Germany moves to upgrade Puma armoured vehicles as additional procurement remains on hold
The Puma programme has suffered some major setbacks in recent months but the latest upgrade contract may unlock future procurement efforts. (Photo: PSM)
Germany is spending €770 million to bring all its Puma infantry fighting vehicle inventory up to a uniform S1 design standard by 2029.
Germany’s BAAINBw defence procurement agency has awarded Projekt System & Management (PSM), a JV of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, a contract to retrofit a further 143 Puma infantry fighting vehicles.
This represents the exercise of two options contained in a 2021 contract for bringing original-configuration Pumas to the S1 design standard.
The order is worth around €770 million and means that all Pumas in Germany’s inventory be in S1 configuration by 2029. The refit includes integration of high-resolution day and night camera systems, the MELLS lightweight guided missile system and digital radio equipment.
Shephard Defence Insight Land Analyst Sam Hart commented: ‘The German government’s decision comes at a critical moment for PSM. As Berlin begins to distribute its €100 billion ($109.6 billion) ‘special fund’ for defence procurement, the allocation of $844.4 million will undoubtedly serve as a stop-gap for the publicly flailing Puma IFV programme.
‘Now more in the public eye than ever, the future of Germany’s $6 million IFV appears temporarily supported. As the final 143 Pumas are upgraded to the new S1 status, PSM looks to have been afforded a second chance to prove their ongoing efficacy, potentially paving the way for the resumption of $1.7 billion worth of currently halted Puma procurement efforts.’
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