Germany approves Puma retrofit, BvS10, and rifle procurement

The Bundeswehr will procure 118,718 G95A1 assault rifles from Heckler & Koch in 2024–26. (Heckler & Koch)

On 14 December the budget committee of the Bundestag, the German parliament, approved the retrofit of Puma infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and the procurement of BvS10 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and Heckler & Koch HK416A8 assault rifles.

The budget committee approved around EUR850 million (USD900 million) for the retrofit of 143 Pumas so all IFVs of the type are of the same operational technical standard.

It approved another EUR405 million for the procurement of 140 BvS10 ATVs from BAE Systems Hägglunds to replace the German mountain troops' Bv206D ATVs under the Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) programme. The CATV programme is led by Sweden and includes the UK.

The Bundeswehr (German armed forces) will procure 118,718 HK416A8 assault rifles, redesignated as G95A1, to replace the G36 in 2024–26.

EUR51 million was approved for 476 pieces of command-and-control equipment for the Infanterist der Zukunft (IdZ) future soldier system for the German Army, the Luftwaffe, and the German Navy. The equipment consists of digital radios, a user terminal comparable to a robust mobile phone, and a battle management system (BMS). The digital radios are from Elbit Systems and Rohde & Schwarz, and the BMS is Rheinmetall's TacNet, an industry source told Janes on 16 December, adding that battery storage and charging containers would also be procured.