At the international Eurosatory exhibition, the German Army presented its Puma S1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), currently in service, equipped with an innovative counter-drone (C-UAS) system. Known as the DedroneSensor RF-300, this system is designed to detect, classify, and locate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their remote control signals passively.
As previewed earlier this week, the international defense and security exhibition Eurosatory, being held in Paris, France, has proven to be an opportunity for various companies in the field to showcase their new systems. With the advances in aerial vehicles in recent years, especially evident in the practical context of the war between Ukraine and Russia, the German Army is offering a product that aims to meet current demands by combining mobility with drone threat mitigation.
The DedroneSensor RF-300 has a range of 1 km to 1.5 km and dimensions of 195 mm in length, 95 mm in width, and 365 mm in height. The company has also mentioned that the system can automatically track and map UAV flight paths and provide information on “hot spots” of drone activity. Among other features, the system can detect a swarm of up to nine unmanned aerial vehicles before the turret destroys the threat.
Additionally, as part of this project, Projekt System & Management (PSM), along with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, are working on upgrading the fleet of Puma IFVs to the S1 standard. This includes the integration of high-resolution day and night camera systems, digital radio equipment, and the MELLS multifunction light guided missile system.
The main armament of the Puma IFV is a Rheinmetall MK 30-2/ABM (Air Burst Munitions) 30mm automatic cannon, with a firing rate of 200 rounds per minute and an effective range of 3,000 meters. As a secondary armament, it has a coaxially mounted 5.56mm HK MG4 machine gun, capable of firing 850 rounds per minute with an effective range of 1,000 meters. To combat aerial targets or bunkers, Puma IFVs are also equipped with a EuroSpike LR missile launcher mounted on the turret.
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