Puma (Italian armoured fighting vehicle)
The Puma is a family of Italian light wheeled armoured fighting vehicle family, consisting of the Puma 6×6 and the Puma 4×4. The vehicles were developed and are produced by the Consorzio Iveco Fiat – Oto Melara for the Italian Army. First prototypes completed in 1988, with a total of five testbed vehicles being completed by 1990.
| Puma | |
|---|---|
Puma 6×6 with a M2HB machine gun mount | |
| Type | Armoured personnel carrier |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2001–present |
| Used by | Operators |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1988 |
| Manufacturer | Iveco-Oto Melara |
| Produced | 2001–2004 |
| No. built | 250 6×6 and 330 4×4 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 8.2/7 t |
| Length | 5.07/4.76 m |
| Width | 2.09 m |
| Height | 1.67 m |
| Crew | 2+4/2+2 passengers |
Main armament | 7.62mm, 12.7mm MG or Remote Weapon System |
Secondary armament | Smoke-grenade launchers |
| Engine | IVECO 4-cylinder turbo-charged diesel 160 hp (118 kW) |
| Power/weight | 22.8 (4×4) hp/tonne |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic 6×6/4×4 |
Operational range | 700 km (435 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 110 km/h |
The 4x4 variant carries 3 troop members plus the driver, the 6×6 variant carries 6 troops plus driver.[1]
History edit
At first the Puma was intended to complement the Centauro wheeled tank destroyer in service with the Italian Army's Cavalry Regiments, but today most infantry regiments of the Italian Army have also been equipped with Pumas.
Eight cavalry regiments and two special forces regiments are equipped with a total of 330 Puma 4×4 vehicles.
250 Puma 6×6 vehicles are in service with the Italian Army Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima", the "Folgore" Parachutist Brigade, the 66th Air Assault Regiment and the Alpini Regiments.
In Italian service, the 4×4 variant carries two soldiers in addition to the driver and gunner, and is used in pairs for battlefield reconnaissance. The 6X6 version carries four soldiers plus driver and gunner, and together with another Puma 6×6 can carry an entire Italian infantry squad of eight men.
At the end of 1999, the Italian Army ordered 580 Puma vehicles, 250 of the 6×6 configuration, and 330 4×4 vehicles. First vehicles were completed in mid-2003.[2][unreliable source?]
In 2007 the Italian Army ordered 19 Hitrole 12.7mm machine gun remote controlled turrets from Oto Melara and is planning to add extra armor to the vehicle.
In March 2013, Italy donated 20 of its Puma 4×4 vehicles to the Libyan National Army to face terrorism threats and reaffirm friendly ties with the former colony.[3]
In April 2024, a destroyed Puma was seen in drone footage near Bilohorivka, Luhansk Oblast, suggesting the vehicle was in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, although no record of their deliveries was made.[4]
Operators edit
- Argentine Army – 2 units to train peacekeepers at Campo de Mayo[5]
- Djibouti: 14 Puma 4x4 donated by Italy [6]
- Italian Army
- Libyan National Army – 20 Puma 4×4 vehicles donated from the Italian Army[7]
- Pakistani Army – 79 Puma 6x6 sold from Italian stocks
See also edit
- VBL of France
- Komatsu LAV of Japan
- Otokar Cobra of Turkey
References edit
- ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Puma Wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicles".
- ^ Libya has received 20 Italian-made Puma wheeled armoured vehicles – Armyrecognition.com, March 3, 2013
- ^ https://twitter.com/moklasen/status/1784983018525909279
- ^ Argentina firma un acuerdo de Cooperación Industrial en Defensa con Italia
- ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. p. 462. ISBN 9781032012278.
- ^ Libya takes delivery of 69 Puma, Nimr Armoured Vehicles
External links edit
- Official website