According to
Army Technology, the German Puma IFV will have:
The vehicle is built with the option of three levels of protection to suit the operational requirements. The versions weigh 29.4t, 31.45t and 43t.
The basic Level 1, 29.4t, version provides protection against explosively formed projectile (EFP) mines, top attack artillery projectiles and has all round protection against 14.5mm kinetic energy rounds and RPG-7 rocket propelled grenades. The front and flank of the vehicle are fitted with a higher level of protection against 30mm kinetic energy rounds.
Level A has been selected as the baseline armour protection for the Puma IFV for the German Army. Level A gives all round protection against 14.5mm machine gun rounds and artillery fragments. The front and flank are protected against 30mm cannon rounds. The front armour protects against hollow charge rounds. The vehicle is also protected against 10kg blast and EFP mines. The German Army Puma with Level A protection has a combat weight of 31.45t and is air transportable in the A400M aircraft.
Additional armour modules can be fitted to the hull and turret to provide Level C protection. With Level C armour protection the combat weight is increased to 43t. It would be necessary to deploy four A400M transporters to carry three Puma infantry fighting vehicles fitted with Level C armour protection, the fourth aircraft lifting the additional modular armour fits.
As more and more vehicles are designed from the start
with add-on armor packages, should the differing levels
of add on armor be shown in SPMBT OOBs as separate
vehicles? Or is this already being done with the
various Stryker variants?