02 July 2019

Franco-Belgian Motorised Capability co-operation comes into effect, followed by armoured vehicle order for Belgium

by Nicholas Fiorenza

The intergovernmental agreement between the Belgian and French governments on their Capacité Motorisée (Motorised Capability, CaMo) strategic partnership came into effect on 21 June, the French Ministry of Defence said on its website on 1 July.

The DGA awarded the first CaMo contract with French industry on 24 June for 382 Griffon multi-role armoured vehicles (pictured) and 60 Jaguar armoured reconnaissance vehicles for the Belgian army. (IHS Markit/Patrick Allen)

This was followed by the first CaMo contract placed by the Direction générale de l’Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, with French industry on 24 June for 382 Griffon multi-role armoured vehicles and 60 Jaguar armoured reconnaissance vehicles for the Belgian army.

Belgium’s Council of Ministers approved the EUR1.6 billion (USD1.8 billion) procurement of the vehicles on 25 October 2018 for entry into service in 2025–30.

The DGA said the vehicles would be identical to those of the Scorpion programme and therefore completely compatible with their French equivalents. The Belgian Ministry of Defence explained on its website on 24 June that the aim is that Belgian and French CaMo units become completely interchangeable so they can conduct joint operations, requiring very close co-operation on doctrine, training, and equipment.

A meeting of the Franco-Belgian CaMo steering committee in Brussels on 25 June reviewed the programme and identified new possibilities for co-operation, notably on armament, according to the DGA.

The first joint exercise between the Belgian and French armies to test command procedures will be organised in Belgium in September 2019.

The intergovernmental agreement between the Belgian and French governments on their Capacité Motoris...

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