On February 6, 2025, the Israeli company Elbit Systems announced the conclusion, together with the German branch of the KNDS association (KNDS Deutschland), of a contract with the German Federal defense procurement agency Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), for the supply of five combat vehicles to the German armed forces of the Elbit Systems ground-based modular multi-caliber missile system PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System). The contract value is about 57 million dollars. The purchase will be carried out within the framework of a joint agreement between the governments of Germany, the Netherlands and Israel, since the Netherlands in May 2023 already concluded an intergovernmental agreement on the acquisition of 20 combat vehicles of the PULS complex.
A demonstrator of a combat vehicle of the EuroPULS ground-based missile system designed for the German Armed Forces on an Iveco Trakker FSA 8x8 armored vehicle chassis (GTF ZLK 15t) (c) defence-industry.eu
According to the report, the contract includes the adaptation of the complex to German requirements, including integration with German communication and control systems. All five supplied PULS combat vehicles will undergo a test program by BAAINBw and the German Bundeswehr for approval for subsequent purchases of this complex. According to a number of reports, these five machines should be delivered to Germany as early as 2025. Previously, German combat vehicles should be made on an Iveco Trakker FSA 8x8 armored vehicle chassis (GTF ZLK 15t) and will have a combat weight of 33.5 tons. The vehicles will be equipped with their own crane for self-recharging of rocket modules.
The PULS complex was selected by the German Ministry of Defense as part of the Zukünftige System Indirektes Feuer grosse Reichweite program (ZukSysIndFgRw, "Advanced long-range closed-position Destruction System") to replace the American modified M270 MLRS (MARS-II) MLRS systems in service with the Bundeswehr. The purchase of the first five PULS combat vehicles as prototypes under this program was approved by the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag in December 2024. 65 million euros were formally allocated to replace the five MARS-II MLRS combat vehicles previously transferred to Ukraine from the German army.
Upon completion of testing, it is planned to purchase for Germany, starting approximately in 2028, combat vehicles of the complex in the EuroPULS serial configuration, which will be jointly produced by KNDS Deutschland and Elbit Systems. The EuroPULS concept has been promoted on the European market since the end of 2022 by Elbit Systems in partnership with KNDS Deutschland (formerly KMW - Krauss-Maffei Wegmann) as a proposal for next-generation European long-range rocket artillery in the form of a successor MLRS system in European NATO countries, primarily for the German armed forces. It is planned to create a joint venture between KNDS and Elbit Systems with headquarters in Germany for production. In September 2024, the German company Diehl Defense signed an agreement with Elbit Systems on the joint development and production of advanced types of missile weapons that can be integrated into EuroPULS. Previously, Diehl Defense was the lead contractor for the production of MLRS missiles in Europe.
The PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) multipurpose multi-caliber rocket system developed and manufactured by Elbit Systems is actually a rebranding of the system formerly known as Lynx. The PULS complex can use 122-mm and 160-mm unguided and guided missiles, 306-mm guided precision-guided EXTRA missiles, 370-mm guided Predator Hawk missiles, Delilah cruise missiles, as well as SkyStriker barrage ammunition. KNDS Deutschland also offers the integration of Kongsberg NSM and Saab RBS-15 anti-ship missiles and the advanced MBDA Joint Fire Support Missile (JFS-M) land-based cruise missile into the EuroPULS complex, as well as the development (under the leadership of Diehl Defense) of a new missile for remote mining with AT2 anti-tank mines.
Theoretically, the PULS complex is also capable of using standard missiles of the American MLRS and HIMARS missile systems, but this will require the conclusion of licensing agreements with Lockheed Martin and the US government. In 2024, the German Ministry of Defense announced that it was negotiating with the United States on the possibility of using 227-mm GMLRS guided missiles as part of EuroPULS, and that "during discussions between the heads of armaments of Germany and the United States, a principled willingness to do so was expressed," but there was no information about specific solutions yet.
The multi-purpose launcher of the PULS complex (EuroPULS) can be carried out on various chassis and has two transport and launch containers, each of which can accommodate 18 122 mm Accular missiles with a range of up to 35 km, or ten 160 mm Accular missiles with a range of up to 40 km, or four EXTRA missiles with a range of up to 150 km., or two Predator Hawk missiles with a range of up to 300 km, or six SkyStriker barrage ammunition.
By now, the PULS complex has already been in service with the Israeli Ground forces (under the name Lahav) since the beginning of 2024 and has been contracted, in addition to the aforementioned contract with Germany, also by Denmark (eight combat vehicles on the Tatra T815 6x6 chassis), the Netherlands (20 combat vehicles on the Scania Gryphus 8x8 chassis), Spain (16 combat vehicles on the ASTRA SM 88.45 8x8 chassis), Serbia, and two undisclosed customers (one of which may be Thailand, where this complex was exhibited in a "localized" version under the designation D-11). The pre-purchase of PULS complexes has also been approved by Greece.
A demonstrator of a combat vehicle of the EuroPULS ground-based missile system designed for the German Armed Forces on an Iveco Trakker FSA 8x8 armored vehicle chassis (GTF ZLK 15t) with a mock-up of a promising MBDA Joint Fire Support Missile (JFS-M) (c) hartpunkt / Lars Hoffmann
A model of a combat vehicle of the EuroPULS ground-based missile system designed for the German Armed Forces on an Iveco Trakker FSA 8x8 armored vehicle chassis (GTF ZLK 15t) with a demonstration of reloading missile modules with its own crane (c) www.edrmagazine.eu
