Defense News ,Germany :-
Rheinmetall, a prominent arms manufacturer, has inked a significant
deal worth 350 million euros ($381 million) with the German Armed Forces
to manufacture medium-caliber ammunition for the Puma infantry fighting
vehicle (IFV).
Under this agreement, Rheinmetall will supply
hundreds of thousands of units of 30mm x 173 DM21 service ammunition for
the Puma tanks. The delivery of these ammunition units is anticipated
to span from the current year through 2027.
These munitions will
be integrated with the Puma vehicles' MK30-2/ABM cannon, another product
of Rheinmetall, specifically designed for firing airburst ammunition.
The accord follows the awarding of a substantial procurement contract in 2022.
In
terms of armament for the Puma, Rheinmetall specializes in two primary
types of 30mm ammunition, emphasizing lethality and armor penetration.
The KETF DM21 airburst ammunition is adept at engaging larger soft and
semi-hard targets, while the KE DM33 armor-piercing variant excels in
penetrating modern armor, even at extended ranges.
Rheinmetall
notes, "Thanks to these two types of service ammunition, the Puma can
successfully take on a wide spectrum of armoured, semi-hard, soft point,
and area targets."
The Puma IFV, designed to replace Germany's
aging Marder IFVs, is a heavily fortified tank with a top speed of 70
kilometers (43 miles) per hour. It boasts advanced features such as two
optronic imaging displays, four rear-mounted cameras along with a
reversing camera, a 360-degree periscope, and an open-hatch view to
optimize situational awareness.
In the backdrop of Germany's
approval of a 1.5 billion-euro ($1.7 billion) order for 50 Puma IFVs
last year, aimed at facilitating the transition of older Marder tanks to
Ukraine, a recent announcement revealed a temporary pause in the
acquisition of new tanks. This decision came in the aftermath of a
substantial breakdown involving 18 units during a military exercise.
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