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Puma infantry fighting vehicle in the Lüneburg Heath: sold to the German armed forces
Photo: Holger Hollemann/ picture alliance/dpa
The armaments group Rheinmetall expects to sell more than 100 units of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle to the Bundeswehr.
"Yesterday the decision was made in the ministry that 111 Pumas will undoubtedly be ordered," said CEO Armin Papperger.
“Contract negotiations will start next week.” He assumes that a final contract will then be in place in September.
The Puma is one of the main vehicles manufactured by the military technology manufacturer Rheinmetall in the southern Lüneburg Heath.
There was no confirmation from the Ministry of Defense for a specific number.
In general, a decision was only made about the procurement of additional copies, said a spokeswoman.
She referred to a daily order from Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) and Inspector General Eberhard Zorn on changes in the land forces.
"The decision on the Puma weapon system was also made in this context," she said.
»But nothing can be said about the number at the moment.
This will only be decided once the structure of the army has been determined.«
Russia's war against Ukraine means that spending on modernizing the Bundeswehr will be increased enormously in the coming years.
Rheinmetall originally wanted to sell more than 111 Puma infantry fighting vehicles to the defense department, but the company expects numerous other deals in the near future due to the international security situation.
Ring exchange in support of Ukraine
The group is currently modernizing more than two dozen Marder armored personnel carriers for a possible ring exchange in support of Ukraine.
A company spokesman said that 30 units had already been “worked on” in order to prepare them for the hoped-for sales.
A total of around 100 pieces could be »prepared relatively easily«.
The aim is therefore to hand over the Type 1A3 armored personnel carriers from the 1970s and 1980s to other countries, which in turn could then supply their own armaments to the Ukrainian armed forces.
Rheinmetall also wants to resell up to 88 older versions of the Leopard 1 main battle tank.
A spokesman said that because large parts of politics in the current war situation advocated exports of older military equipment to allied states, one is confident that the Federal Security Council would allow the business.
rai/dpa
