German Army Gives Green Light to “System Panzergrenadier”: A Major Leap for the Puma IFV and Next-Gen Soldier Initiative

Provided by Rheinmetall and its collaborative partners, the Bundeswehr’s System Panzergrenadier has achieved a significant landmark. On 18 March 2021, Lieutenant General Alfons Mais, the Commander of the German Army, announced the system is combat-ready. He also proposed outfitting NATO’s rapid response unit, the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) 2023, which the Bundeswehr will supply, with this advanced system. Fundamentally, System Panzergrenadier comprises an enhanced variant of the Puma – the infantry fighting vehicle engineered by the Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann consortium, PSM GmbH – and the VJTF2023 version of the Future Soldier – Expanded System (IdZ-ES) conceived by Rheinmetall. After extensive development and modification phases, System Panzergrenadier underwent a rigorous three-week tactical assessment at the Bergen major training area in the Lüneburg Heath of northern Germany in February 2021. It successfully passed the evaluation with outstanding results.

System Panzergrenadier will significantly amplify the combat proficiency and operational effectiveness of the VJTF 2023. With System Panzergrenadier, this unit will, for the first time in Germany, amalgamate a digital vehicle platform – the upgraded VJTF version of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle – with a soldier system designed for advanced digital radio communication.

System Panzergrenadier provides two primary benefits: firstly, all soldiers, whether in the vehicle or on foot, can access the identical information; and secondly, they can share this intelligence with enhanced accuracy, more rapidly and more reliably. The intricate network of sensors and effectors utilized by the soldiers and their infantry fighting vehicle reduces the duration between target identification and target engagement. This integration of capabilities into a unified system facilitates more effective tactical coordination of the personnel and their IFV, ultimately improving the overall combat efficacy of mechanized infantry units.

A total of forty VJTF-grade Puma infantry fighting vehicles will be included in the VJTF 2023 array of equipment. This latest iteration of the Puma features cutting-edge attributes, including the incorporation of standoff-capable effectors such as the MELLS multirole lightweight guided missile system; additional sensors like an innovative driver vision system; and enhanced C4I architecture.

The newly implemented panoramic and driver vision system marks the conclusion of the periscope era. For the first time, the entire crew will have the ability to “see through” the armor, both during the day and at night. The fusion mode merges daylight vision with high-performing thermal imaging, permitting quick identification of concealed threats around the clock. The Puma stands as the first major Western combat vehicle to offer such a system as a standard feature.

With the Puma IFV now deemed combat-ready, the German Army’s Mechanized Infantry Corps is on the cusp of a new epoch, with the potential for the remaining battalions to also be equipped with a similarly upgraded version of the Puma.

Embodying a systemic approach to reoutfitting vehicle platforms and soldier systems, System Panzergrenadier establishes a solid foundation for envisioning and provisioning larger coherent systems of systems. Looking ahead, System Panzergrenadier thus becomes the cornerstone for digitally integrated and directed formations. Given the substantial advancements in experience and capabilities concerning IT system integration, this trajectory offers a significant driving force for future initiatives. Within the consortium co-founded with PSM GmbH, Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH oversees the command capabilities workshare, ensuring interdisciplinary networking of the system of systems.

Moreover, System Panzergrenadier is propelling further advancements beyond the immediate project scope. The subsequent generation of the IdZ-ES is already primed for deployment, while the new Puma VJTF infantry fighting vehicle represents an outstanding foundation for enhanced capabilities, particularly in the sensor-to-shooter domain.

System Panzergrenadier is a technological innovator poised to provide new capabilities for the German Army’s Division 2027 and Digitized Land-Based Operations system, the D-LBO.