Puma (IFV)

Schützenpanzer Puma
Series Model
Type	Infantry fighting vehicle
Place of origin	Germany
Production history
Unit cost	~$4 million per unit
Specifications
Weight	31.5 tonnes, 43 tonnes maximum weight with add-on armor
Length	7.4 m
Width	3.7 m (uparmored)
Height	3 m
Crew	3 + 6
Armor	modular AMAP composite armour
Main armament	30 mm MK30-2/ABM autocannon 400 rounds
Secondary armament	5.56 mm HK MG4 machine gun 2,000 rounds Spike LR anti-tank guided missile; 6-shot 76 mm grenade launcher
Engine	MTU V10 892 diesel 800 kilowatts (1,100 hp) at 4,250 r/min
Power/weight	25.4 kW/tonne
Suspension	hydropneumatic
Operational range	600 km
Speed	70 km/h

The Puma is a German infantry fighting vehicle (Schützenpanzer or short SPz) designed to replace the aging Marder IFVs currently in service with the Bundeswehr. Replacement began in 2010 and is scheduled for completion by 2020. Mass production began on 6 July 2009. The companies responsibles for this project are Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall Landsysteme, who created a joint venture in the form of a PSM (Project System Management). The Puma is one of the best-protected IFVs, while still having a high power-to-weight ratio. SAIC offered a derivative of the Puma as its contender in the American GCV Infantry Fighting Vehicle program.

The Puma (formerly also named Igel (hedgehog) and Panther) started as a follow-up project to the German mid-1990s "NGP" project (Neue Gepanzerte Plattformen, "New Armored Platforms"). Its aim was to collect ideas for a common base vehicle that could be used for a variety of tasks including that of the APC, IFV, air defense and replacing and assisting the MBT in the frontline combat role. The NGP project was ended in 2001.

The lessons learned were incorporated into the new tactical concept named neuer Schützenpanzer ("new IFV") in 1998. In 2002, the German Army (Heer) placed an order for the delivery of five pre-production vehicles and their logistics and training services at the end of 2004. On 8 November 2007, a budget of €3 billion to acquire 405 Pumas (excluding the five Pumas that had already been delivered to the German Army for trials) was agreed upon.

Other nations pursue similar developments emphasizing commonality, modularity and rapid deployability based on a comparable doctrine which was also a subject of discussion within NATO. Examples of these are the American GCV Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the British FRES and the German-Dutch Boxer MRAV.