Tag Archives: Krauss Maffei-Wegmann

Ground Forces

Norwegian Leopard

The Norwegian Government has decided to acquire 54 Main Battle Tanks (MBT) of the Leopard 2 type from German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, with an option to purchase an additional 18 units. The first MBTs are expected to be delivered in 2026. This represents a clear strengthening of Norwegian defence capability and national preparedness. Today’s MBTs were bought used in 2001 and are ready for replacement.

Leopard 2
Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram at the press conference at Rena 3 February 2023 (Credit: Asgeir Spange Brekke/Forsvarsdepartementet)

«New main battle tanks are of great importance to the Armed Forces, significantly strengthening the Army. In today’s security situation, European defence cooperation is becoming increasingly important. By procuring German tanks, we ensure that Norway has the same type of tanks as our Nordic neighbors and close allies. We are also forging closer security policy ties with Germany», – says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

«Ensuring everyone’s safety through national preparedness is one of the most important tasks we have as political leaders. The government prioritizes defense and preparedness. Securing Norway new tanks is an important part of this preparedness. This investment increases our combat power on land, will strengthen the Norwegian Army significantly, while also offering great opportunities for Norwegian defence industry and work force through industrial cooperation», – says Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum.

The army has compared two strong candidates, and tests confirm both are excellent, modern vehicles meeting all requirements for a modern MBT capacity. Other factors considered and influencing the assessment include industrial cooperation opportunities, operational cooperation, logistics and life-cycle support. Based on an overall assessment of all relevant factors and conditions, the Government has concluded that the German alternative with Leopard 2 is the best for Norway.

«Main Battle Tanks are the Army’s main combat system in Norway and for our most important allies. MBTs are also central in fulfilling our obligations to NATO. By upgrading our defence with modern equipment, we make NATO stronger, which is paramount in the current security situation. We have highly skilled and motivated personnel operating our current MBTs, and we are happy to announce that we have now chosen to buy a new modern version», – says Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram.

«Germany is among our main partners in the field of defence and security policy. The procurement and industrial cooperation on main battle tanks with Germany builds on and reinforces an already established strategic materiel and industrial cooperation», – says the Minister of Defence.

The Government will initially buy 54 MBTs, with an option of acquiring a further 18 units. The MBTs will be phased in from 2026 through 2031. The acquisition is within the cost limit of NOK 19.7 billion set by the Norwegian parliament.

«We are also looking at further investments in other capacities for the land force, such as long-range precision fire. In the spring of 2023, the Chief of Defence will present his advice on the future development of our Army as part of his Military Advice on the future development of the Armed Forces, says the Minister of Defence.

Ground Forces

Lithuanian Boxer

According to Agence France Presse, Lithuania said on December 11 it would buy 88 German-made armoured fighting vehicles in its biggest-ever military purchase amid concerns over neighbouring Russia. «We have come to the unequivocal opinion to choose and acquire the Boxer Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV)», said Lithuania’s defence chief Jonas Vytautas Zukas.

Lithuania has decided to order the Boxer heavy wheeled vehicle, in a combat version fitted with a 30-mm turret (Artec GmbH photo)
Lithuania has decided to order the Boxer heavy wheeled vehicle, in a combat version fitted with a 30-mm turret (Artec GmbH photo)

Speaking after a meeting of the State Defence Council, he said the Baltic EU and NATO nation had picked the German-made vehicles out of 12 bids. The first vehicles made by the Artec grouping of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles are expected to arrive in 2017.

Jonas Vytautas Zukas said the price would be disclosed only after the talks with Artec are over, but a government source said the deal could be worth around 400 million euros ($438 million). In its state budget for 2016 approved on Thursday, Lithuania has vowed to raise defence spending by more than a third against this year amid increased concerns over Russia’s actions in Ukraine and military activity in the Baltic area.

In September, Lithuania signed a 16-million-euro deal to buy 21 used self-propelled howitzers from Germany. The United States has meanwhile deployed some military equipment in Lithuania, including its Abrams battle tanks.

The three Baltic States and Poland have also called for a permanent NATO presence in the region to deter Russia but the allies have so far stuck to back-to-back troop rotations.

In addition to the outstanding surveillance system, the Boxer is equipped with the remote-controlled light weapon station 200 (FLW 200)
In addition to the outstanding surveillance system, the Boxer is equipped with the remote-controlled light weapon station 200 (FLW 200)

 

TECHNICAL DATA

Combat Weight Maximum 77,162 lbs/35,000 kg
Crew 3
Engine Power 711 hp/530 kW
Maximum Speed > 62 mph/100 km/h
Length 27.33 feet/8.33 m
Width 9.81 feet/2.99 m
Height (roof) > 9.65 feet/2.94 m
Basic protection All around anti-tank mines and anti-personnel landmines, heavy machine gun and artillery fragments
Additional protection Medium caliber, bomblets
Armament 30-mm gun

 

Ground Forces

German PUMA

After extensive testing by the Bundeswehr’s Technical services, many months of testing in extreme heat and cold abroad, and several field trials by the military, another milestone has now been achieved in the project PUMA Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) with the authorization for use granted by the BAAINBw defence procurement agency.

The ballistic armour is designed to provide protection against hand-held anti-tank weapons, medium calibre weapons, artillery fragments and bomblets
The ballistic armour is designed to provide protection against hand-held anti-tank weapons, medium calibre weapons, artillery fragments and bomblets

Many conditions had to be met for this, some of which key are listed below. On the basis of tests and test results, technical optimizations were repeatedly developed, qualified and continuously introduced into series production vehicles. Thereafter, the test report was finalized by the Central Military Motor Vehicles office (Zentrale Militärkraftfahrtstelle), which issued the necessary approval and made it street-legal. Finally, the Army Inspector (Inspekteur Heer) formally declared April 13 that the Schützenpanzer (SPz) PUMA was ready to enter service. This was on the same day that the BAAINBw granted the clearance for service.

Thus, operations are scheduled to begin next week with the training of instructors on the first seven armored vehicles. Others will follow in the coming months. This training period will continue until the end of the year at the training center in Munster. There, an introduction organisation PUMA eine Einführungsorganisation (EFO) was set up specifically for the PUMA, and will perform the initial training of mechanized infantry companies on IFV PUMA for three months, also at the Munster training center. The EFO will also accept delivery of the vehicles by the manufacturer, adds Bundeswehr-furnished equipment and hands them over to the trainee soldiers there. Thus, the Panzer Grenadiers will take «their» own SPz PUMA after the three-month training cycle, in order to further familiarize themselves with «their» new vehicles on their bases.

The contracts necessary for the repair and technical and logistical support have been concluded between the army and the PSM GmbH, so the support of the PUMA by industry is thus ensured.

The chassis incorporates a key PUMA concept approach, the compact, full-length crew compartment for the entire crew, i.e. driver, gunner and commander as well as the infantry squad consisting of six soldiers
The chassis incorporates a key PUMA concept approach, the compact, full-length crew compartment for the entire crew, i.e. driver, gunner and commander as well as the infantry squad consisting of six soldiers

 

PUMA Infantry Fighting Vehicle

The PUMA combines the contrary requirements for high strategic and tactical mobility on the one hand and maximum protection and maximum fire power on the other in an optimum manner in one single high-performance weapon system, capable to react adequate and flexible at any time, at any location and at any level of intensity.

Therefore, the PUMA offers with its innovative and forward-looking solutions:

  • optimum protection against any type of threat for maximum survivability of the crew;
  • optimum armament for escalation and de-escalation in all missions;
  • rapid, strategic, global deployability and high tactical mobility;
  • network centric warfare capability;
  • sustainability under extreme climatic conditions and inadequate infrastructural conditions.

Some important technical solutions improve the PUMA’s combat effectiveness significantly:

  • integration of the German Battlefield-Management-System «FüInfoSys»;
  • integration of the German Future Soldier System «IdZ»;
  • the MUltifunctional Self-protection System (MUSS), a softkill system against guided missiles, will be integrated. Integration of a launcher for two missiles for the Anti Armour/Multi-Purpose Missile System SPIKE LR (EuroSpike).
In addition to existing 30 mm full-calibre and sub-calibre fin-stabilized ammunition, it is also possible to fire the newly developed air burst ammunition with time fuzes
In addition to existing 30 mm full-calibre and sub-calibre fin-stabilized ammunition, it is also possible to fire the newly developed air burst ammunition with time fuzes

 

Available interfaces for:

  • identification friend-foe;
  • alternative active protection systems;
  • remote controlled grenade launcher.

The PUMA achieves this firepower through the interaction of different innovative elements:

  • The main armament is the fully stabilized, automatic 30-mm Mk-30-2 ABM fitted to the remote-controlled turret. This weapon designed for target engagement on great distances also on the move.
  • 200 rounds of two types of ammunition are available ready to use. Further 200 rounds are stowed in the chassis.
  • A variety of state of the art optical and optronic vision devices enables the whole crew 360° all-around surveillance, recognition and identification of targets on long distances.
  • The hunter-killer functionality, as available in the Leopard 2 main battle tank, allows the rapid engagement of several targets within a very short time
  • PUMA receives an additional weapon system with the integration of the Anti Armour/Multi-Purpose Missile System SPIKE, provided by EuroSpike. The integration of SPIKE boosts the PUMA’s lethality significantly.
Targets identified through vision blocks can immediately be displayed to the commander for further identification by operating the target allocator
Targets identified through vision blocks can immediately be displayed to the commander for further identification by operating the target allocator

 

Performance Data

Weight, level A (Air-transportable by A400M) 31.45 t/69,335 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 43 t/94,799 lbs
Length 7.6 m/24.9 feet
Width 3.9 m/12.8 feet
Height 3.6 m/11.8 feet
Ground clearance 0.45 m/17.72 inch
Step climb 0.8 m/2.62 feet
Gap crossing 2.5 m/8.2 feet
Fording depth 1.2 m/3.94 feet (without preparation)
Engine power 800 kW/1,073 hp
Specific power-to-weight ratio up to 25 kW/t/33.5 hp/t
Maximum speed (road), forward 43 mph/70 km/h
Maximum speed (road), reverse 18 mph/30 km/h
Crew 9 (6+3)
Chassis decoupled running gear
Turret unmanned, remote-controlled
Main armament Mk-30-2/ABM, cal. 30-mm
Main armament rounds 200 (capacity ready bin) + 200 (stowed rounds)
Secondary armament MG 4, cal. 5.56-mm
Secondary armament rounds 1000 (capacity ready bin) + 1000 (stowed rounds)
Guided missile system SPIKE LR (EuroSpike)
Powerful 10-cylinder engine delivering 800 kW at 4250 rpm
Powerful 10-cylinder engine delivering 800 kW at 4250 rpm
Ground Forces

Birth of KANT

Germany and France are going to develop the Main Battle Tank of the XXI century. According to DefenseNews, French Nexter Group and German family-controlled Krauss Maffei-Wegmann are on track to forge a cross-border link up in the land weapons sector this year. The French state-owned company said: «On July 1, 2014, the shareholders of the two French and German companies signed a memorandum of understanding for an equally owned alliance. This project is progressing and should produce concrete results in 2015».

The Leopard 2A7+ was developed and qualified for the new tasks of the German Armed Forces. The system components, optimized to protect the crew, prove their worth, currently being in use in Afghanistan with NATO's Partner Canada
The Leopard 2A7+ was developed and qualified for the new tasks of the German Armed Forces. The system components, optimized to protect the crew, prove their worth, currently being in use in Afghanistan with NATO’s Partner Canada

On the business front, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (Defence Procurement Agency, DGA) has awarded a contract worth some €330 million ($349.4 million) to Nexter Systems to upgrade 200 Leclerc tanks and 18 tank recovery vehicles with delivery from 2020, the procurement office said in a statement March 12.

Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has written into his 2015 agenda an agreement for the joint venture deal in July or August, an announcement which caught some in industry by surprise. The proposed joint holding company is named KMW and Nexter Together, or KANT. The Bode family controls KMW through the Wegmann firm.

An accord in the summer, however, seems unlikely as there is a political drag effect due to Nexter’s privatization being caught up in an attempt to liberalize the ailing French economy. There is no problem on the industrial front as Nexter and KMW opened up their books for due diligence and that detailed examination of their businesses will lead to a valuation of the two companies. That scrutiny is going ahead smoothly even if the conclusion might miss the April 1 deadline, an industry source said. The due diligence allows the two shareholders to negotiate the valuation and whether amounts must be paid to bring each side to the 50:50 share in the holding company, noted Pierre Tran, DefenseNews reporter.

The joint holding company will take charge of commercial and product launch strategy, while industrial production will stay with the operating companies and under domestic management
The joint holding company will take charge of commercial and product launch strategy, while industrial production will stay with the operating companies and under domestic management

On the political front, France must privatize Nexter to allow the company to form the planned joint holding company with KMW. However, that will likely take longer than expected as the privatization has been written into a wide-ranging draft legislation proposed by Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker who seeks to inject more competition into the domestic economy. The proposed Macron law has run into strong political resistance from both the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire conservative party and left wing of the Socialist Party. That will likely delay the joint venture agreement to the autumn, the source said.

KMW Chairman Frank Haun on January 14 told the French National Assembly defense committee the alliance would work over the next five years developing a tank – whether it be called Leopard 3, Leleo or Leoclerc – and the new heavy armored vehicle could be delivered 2025-2030 to replace the Leclerc and Leopard 2.

The Russians are working hard on tank development, and Nexter and KMW could exchange their «very interesting» technology to build replacements for the Leclerc and Leopard, Frank Haun said. Fully automated artillery, smart munitions and laser weapons are among the new weapons on which the KANT alliance would work, he added.

Nexter Chairman Philippe Burtin told the committee the SCORPION (Synergie du COntact Renforcé par la Polyvalence et l’InfovalorisatiON) Army modernization program will generate an average annual €200 million of work. The companies will have five years to see if the alliance works and if not, they can back out, Macron said.

The contract to upgrade the Leclerc tank was signed March 5
The contract to upgrade the Leclerc tank was signed March 5