(L-R) Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence; General Steve Thull, Chief of Staff of the Luxembourg Army; Credit: MAE

Luxembourg’s Directorate of Defence announced that the future vehicles of the Luxembourg army were presented in a press conference this week.

On Wednesday 8 May 2024, after informing the Defence Committee of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg’s parliament), Luxembourg’s Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, together with General Steve Thull, Luxembourg's Chief of Defence, presented, during a press conference, the details of the bill authorising the government to finance the acquisition and logistical support of rolling stock for the needs of the Luxembourg army. This project is part of the establishment of the binational Belgian-Luxembourg combat reconnaissance battalion of the medium type.

“The creation of the binational battalion and the acquisition of technically advanced mid-range combat vehicles will allow the Luxembourg army to transform itself to be able to act in a more demanding security environment. This project therefore guarantees that Luxembourg will be able to continue to make its contribution to the common effort of deterrence and collective defence,” emphasised Yuriko Backes.

With a budget of €2,616,180,000, spread over the estimated lifespan of the vehicles of 30 years, this is the largest investment in defence in the history of Luxembourg. “This is a historic investment in our defence, necessary to remain a united and reliable partner, respecting its commitments within NATO and the EU,” commented the minister.

The bill provides for the acquisition of the following rolling stock:

Combat and combat support vehicles:

  • sixteen Griffon multi-role armoured vehicles (VBMR);
  • 38 Jaguar armoured reconnaissance and combat vehicles (EBRC);
  • five light multi-role armoured vehicles (VBMR-L) Serval.

Combat support logistics vehicles:

  • two armoured recovery vehicles;
  • three armoured tow trucks;
  • 50 multi logistic support trucks.

Logistics vehicles and wagons:

  • 24 tank transporter trucks;
  • 48 low-loader multi-purpose wagons.

The vehicles reflect the type of equipment used or being acquired by the Belgian army. This homogenisation of equipment is essential to guarantee interoperability within the army and with the armed forces of Belgium and France, and to make logistical support as simple and light as possible, the Directorate of Defence stressed.

The bill further provides for the acquisition of weapon, protection, communication and functional subsystems that differ depending on the type of rolling stock. These subsystems are essential to operate the rolling stock in the missions and operations of the binational battalion.

These future vehicles of the Luxembourg army will be complementary to the command, liaison and reconnaissance vehicles (CLRV) vehicles, acquired by Luxembourg Defence in 2022, for which the first deliveries are planned for 2025. Interoperability between the CLRV and the new mid-range combat vehicles will be guaranteed, given that all these vehicles will be equipped with subsystems compatible with the French Scorpion programme “contact synergy reinforced by versatility and info valorisation”.

Response to the geopolitical context

Faced with a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous international security environment, European and transatlantic security and defence policies are reorienting towards more credible deterrence and collective defence.

To respond to this geopolitical context and to be able to act in this environment which has become much more dangerous and to contribute to the common effort in terms of deterrence and defence, Luxembourg received NATO's capability objective of establishing a binational battalion, together with Belgium, by 2030. The establishment of this binational Belgian-Luxembourg combat reconnaissance battalion also constitutes one of the objectives set out in the 2023-2028 coalition agreement. This combat reconnaissance battalion will be equipped with a family of more robust wheeled vehicles, combining the agility of light vehicles with the greater lethality and survivability of heavy vehicles such as tracked battle tanks.

The establishment of the binational battalion fits into the priority areas of capacity development included in the Luxembourg Defence guidelines for 2035. The binational battalion aims to contribute to Luxembourg's defence effort, while respecting its commitments within NATO and the EU.