It is an innovation which should facilitate the reorganization of equipment within the French army. It is planned that each artillery regiment of the Army will have eight Griffons MEPAC military vehicles. But this must be done in return for the mortars of 120 mm tractés [Mo 120 F1]exchanged to the infantry. But, as Military Zone explains, this is not necessarily synonymous with a reduction in armaments. Quite the contrary. Thales announced on LinkedIn the arrival of a “étape clef” of its 120MC project, with a demonstration and evaluation campaign for the Army.
These new 120 mm mortars developed by Thales have undergone 50 test shots pour “demonstrate their precision, safety and speed of implementation. Thanks to the use of the same tube as the 120 Rayé Tracté mortar, the 120MC offers equivalent performance while providing greater mobility and responsiveness thanks to its integration on a 4×4” light vehicle.we learn from the company. She adds that “The 120MC meets new operational needs by combining firepower, mobility and rapid deployment.”
A global arms race
France therefore continues to develop its military capabilities, in view of the global geopolitical context. It has supported Ukraine in the war which has pitted it against Russia since 2022. The Russian invasion had caused fear of a return to war in Europe. France also accelerated its military investment after Donald Trump’s announcements on the gradual withdrawal of the United States from European safety umbrella. We must also take into account the war in the Middle East, in which France is involved through its alliances with certain countries in the region, such as the United Arab Emirates.
