After a series of breakdowns with the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) announced today that the procurement of other vehicles of the type for the Bundeswehr has been suspended for the time being. “Until the vehicle proves to be stable,” she said in Berlin, there will be no second batch. “Our troops must be able to rely on robust and stable weapons systems in combat.”
The background: the German media, first of all “Spiegel”, reported serious problems with the weapons system in recent days. During one exercise, all 18 Pumas involved failed within days, partly due to problems with the most important ship’s gun, once because of a cable fire.
Delivery of the tank, developed and built by the two German armament companies Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall Landsysteme (RLS), was delayed for years and costs increased enormously. Lambrecht had spoken months ago of 350 parts “on paper”, of which 150 are ready for use. The topic is causing debates in German domestic politics.