Update: Germany orders 50 more Puma IFVs

KMW and Rheinmetall have received an order for 50 more Puma IFVs. (Bundeswehr/Marco Dorow)

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall announced in a joint press release on 15 May that they had been awarded a EUR1.087 billion (USD1.18 billion) contract by Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr: BAAINBw) for 50 more Puma infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).

The announcement came five days after the budget committee of the Bundestag, the German parliament, approved the procurement of the 50 Pumas on 10 May, with an option for an additional 179 IFVs. The procurement – which also includes spare parts, special tools, and eight Multirole-capable Light Missile System (Mehrrollenfähiges leichtes Lenkflugkörper-System: MELLS, the Bundeswehr's designation for Spike LR) flight-phase simulators – will be financed by the German Army's share of the EUR100 billion (USD109 billion) Zeitenwende special fund approved after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The prime contractor is KMW-Rheinmetall 50:50 joint venture Projekt System & Management GmbH (PSM). KMW will earn EUR574 million of the contract value and Rheinmetall Landsysteme EUR501 million.

In addition to the possibility to call off more Pumas, the contract includes options for additional driver training vehicles and the integration of a turret-independent secondary weapon system (turmunabhängige sekundärwaffenanlage: TSWA). Deliveries are planned between December 2025 and the beginning of 2027.

The German MoD said the Bundeswehr would have over 400 Pumas by around 2030. The first batch of 342 Puma IFVs and eight driver training versions has been delivered to the Bundeswehr.