Feature: Thales showcases Gladiator at French Army's CENZUB urban training centre

Jeoffrécourt seen from the observation tower of the CERBERE command centre (Janes/ Amael Kotlarski)

In late May 2026, Thales demonstrated its Gladiator tactical engagement simulation system (TESS) during live exercises at the French Army's Centre d'Entraînement aux Actions en Zone Urbaine (CENZUB, lit: Urban Warfare Centre).

The French Army's CENZUB is located in the Camp de Sissonne, in the Champagne region of northern France. The camp, which is spread out over 60 km², hosts a number of training facilities.

These include an underground training complex, an urban live fire complex (CTZUB), a trench warfare complex, the Beauséjour village and the Jeoffrécourt town. Created in 2004, the camp adopted the traditions of, and is operated by, the 94th Infantry Regiment, dedicated to the task. The regiment has taken on the role of the French Army's urban warfare specialist training unit.

The regiment is composed of three companies: the first company consists of the centre's FORAD (force adverse, lit: opposing force); the second company comprises the centre's instructors and a robotics experimentation platoon; and a third company forms the camp's command and logistics unit. The first company of the 94th Infantry Regiment is unique in the French Army, as it consists of three mechanised infantry platoons on VAB (véhicule de l'avant blindé, lit: forward area armoured vehicle); a platoon of AMX-30B2 Brenus main battle tanks, and a platoon of engineers.

The engineer platoon previously operated a small number of EBG (engin blindé du génie, lit: armoured engineering vehicle), however these have since been assigned to engineering units in the French Army's 2nd Armoured Division. Colonel Frédéric Chamaud, commanding officer of the 94th Infantry Regiment, told Janes