Newest multi-role armored vehicle of the French Army called the Griffon to begin taking part in an extensive training program for its crews. The troopers gains experience maneuvering a new vehicle, use of remote weapons station at live-fire range and simulators.
France’s public broadcaster, TF1, released footage of one of the stages of crew training, which shows that the weapon operator is being trained to fight with the BMP-2 type infantry fighting vehicles.
The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following on from the BMP-1 of the 1960s. The vehicle is currently in use in many countries of the world, including Russia, Syria, Belarus and Ukraine.
The Griffon, in turn, new French development of 6×6 multi-role armored vehicle equipped with a remote weapons station that can be armed with either a 12.7mm or 7.62mm machine gun, or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher. In order to renew VABs (armored personnel carriers), the Griffon, is capable of filling a wide spectrum of missions.
The vehicle is based on a 6×6 commercial all-terrain truck chassis and will carry up to eight infantry soldiers.
Currently, six versions of the Griffon are planned, with four of these (Armored Personnel Carrier, Command Post, Ambulance, and Artillery Observer) ordered in the first tranche. After 2021 a much lighter 4×4 version might be ordered, which will be used as a reconnaissance vehicle.
Griffon uses standard commercial truck engines, which have been adapted to use a wider range of fuel. The vehicle has an overpressure system to maintain constant protection to the troop compartment against chemical, biological and radiological threats. For service in hot climates, the Griffon is equipped with air conditioning.
