Ireland is expected to acquire a number of the vehicles under a deal with French military suppliers. The new vehicles will replace the Defence Forces’ ageing fleet of 80 Swiss-made Mowag armoured personnel carriers (APCs). The vehicles themselves are manufactured by the French defence giants Thales and KNDS. It will involve purchasing a family of vehicles developed under France’s Scorpion Programme, which was launched in 2014 to modernise the French armoured fleet. The Defence Forces will also acquire the MEPAC, a derivate of the Griffon capable of firing 120mm mortars.

Source: The Irish Times February 24, 2026 15:58 UTC