France orders 17 Saab Giraffe 1X radars to bolster air defense and counter-drone capability

France’s defense procurement agency, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), has signed a joint contract with Saab and Scania France for the supply of 17 Giraffe 1X radars, 16 of which will be integrated onto Scania V3P tactical vehicles for the French Armed Forces. The deal was announced by Saab on May 18, 2026.

One radar will be used for testing and evaluation, while the other 16 systems will be mounted on the V3P chassis, a tactical truck developed by Scania France and its Scania Public and Defense (SPAD) division in Angers. The contract also covers spare parts, training, and support, and is being executed through a joint consortium grouping the two manufacturers. Deliveries are scheduled between 2026 and 2027.

“We are proud to work together with Scania France on this important contract, with the aim of modernizing the short and very short-range air defense capabilities for the French Armed Forces,” said Carl-Johan Bergholm, head of Saab’s Surveillance business area.

A software-defined radar for layered air defense

The Giraffe 1X is a compact 3D surveillance radar designed for air defense, counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), site protection, and naval applications. The system is software-based, which Saab says allows continuous upgrades as new threats emerge.

The radar is already in service or under contract with several operators. Sweden folded additional Giraffe 1X units into its SEK 8.7 billion GUTE II counter-drone package announced on April 2, 2026, alongside contracts with BAE Systems Bofors, Nammo, and SISU.

Saab reported in its Q1 2026 results that Giraffe 1X is now partly being built on speculation to meet urgent customer demand, with the group targeting eventual annual output of more than 300 systems.

(Credit: Saab)Mounting onto the V3P chassis

The Scania V3P, industrialized at Scania Production Angers, is the same 4×4 chassis selected by the French Army for the Vampire mobile short-range air defense vehicle, which integrates the PAMELA launcher and the MBDA Mistral 3 missile. The platform was chosen to replace aging VLRA and TRM 2000 trucks supporting SHORAD units, with a focus on light, air-transportable carriers for the army’s mountain troops and special forces.

The Giraffe 1X radar will operate as part of a distributed SHORAD architecture alongside the French Army’s other short-range systems. Artillery regiments will field one section each of the Proteus 20mm cannon system, while specialized air defense units and the 54th Artillery Regiment will receive additional Proteus batteries and Vampire Mistral launchers. The Giraffe 1X on V3P will provide the detection layer for this layered defense, though the separation of radar, cannon, and missile across three distinct platforms represents a fragmented approach compared to integrated systems fielded by other European armies.

The Giraffe 1X order fits the trajectory set out in France’s 2025 National Strategic Review, which called for reinforcing anti-drone systems and ground-based air defense in response to the proliferation of loitering munitions and small UAVs observed in Ukraine.

The contract extends Saab’s growing footprint in France. The Swedish group signed a $1.3 billion contract with the DGA in December 2025 for two Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft, with an option for two more, and was reportedly selected by NATO in April 2026 to replace the alliance’s Boeing E-3A Sentry AWACS fleet.The post France orders 17 Saab Giraffe 1X radars to bolster air defense and counter-drone capability appeared first on AeroTime.

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