France taps KNDS France and Safran for DROIDE framework

France’s General Directorate for Armaments (DGA) has announced the DROIDE framework agreement with KNDS France and Safran Electronics & Defense to develop and explore the technologies needed for land robotic combat vehicles (RCV), according to a 7th February press release from the country’s MoD.

The agreement was signed on the 30th December and will last for seven years, enabling the French armed forces to meet their needs for land-based RCVs in the 2030 – 2035 period. The  DROIDE framework is expected to mature the technologies needed for RCVs and lead to an RCV demonstrator capable of multiple missions. The agreement also has the scope to include third parties with relevant innovations and technologies.

Building RCVs for land operations is a complex challenge requiring a lot of different sensors such as radar, LiDAR, and computer vision that are critical for the RCV to navigate challenging terrain. Some elements can be achieved through terrain mapping and GPS, however, changes to the terrain necessitate a responsive vehicle that can adjust its movements and approach based on what it senses around it. 

KNDS has a number of RCVs within its product suite that could inform the the DROIDE framework, including the tracked OPTIO and wheeled CENTURIO, both of which have been shown armed with 20 mm and 30 mm cannons respectively. The company is also working on a robotic combat version of the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), which could potentially lead to a remotely operated main battle tank.

Calibre comment

There are other challenges outside of the purely technical, primarily relating to the way that RCVs are used and the roles that they can usefully perform. One, which is arguably very valid, is reconnaissance by force. One industry source suggested that reconnaissance by force with human personnel would be irresponsible in modern warfare. This is because reconnaissance by force typically involves deliberately attacking the enemy with the goal of forcing them to respond and gaining an understanding of their disposition through the response. Doing this with personnel is likely to lead to heavy losses, especially if an opponent also has autonomous and remotely operated platforms, so using heavily armed RCVs to lead the way without risking personnel seems like a strong use case for them. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 10th February 2025.