German lead contribution to VJTF 2023 to be modernised

The Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), Germany’s Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-service Support, has awarded the contract for the modernisation of the Puma infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and other German Army equipment for NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) 2023, which will be led by Germany, Rheinmetall announced in a press release on 22 July. The 11 July contract was awarded to the ARGE Puma consortium between Rheinmetall-Krauss-Maffei Wegmann 50:50 joint venture Projekt System Management (PSM), which produces the Puma, and Rheinmetall Electronics.

System Panzergrenadier VJTF 2023 will link the Puma IFV to the German Army’s IdZ-ES future soldier system in an advanced network-enabled warfare environment, according to Rheinmetall. (Rheinmetall)

The System Panzergrenadier (Armoured Infantry) VJTF 2023 package will link 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, according to Rheinmetall. This includes a comprehensive upgrade of 41 Pumas and measures to improve communications between the IFVs and dismounted panzergrenadiers.

Rheinmetall has sub-contracted Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) to deliver an undisclosed number of SOVERON handheld and vehicular software-defined radios (SDRs) to the German Army in the first half of 2020, R&S told Jane’s . The SDRs will network IdZ-ES as well as Puma, which will support VJTF 2023 with an “end-to-end digital command radio link over the first mile”, R&S said in its own 22 July press release.

The decision to supply the SDRs to the army was confirmed by the Bundestag’s budget committee in June and follows extensive testing with the Bundeswehr in Munster over the course of 2018. R&S SDRs competed against tactical radios from Telefunken and Thales before being down selected to support VJTF 2023.