The German armed forces have reported that its latest version of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle just hit a major milestone.

On Thursday, Christian Thiels announced on its Twitter account that German Land Forces reporting that Puma infantry fighting vehicle in Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF)-version officially ready for battle.

“The integrated system ‘mechanized infantry’ has undergone significant upgrades and got rid of several flaws in the last months,” the message added.

The latest upgrade links the Puma to the German Army’s Infanterist der Zukunft – Erweitertes System (Future Soldier – Expanded System: IdZ-ES) in an advanced network-enabled warfare environment.

A total of forty VJTF-grade Puma infantry fighting vehicles will form part of the VJTF 2023 panoply of equipment. The most advanced version of the Puma to date,

it includes, among other things, integration of standoff-capable effectors like the MELLS multirole lightweight guided missile system; additional sensors such as a new driver vision system; and improved C4I architecture.

The new panoramic and driver vision system heralds the end of the periscope era. For the first time, the entire crew will be able to “see through” the armour, both day and night. The fusion mode combines daylight vision with high-performance thermal imaging, enabling swift detection of concealed targets around the clock. The Puma is the first significant Western combat vehicle to include a system like this as a standard feature.

Now that the Puma IFV has been declared fit to fight, the German Army’s Mechanized Infantry Corps finds itself on the threshold of a new era, with the prospect of the remaining battalions also being equipped with a comparable revamped version of the Puma.

Embodying a systemic approach to reequipping vehicle platforms and soldier systems, System Panzergrenadier forms a sound foundation for conceptualizing and kitting out larger coherent systems of systems. Looking ahead, System Panzergrenadier thus becomes the basis for digitally networked and directed formations. Given the substantial increase in experience and capabilities in the field of IT system integration, this path provides a powerful impetus for future projects. In the consortium cofounded with PSM GmbH, Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH is responsible for the command capabilities workshare, and thus for assuring cross-platform networking of the system of systems.

Furthermore, System Panzergrenadier is stimulating further development beyond the immediate project. The next generation of the IdZ-ES is already in the starting blocks, while the new Puma VJTF infantry fighting vehicle offers an excellent point of departure for expanded capabilities, e.g., in the sensor-to-shooter category.

German Land Forces reporting Puma #IFV in #VJTF-version officially ready for battle. The integrated system ‘mechanised infantry’ has undergone significant upgrades and got rid of several flaws in the last months. https://t.co/BPeYtPmetW

— Christian Thiels (@ThielsChristian) March 18, 2021