"The Puma is a monster of an infantry fighting vehicle," claims the Ministry of Defense in a recent advertising brochure. Real? In recent years, the problems with the supposedly "most modern infantry fighting vehicle in the world" have been monster-like. It may be modern, but is it any good?
Peter Carstens
Political correspondent in Berlin
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The Bundeswehr owns around 350 Pumas, but only 40 are technically fit for war. And all of them failed during an exercise in winter due to various breakdowns. Nevertheless, the Inspector of the Army, Lieutenant General Alfons Mais, claims that the armored infantry troops "swear by their new infantry fighting vehicle." How can that be?
If you want to learn something about the Puma everyday life, you have to visit the Panzergrenadiers, in Oberviechtach at the Panzergrenadierbataillon 122, where they have to fight with the first Puma version, at the Panzergrenadierbataillon 112 in Regen, the location of the more modern breakdown tanks. How the Puma performs in the endurance test can be seen at the Altmarkt training area of the Panzergrenadier Training Battalion 92. What can be said in advance: The success depends on the fact that Lieutenant Colonel Mathias Franke is on the spot with his men and women.
But first to southern Germany. A firm handshake: "Welcome to the best unit of the Bundeswehr!" This is how a young officer greets visitors at the Bavarian Forest barracks in Regen. Around 500 men and some women are stationed here in the Bavarian Forest. They are by no means lacking in self-confidence, even if they have had to put up with all sorts of things in recent months. Captain Philip K. and First Lieutenant Alexander G. are company commanders and platoon commanders in the Panzergrenadiers. They embody what the Bundeswehr understands as "pride in weapons", young officers who know and like their craft, despite some adversities. And one of them is their main weapon, the Puma infantry fighting vehicle.
18 out of 18 tanks were in "red" status
The Regener Panzergrenadierbataillon 112 is the most modern of the troops, because only the Regen soldiers have a greatly improved version of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle. By the end of 40, 2022 vehicles had been retreaded to qualify for the NATO Spearhead (VJTF). The remaining 310 tanks, all less than ten years old, are considered unoperational in the alliance. It's embarrassing. Since the beginning of the year, Germany has been leading the VJTF elite units, which would immediately be sent into defensive combat in the event of an enemy attack. With the Panzergrenadier Brigade "Free State of Saxony" and other multinational units, the Regeners with their Pumas were to stop any enemy until reinforcements arrived.
At least theoretically. In December, the Bavarian grenadiers involuntarily gained nationwide notoriety when one of their companies failed all Puma infantry fighting vehicles during a robust exercise, 18 of 18 tanks ended up in "red" status, i.e. no longer operational. The damage was manifold: burnt-out cables, bent closing springs of the cannon, defective control indicators, blocked fuel supply or broken cooling system on the drive. A high proportion of the damage was related to electronics. In the case of a Puma, a smoldering fire on the wiring harness caused thick smoke and a threatening situation in the tank's fighting compartment.