During the 29th edition of Eurosatory 2026, the international defense industry trade show organized by Coges Events and taking place June 15-19 of this year in Paris-Nord Villepinte near Paris, French companies Renault Group and Thales presented the fruit of their collaboration: a tactical SUV-class vehicle designed for military use, named the VCMR 4 TROOP.
Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
The VCMR (Véhicule Civil Multi-Rôles) 4 TROOP prototype was built on the basis of the civilian Renault Rafale, a D-segment SUV model that debuted in June 2023 and entered production in 2024. The vehicle was militarized using Thales group technologies, such as encrypted tactical communication systems, operational coordination, and AI-based decision support systems previously developed for the SCORPION (Synergie du COntact Renforcée par la Polyvalence et l’InfovalorisatiON) program.
The VCMR 4 TROOP can serve as a mobile command post, a carrier for reconnaissance drones (both aerial and ground-based), a vehicle for troop coordination, escort duties, logistical support, surveillance of sensitive locations and areas, or reconnaissance missions, thanks to its quiet 4×4 hybrid powertrain delivering 300 hp with a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) power system, which increases energy autonomy and can be used to power certain types of electrical equipment in the field.
Interestingly, as part of the 4 TROOP line, the companies are also offering a transport variant based on the Renault Trafic van.
The vehicles offer significant data processing capabilities along with the ability to operate and coordinate unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles in support of a wide range of operational mission profiles. This will provide land forces with a fully functional mobile command center that can be configured to meet the precise requirements of land force missions and ensure effective mission execution capabilities through the Thales digital combat platform.
By combining Renault Group’s expertise in electronic architecture with Thales’s advanced technologies, series production of the vehicles will be possible for rapid deployment at optimal cost. Armed forces will also benefit from Renault Group’s after-sales expertise in vehicle maintenance and technical support throughout their service life, while also reducing their logistical burden.
The combined industrial strength of both companies will allow armed forces to quickly access new capabilities and will guarantee interoperability with existing command systems, supporting maneuvers and operational coordination in land force missions in France and abroad.
The 4 TROOP draws on the core communication capabilities and technological innovations developed by Thales in the field of land force combat collaboration: secure communications, tactical communications, multi-sensor coordination, and operational surveillance and protection. In addition, the Combat Digital Platform and all of Thales’s cybersecure digital solutions are fully compliant with the armed forces’ operational and communication standards, helping ensure rapid and effective deployment of the new vehicles.
Franck Naro, Engineering Vice President – Vehicle Projects & Operations, Renault Group:
“With the VCMR, which draws on the extensive range of Renault Group platforms, we are exploring a pragmatic, sovereign approach to operational mobility to quickly address new armed forces requirements and enhance the ability to anticipate developments and take action in the theatre of operations. Building on tried-and-trusted civil platforms and our industrial production capacity, we are proposing an agile, resilient capability that can be mobilised immediately.”
Christophe Salomon, Executive Vice President, Secure Communications and Information Systems, Thales:
“4 TROOP goes beyond technological enhancements to show how synergy between Thales expertise and onboard digital systems for vehicles can create an innovative and distinctive integrated environment. Building on existing vehicle software solutions and Thales’s digital platforms, 4 TROOP transforms tactical data into an in-depth, actionable understanding of the environment to anticipate developments, decide and act with greater agility, efficiency and security. This innovation clears the way forward to a new generation of dual solutions where data acts as a performance enhancer and force multiplier to support domestic security operations as well as high-intensity combat missions.“