Showcasing industrial expertise through scale models

Before taking shape in our workshop, a model is first built on the computer. At Promodels, the development of our 1/48-scale Griffon MEPAC gives us the opportunity to share the various stages of its creation. In this first article, we invite you to explore the work done on the 3D files, with a special focus on the vehicle’s interior layout and its 2R2M mortar.

Recreating the shape and refining every detail

Transparent rear three-quarter CAD view of the 1/48 scale Griffon MEPAC, with open roof hatches and a 2R2M mortar.

The wireframe view reveals the many components that make up the design.

At a scale of 1/48, the accuracy of a reproduction relies equally on the correctness of proportions and the fineness of details. 3D conception allows for working on both aspects together, while taking into account the constraints of making a miniature. Each element must find its place and contribute to the consistency of the model.

What motivates us every morning is to find ways to go further in the quality of our models. The Griffon MEPAC is a fine example. Reproducing in miniature equipment designed at full scale is a challenge that we always approach with humility and with respect for the work of engineers and industrialists.

On this project, a large part of our effort focuses on the interior of the vehicle and on the 2R2M mortar. Some details will be barely visible once the model is assembled, but we have chosen to pay close attention to them. Because presenting a model also highlights the skills and expertise of the defense industrial and technological base, the BITD.

The interior of the vehicle at the heart of the project

Elevated rear CAD view of the 1/48 scale Griffon MEPAC, showing the mortar and ammunition in the open compartment.

For this version of the Griffin, we have devoted particular attention to the layout of the combat compartment. Open hatches allow you to see part of it, but our focus also extends to elements that will be less visible once the model is assembled.
Seats, supports, ammunition storage, and equipment arranged around the mortar enhance the reproduction. The digital views presented with certain parts of the bodywork masked allow you to better appreciate this work and understand the interior organization of the vehicle.
These details add depth to the model. They also allow us to recreate what makes the MEPAC unique within the Griffin family: the integration of an artillery system in a compact space.

The 2R2M mortar, a central piece

Isolated CAD view of the 2R2M mortar modeled in 1/48 scale, showing the barrel, mounting and mechanical details.

The 120 mm rifled barrel semi-automatic 2R2M mortar is the main equipment of the MEPAC. Its reproduction therefore plays a crucial role in our development.
Beyond the tube, we have worked on its mount, its mechanical components, and its integration into the combat compartment. The ammunition depicted in the vehicle also forms part of this quest for detail. The view of the mortar alone allows for easier observation of elements that will later be partially obscured by its surroundings.

The MEPAC Griffin in a few words

Perspective technical drawing of the 1/48 scale Griffon MEPAC, showing the outlines of the vehicle, wheels and mortar.Wireframe CAD view of the 1/48 scale Griffon MEPAC, showing overlapping exterior and interior components.

The MEPAC, for Emplaced Mortar for Close Support, is a close support version of the Griffon developed within the SCORPION program by Nexter France, Arquus, and Thales. Designed to gradually replace towed 120 mm mortars, it combines mobility, firepower, and crew protection.
This 6 × 6 armored vehicle weighing 24.5 tons accommodates four soldiers and carries the 2R2M mortar, complemented by a 7.62 mm machine gun on a remotely operated turret. Integrated into the ATLAS fire control chain, it can quickly provide support to engaged units and then move to a new position.
The performance figures communicated by the French Army include a range of up to 8 km, a time of less than 30 seconds to enter firing configuration, and a rate of fire of 12 rounds in 90 seconds. The first unit was delivered on December 19, 2024, with an announced goal of 54 vehicles by the end of 2028.

From the digital file to the first pieces

The illustrations in this article showcase our prototype in development. They demonstrate the progress of the 3D design; some details may still evolve before the final version.
In upcoming articles, we will leave the screen to present the interior and mortar pieces in close-up. You will thus discover how the 3D drawn details take shape at a 1/48 scale, then follow the next steps in the model's realization.
Join us in the birth of the Griffon MEPAC at 1/48, from digital conception to the prototype.

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