The Puma has a baseline weight of 31.45 tons, allowing it to be lifted by an Airbus A400M transport, according to IHS Jane. When fitted with its armor package, the vehicle weighs up to 43 tons. The vehicle is also equipped with a remote-controlled turret (RCT) armed with a 30 mm Mauser MK 30-2 cannon, and a 5.56 mm MG4 co-axial machine gun.
These weapons are operated by a computerized day/night fire control system that enables the vehicle to target both stationary and moving targets.
Having already undergone several changes, the Puma AIFV is set to replace the current Rheinmetall Landsysteme Marder 1 IFV, adopted by the Bundeswehr in 1971 and constantly upgraded since.
The vehicles will be delivered to the Munster Training Center Projekt System & Management (PSM), where they will be fitted with equipment before being transferred to troops for a three-month training period. The troops will then return to their home bases with the vehicles and proceed to train the remaining Puma crew.
PSM was awarded the original Puma contract in 2004, with a total of $4.9 billion, or EUR 4.3 billion, and will continue to manage the vehicles’ logistics and maintenance along with the Bundeswehr. The original plan included the delivery of 405 Pumas, however the number has been reduced to 305, including eight driver training vehicles. The full delivery is expected to be complete by 2020.
