Projekt System & Management has received a 770-million euro ($844 million) contract to upgrade 143 German Puma infantry fighting vehicles.
The agreement with the Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann joint venture builds on a $1.2 billion award signed last year to convert 154 original Puma variants to the new S1 standard.
The retrofit involves adding MELLS multirole-capable lightweight guided missile systems, high-resolution day/night cameras, and digital radio equipment.
Overall work for the program is expected to be completed by 2029.
Halt in Puma Procurement
Last year, Germany paused further procurements of Puma vehicles after issues were discovered during trials for an upcoming NATO joint task force exercise.
An investigation found that 18 of 42 vehicles suffered problems.
According to Berlin, a “damage assessment” was carried out to address the setback.
German Infantry Fleet Progress
In 2021, the German Army announced the operational capability of its System Panzergrenadier.
The mechanized infantry system links Puma digitized platforms with the digital radios of dismounted soldiers.
The following year, Rheinmetall was contracted to supply automatic cannon ammunition for Germany’s Puma fleet.
The $605 million contract sought more than 600,000 rounds of DM21 30-millimeter x 173 medium-caliber automatic cannon cartridges. About 25,000 rounds of the order were delivered in January.