German Puma BMP will become the most high-tech in the world. Yesterday, June 29, the portal defenseworld.net he reported that the Bundeswehr had ordered Rheinmetall to modernize the first batch of these machines.
Under the contract worth over a billion euros, 154 Puma BMP will be upgraded to the S1 level. In the future, it is planned to update the remaining 143 machines. Thus, only IFVs used for crew training will not be upgraded.
Tests of the Puma BMP
The Bundeswehr is already updating the Puma BMP for the Panzergrenadierbataillon 112 unit, which will become part of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) by 2023. The new contracts will allow the digitization of all new German infantry fighting vehicles, which will make them the world's first fully digitized fleet of infantry fighting vehicles.
Upgrading to the Puma S1 level will allow the crews to use the Spike ATGM. In the service of the Bundeswehr, they are listed as MELLS (Mehrrollenfähige Leichte Lenkflugköperspersystem). All electronic systems will undergo significant changes — in particular, the crews will be able to see "through the armor" thanks to the new all-round viewing system, which also includes thermal imaging cameras.