Arquus is proud to present its jewel, the Scarabee, for the very first time abroad atIDEX 2021. Arquus’ most advanced vehicle, it incorporates the most modern andinnovative technologies developed by the company, including hybrid drive, energymanagement, suspension height adjustment, independent rear steering axle, amongmany others.
Built on the decades of experience designing light armored and reconnaissancevehicles, such as the AMD, the AML, the EBR or the VBL, the Scarabee has beenprecisely crafted to combine protection, stealth and high mobility. It has beenspecifically thought to answer the needs of the armies as well as the needs of thecrews on the field. Light, compact, fast, stealthy and very well protected for its class,the Scarabee is a difficult vehicle to spot, to acquire, to lock and to hit.
Very first modern hybrid-drive armored vehicle, the Scarabee is a true revolution inthe way reconnaissance missions are envisioned and conducted. Starting at IDEX2021, the Scarabee is now available in three different versions and ready for action.
In Abu Dhabi, the Scarabee is presented in its PATSAS (Patrol SAS)version, specifically thought for the needs of Special Forces units, and equippedwith a Hornet RCWS fitted with a 12.7mm machine gun. In its Reconnaissance version, theScarabee brings superior firepower on the battlefield thanks to its 30mm cannon, effectivelycombining stealth and offensive capabilities. The third version is aimed at Security, Counter-Terrorist and urban operations units. It carries three operators and is natively fittedwith Arquus’ Battlenet BMS for increased performance while in action.
These three versions are all built on a same base to allow for commonality, maintenanceoptimization and reduced cost of ownership.
Very first modern hybrid-drive military vehicle, the Scarabee has been designed to redefinethe standards for reconnaissance and light armored vehicles. Comparable in size to a VB2L,the Scarabee is a compact and nimble vehicle, hard to detect and acquire. It is able to hideor take cover behind the smallest obstacles, allowing optimal discretion in front of the enemylines. With its 8T GVWR and its compact size, it can be transported under slung byhelicopter and is C130 compatible. It can therefore be quickly deployed wherever it may beneeded.
The Scarabee can adjust its ground clearance at all times: a higher level is designed for off-roading and obstacle crossing, the lower one is for transport, air drop, and to further enhancestealth while in a firing or observation position. It is equipped with independent steering rearwheels, allowing very short U-turns (as tight as 11m) in compartmentalized environmentssuch as woods or urban zones. Such features also allow for crab-like movements, with therear axle parallel to the front while turning. That unique capability allows to surge from coverand back without having to manoeuver, or to keep facing the enemy when moving to hisside.
The rear-wheel steering function is controlled by a CAN bus and associated with the electro/hydraulic management of the vehicle’s ground clearance by a suspension that adjusts thevehicle measuring attitude and the management of the detachable anti-roll bars. A hydrauliccylinder, fitted with integrated sensors, controls the movements of the rear undercarriage.The design of this function is the property of Arquus.
With its 300hp V6 diesel engine, the Scarabee benefits from an exceptional power-to-weightratio of 40hp per ton, allowing very high speeds in all conditions (up to 130km/h), as well asexceptional acceleration capabilities, thanks to its high travel innovative suspension system.
The V6 engine, due to its construction and its location at the rear of the vehicle, allows veryquiet operation in hybrid mode.
The Scarabee was presented publicly for the first time in its all-electric mode in October2020 during the Arquus Days in Satory, France. Thanks to its 70kW hybrid engine,the Scarabee offers the stealthiest acoustic footprint on the market when in 100% electricmode. Its high-capacity (12kWh) li-ion batteries enable the Scarabee to travel the lastkilometers to target silently and get as close as needed to the enemy without gettingdetected, both for reconnaissance and attack purposes.
They also allow for very long, silent watches with all systems on, including airconditioning. The Scarabee is thus able to approach, observe, analyze, and get back tosafety before transmitting its reports to the commanding unit without starting the Dieselengine. These new capabilities completely redefine reconnaissance missions.
The Scarabee’s very efficient electric machine also means that the batteries can berecharged very quickly with the thermal engine running idle with very little noise. The highlevel of energy available also allows the use of very power-consuming systems, such asdrones, laser designation systems, short range anti drone laser, radar, electronic warfaresystems or countermeasures. This power production and storage capacity will also enableinstalling the equipment of tomorrow, thus guaranteeing a long life in service.
If needed, the parallel hybrid drive also allows the combination of power of both engines in“boost mode” to accelerate even faster to avoid an immediate threat, to get to the objectiveor to bypass an enemy position. The electric machine then offers a 100HP boost to theinternal combustion engine making this 8-ton light armored vehicle one of the fastest in themarket. The choice of a hybrid system also reduces the fuel consumption and reduces theneed for logistics and maintenance. It offers redundancy, increasing survivability if one ofthe engines is hit.
The Scarabee comes with a very high-level ballistic protection for its class. The vehicle isbuilt around a survivability cell designed for the protection of the crew against allthreats. The Scarabee’s interior space is specifically designed to optimize communicationand collaboration within the crew. Depending on the version, the Scarabee canaccommodate 3 or 4 crew members, all able to communicate efficiently with each other,through voice or through the built-in intercoms.
The pilot is seated in a forward position to allow for exceptional, 200° visibility, enablingprecise and accurate spotting of the surroundings, especially against IEDs. Visibility is evengreater with a combat system such as the Hornet RCWS, which enables monitoring theenvironment with the highest accuracy both during the day and the night.
The Scarabee is also designed to accommodate the most advanced C4ISR systems,allowing perfect integration into any combat unit or battle team. Designed as a combatvehicle, the Scarabee can load a complete array of weapons. These systems range fromsmall-caliber RCWS to 40mm grenade launchers and all generations of missiles, from theMilan ATGM to the Missile Moyenne Portée, its state-of-the-art successor. It isspecifically optimized to carry a Hornet range RCWS.
The Hornet RCWS is equipped with superior ballistic protection andan automatic smoke grenade launcher mounted on an independent ring. With the additionof a gunfire locator, the Hornet can automatically turn and face the threat, while alsoengaging the smoke protection, when the Scarabee is illuminated by a laser rangefinder ora beam rider. As the weapon axis and the smoke grenade axis are independent, the gunnercan keep the weapon focused on the tactical mission underway.
With the Scarabee, Arquus can offer a full package including thevehicle, Arquus’ Battlenet BMS and a Hornet RCWS, as a complete weapon system withunmatched capabilities.
The Scarabee offers unmatched versatility, making it the perfect tool for missions such asreconnaissance, tank guidance, hunter-killer, light cavalry, quick response force, anti-tank,fire support, urban combat, and Special Forces.
Light, compact but highly protected thanks to new materials and assemblytechniques, Scarabee offers great firepower while keeping a prominent visual and acousticstealth. Easy to steer thanks to its central driving position, its large field of vision, its variableground clearance, and its independent rear axle, Scarabee will quickly and discreetly bringthe firepower you need. This concept car, developed on own funds, allows ARQUUS to testthe technology of tomorrow in real life.
ARQUUS is a French Defense company, leader of land mobility solutions. Historical partner of the armies, Arquus has more than 25,000 vehiclescurrently in service in the French Army. Arquus takes part in the design and production of thenew combat vehicles of the French Army, the VBMR GRIFFON and the EBRC JAGUAR, in the framework of a short-term consortium with Nexter andThales.
Conceptor of worldwide famousvehicles such as the VAB, the VBL, the Bastion and the Sherpa, Arquus is a partner to more than 60 armies globally. Thanks to its own research facilitiesand the support of the Volvo Group, Arquus constantly innovates on own equity, notably in the fields of energy, automation and systems integration.To optimize the fleets’ life cycle, Arquus offers complete and innovative support offers and capabilities, such as HUMS, virtual reality and additivemanufacturing.
