PSM details Puma AIFV upgradesThe German Army’s Puma armoured infantry fighting vehicle (AIFV) will be upgraded in two key steps that Projekt System & Management GmbH (PSM) calls Puma S1 and Puma S2.
PSM is a joint venture of Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann.
Puma S1 covers command-and-control, situational awareness, and enhanced anti-tank capability; S2 adds a killer-killer capability.
For S1, the Puma’s open electronic architecture will allow a PRC117 satellite embedded radio system to be installed, as well as the latest software designed radios that, according to PSM, will “enable more effective communication during joint task force operations”.
Situational awareness is to be improved by replacing current black-and-white cameras with thermal and colour cameras to provide an all-weather capability with information displayed at the commander’s, gunner’s, and driver’s stations, as well as on screens for the dismounts.
An additional improvement for the 360° situational awareness system is to incorporate fuzed-image technology so that “every member of the crew is actively involved in reconnaissance tasks when mounted”, the company said.
The driver also has a new day/night front and rear thermal camera system.
The S1 firepower upgrade is designed to enable Puma to engage main battle tanks (MBTs) and other targets at long range. Accordingly, a twin launcher for the EuroSpike Long Range anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) LR1 will be integrated externally on the turret’s left side. This was fully qualified over a two-year period under a EUR68 million (USD79.4 million) contract, with the system installed on two of the original series production Puma AIFVs.
Targets can be engaged with EuroSpike LR1 by the commander or gunner using their standard control handles and the already installed monitor systems.
http://www.janes.com/article/81771/psm-details-puma-aifv-upgrades
