The term military surplus refers to all equipment, vehicles, ammunition and logistics material that the army decides to remove from its inventory and sell off. These transfers may be linked to:
- Regiment reforms: disbanding of units or fleet modernisation
- Equipment replacement: a new model replaces the old one (e.g. the TRM replacing the GBC)
- Budget constraints: reduction of military formats
- International obligations: disarmament treaties
In France, military surplus is managed by the Service du Commissariat des Armées (SCA) and sold at auction or by private treaty to licensed dealers such as Lys Tout Terrain.
These vehicles typically have low mileage, rigorous maintenance to military standards, and are sold at prices well below those of equivalent civilian-market vehicles.
Related terms
réformedémilitarisationSCAarmée française