Germany to Integrate Spike Missile on its Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle

[Metallic]

Germany's Federal Agency for Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) has placed an order with PSM GmbH of Kassel for a major expansion of the Bundeswehr's new infantry fighting vehicle, the Puma. The D�sseldorf-based Rheinmetall Group has a 50% stake in PSM, the company in charge of the Puma project.

The order for integration of the multiple role lightweight guided missile system (MELLS) is worth approximately €68 million.

Equipping the Puma with this state-of-the-art guided missile system constitutes an important milestone in the overall programme, as well as underscoring the significance of this procurement project for the Bundeswehr.

The MELLS adds a necessary dimension to the Puma's capabilities profile, enabling it to perform the full range of missions for which it was originally intended. The system is part of an equipment package that encompasses an array of additional capabilities requested by the military but not yet contractually agreed.

The heart of the MELLS system is the Spike guided missile from Eurospike GmbH, another company in which Rheinmetall holds a 50% share. Procurement of the Puma in series should commence this year, and a series order for MELLS integration in every vehicle can now be expected as well.

The integration project involves mounting a launcher for two missiles in the vehicle turret. The Spike guided missile selected here is equipped with an optronic sensor head that transmits imagery via a fibre optic cable to the Puma fighting compartment, where it is displayed on a computer monitor. It can be controlled via the user interface of the Puma's fire control unit. This will enable Germany's new infantry fighting vehicle to engage heavily armoured enemy ground targets and helicopters as well as countering threats behind cover. In addition to the autonomous target tracking capability of the missile itself, the Puma crew can take over control of the missile when it is in flight, e.g. in order to switch to a higher priority target.

The SPIKE Family of Missiles

The SPIKE Family of Missiles is a unique concept of products that fulfills a wide range of operational needs. Characterized by an extremely high technical commonality of the various missiles and launch mechanisms, the SPIKE system offers very low life-cycle costs. SPIKE missiles have become an indispensable weapon for modern armed forces, ranging from infantry and army aviation to naval defence forces.

Missiles:

The SPIKE Family of Missiles, the most advanced anti-armour/multi-purpose missile system available today, covers ranges between 200m and 8,000m in three types of missiles (SPIKE-MR, LR and ER). These systems have several unique features and unsurpassed performance for the modern battlefield and military operations in urban terrain (MOUT).

Main features:

Electro-optical guidance system with fiber-optic data link Multi purpose high lethality warheads Light weight Low LCC

Launchers:

The SPIKE missiles can be launched from a large variety of launch platforms. EuroSpike offers intelligent and affordable solutions.

SPIKE Medium Range (MR):

*Range: 200-2500m
*VIS (CCD), IIR or Dual (CCD/IIR) Sensor
*Fire & Forget
*Lightweight

SPIKE Long Range (LR):

*Fire & Forget Plus
*Plus: Fiber-optics communication
*Plus: Increased range: 200 to 4000m
*Plus: Advanced Capabilities

*Advanced Capabilities
*Reverse slope NLOS capability
*Alternate target capability
*Pinpoint “surgical” operation - Minimum collateral damage
*Real time surveillance
*Damage assessment
*Ability to take cover after launch

SPIKE Extended Range (ER):

*Extended Range Missile System for Multi-Platform Installation
*VIS (CCD) or Dual (CCD/IIR) Sensor
*Extended range: 400m - 8,000m
*Modes of Operation:
- Fire & Forget
- Fire, Observe & Update
- Manual
*Fiber-optic data link


EuroSpike GmbH is an incorporated joint venture founded by Diehl BGT Defence GmbH & Co. KG (Überlingen, Germany), Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH (Bremen, Germany) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. (Haifa, Israel). The three founding corporate members established EuroSpike GmbH in 2004 after many years of successful collaboration, involving several European contracts in the development, delivery and support of the SPIKE Weapon System.

 

[Kansu]

As far as i remember this Puma was a very expensive vehicle.(7.4 M Euro per vehicle)but it is a very effective vehicle.it has a C class protection and it is around 43 Tons.i would wanna see her in action...
No suspect that these Spikes improved her effectiveness.i think we need to talk more over this vehicle and these systems.because it can be the reflection of the revolution in German army's doctrines.
You know,in present day and in near future,asymmetric threats will be a more important issue for states.and germans doesnt have to face with a soviet threat anymore since the fall of soviets and the membership of Poland to EU.the new spearhead is Poland against russia
for this reason they may not need heavy panzers anymore.

 

[Metallic]

The Puma, being developed by the PSM consortium, will be the German Army's new tracked infantry fighting vehicle. The Puma will be armed with a remote weapon station, which is fitted with a dual feed Mauser 30mm MK 30-2 cannon. The Mauser MK 30-2, which is in production for the Spanish Pizarro and Austrian Ulan IFV, has a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute.


The MK 30-2 cannon also fires the FAPIDS-T (frangible armour-piercing incendiary discarding sabot - tracer) round that is deployed against hard and soft targets.

A new round, the 30mm air burst munition (ABM) by RWM Schweiz AG is undergoing qualification trials with the German Army for use on the Puma.

The ABM round (173mm long, 30mm diameter) contains an electronic timer, an ejection charge and 135 cylinder-shaped tungsten alloy bars or projectiles. The electronic timer is programmed by inductive coupling through a device installed in the muzzle of the cannon. The timer initiates the ejection charge which releases and disperses the tungsten projectiles before impact with the target.

Eurospike is offering the Spike-LR fire-and-forget anti-tank missile for the German Army requirement for a guided missile system to arm the Puma armoured vehicle.

The 30mm Air Burst Munition (ABM) from Oerlikon Contraves Pyrotec has been developed for the German Army. The ABM round contains an electronic timer, an ejection charge and 135 cylinder-shaped tungsten projectiles. The MK 30-2 cannon also fires the FAPIDS-T (frangible armour-piercing incendiary discarding sabot - tracer) round that is deployed against hard and soft targets.


The ABM is effective against a wide spectrum of threats including infantry fighting vehicles, field fortifications containing antitank guided missile systems and helicopters.
Cross section of the ABM ammunition:


Self protection
In August 2006, EADS Defence Electronics was awarded a contract for the MUSS Multifunctional Self-Protection System for the Puma vehicles. MUSS consists of a missile warner with ultraviolet sensor (based on the EADS MILDS airborne missile warner), laser warner, central computer and electronic / pyrotechnic countermeasures.

MUSS can handle four threats simultaneously and is effective in 360° azimuth and 70° elevation.

Armour variants
The vehicle is built with the option of three levels of protection to suit the operational requirements. The versions weigh 29.4t, 31.45t and 43t.

The basic level 1, 29.4t, version provides protection against explosively formed projectile (EFP) mines, top attack artillery projectiles and has all round protection against 14.5mm kinetic energy rounds and RPG-7 rocket propelled grenades.

The front and flank of the vehicle are fitted with a higher level of protection against 30mm kinetic energy rounds.

Level A has been selected as the baseline armour protection for the Puma IFV for the German Army. Level A gives all round protection against 14.5mm machine gun rounds and artillery fragments. The front and flank are protected against 30mm cannon rounds. The front armour protects against hollow charge rounds. The vehicle is also protected against 10kg blast and EFP mines. The German Army Puma with level A protection has a combat weight of 31.45t and is air transportable in the A400M aircraft.

Additional armour modules can be fitted to the hull and turret to provide level C protection. With level C armour protection the combat weight is increased to 43t. It would be necessary to deploy four A400M transporters to carry three Puma infantry fighting vehicles fitted with level C armour protection, the fourth aircraft lifting the additional modular armour fits.