Serial start for new PUMA infantry fighting vehicle
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall handed over on December 6th the first two PUMA infantry fighting vehicles to the Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB) in Kassel for verification tests. This marks the start for the contractual delivery of 405 ordered vehicles to the German Armed Forces. The contract with a volume of roughly 3.1 bn € was signed in July 2009. The delivery of the PUMA is a significant milestone for the most important procurement program of the German Army.
"This is a crucial day on the way of introducing the PUMA to the German Armed Forces. We have undergone a challenging period of research and development, pushing the limits of this technology", stated Frank Haun, CEO of KMW and Klaus Eberhardt, CEO of Rheinmetall.
Technology of extremes: lessons learned from current operations
The development of the new infantry fighting vehicle is marked by technological extremes. It will not only be the new transport platform for the German Army but also a cutting-edge technology system. With its unique balance of tactical and strategic mobility, survivability and lethality, the PUMA gives the German Armed Forces a state-of-the-art infantry fighting vehicle systematically tailored to the current and future operational requirements of the German military both at home and abroad. The development achievement was guided by the demand to induce latest mission experience from current operations and to consequently deliver effective mission performance. To that extent this has not been realized in any other infantry fighting vehicle.
The PUMA is scheduled to undergo an intense round of testing and verification. This includes extreme summer and winter trials abroad. The complex preparations are deemed to ensure the smooth introduction of the system to the German Army.
PUMA sets the new standard - maximum protection for the crew, fire power, mobility and networked operations.
No comparable vehicle provides its crew with such a high level of protection from typical conflict zone threats such as landmines, rocket propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices. Well-protected yet light enough to airlift, the PUMA's modularity and expandability make it the perfect tool for international conflict management. The PUMA, whose main armament and ammunition had to be modified to match the altered threat spectrum, represents the ultimate in lethality and survivability .
Today, more than thirty years after Germany first fielded the MARDER, the PUMA is poised to significantly expand the Bundeswehr's capabilities spectrum, providing it with an entirely new category of tactical vehicle. In any international comparison, the PUMA clearly represents the cutting edge in contemporary armoured vehicle technology.
Source: Krauss-Maffei Wegmann
More from Land Warfare
-
Lockheed Martin awarded $2.8 billion THAAD development contract
The contract amount for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System will support its continued development over the next five years, with two options to extend for up to 10 years.
-
Rheinmetall signs $3.2 billion framework agreement for platoon systems
As part of the agreement, Rheinmetall has received an initial contract for 92 platoon systems, consisting of 68 refurbished platoon systems and 24 new systems, worth approximately €417 million (US$432 million).
-
Fourth European country opts for Euro PULS rocket artillery system as Germany signs up
When compared to the German Army’s M270 227mm (12 round) Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), Euro PULS will offer a step change increase in capability to meet the German Army’s Future Long-Range Indirect Fire System.
-
UK and US militaries advance mobile directed energy weapon systems
Recent tests have demonstrated how the UK and US armed forces have been scaling DEWs for mobile field-based operations.