre to be fully equipped with this other successor to the VAB 🦾👏 pic.twitter.com/n0T4YCq9mD

— Marine troops (@troupesdemarine) March 16, 2023

“The Serval differs from its predecessor [le Véhicule de l’avant blindé, nldr] by his qualities of tactical and strategic mobility”, underlined Commander “Tristan”, officer of the VBMR-L program at the Technical Section of the Army [STAT]

The Servals delivered to the Army are first directed to the CAPCIA-51e RI, responsible for checking their proper functioning and ensuring the “primary training” of their future users.

“The regiments sent several executives for initial training for a period of three weeks. Once delivered, the unit will follow a centralized simulation test in Mailly, called the Scorpion Transformation Restitution period, conducted by the Scorpion Combat Expertise Force [FECS] “recalls the Army indeed.

In 2022, Nexter and Texelis delivered 60 Servals, out of the 364 ordered to date. For this year, 119 copies are expected. In total, the Army hopes to align 978 of them by 2030. Unless it is decided otherwise in the future Military Programming Law [LPM].

Photo: Army / 3rd RPIMa