The entire Puma fleet will also get the MELLS tank-killing weapon, eventually. A portion of the legacy vehicles are slated to be part of Germany’s contribution to a NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, the ministry said. The price tag for the outstanding capabilities is expected to lie in the hundreds of millions of euros.ĭefense officials announced in April that 35 Marder tanks are in line to get the anti-tank weapon MELLS, though a fleetwide program for all of the 1970s-era tanks also is under consideration.

But critical gaps remain, including a system offering improved situational awareness for vehicle operators and a camouflage feature that would reduce the vehicle’s radar signature, the ministry told lawmakers in a confidential report in April. The Defence Ministry already has several programs underway to improve the Puma and retrofit vehicles already delivered. In a statement, the company praised the weapon’s “ massive fire power and excellent network-enabled operations capabilities.” Rheinmetall announced this week the de livery of the 200th Puma to the Bundeswehr.

German light tanks modern