Oberkochen (Germany), Sensor specialist HENSOLDT is supplying an unspecified number of state-of-the-art optical vision systems for the PUMA infantry fighting vehicle. The customers are the system houses KNDS and Rheinmetall, which produce the PUMA infantry fighting vehicle and distribute it through the jointly founded PSM GmbH. The order value is in the double-digit million range. In addition to the vision systems for the turrets of the infantry fighting vehicles, the order also includes the equipment for twelve turret trainers for training vehicle crews. With this delivery, HENSOLDT is helping to improve the PUMA on the K-Stand S1.
The order consists of the delivery of the turret-independent stabilised main optics PERI-RTWL for the commander and the turret-bound stabilised fire control optronics WAO for the gunner. Three high-performance sensors are integrated in each of the two sighting systems: A third-generation ATTICA thermal imaging device, an eye-safe laser rangefinder with a long range, a highly sensitive day vision camera in the WAO and a scanning camera in the PERI, which films the high-performance glass-optical channel.
“In the variant for S1, new colour camera views and displays have been installed for the PERI and WAO, significantly improving reconnaissance on the battlefield for the commander and gunner,” says Jan Erbe, Head of the Ground-based Systems business unit at HENSOLDT. “With the improved optics, the PUMA has a significantly increased combat value.”
The PERI-RTWL is the commander’s 360-degree vision system. Functionally, it largely corresponds to the WAO and, like the WAO, has a separate monitor for displaying the sensor views. It is the only vision system in the world that has a fibre-optic channel in an unmanned turret and therefore combines the advantages of direct vision with those of optronic vision in one system. The PERI also has a swivelling eyepiece. This means that the glass-optical direct vision can also be used by the gunner.
The WAO was developed for the gunner as a purely optronic vision system. The ATTICA thermal imaging camera provides the soldier with detailed and clear observation around the clock and in poor weather conditions. The laser rangefinder supplies range data directly to the fire control system and the command information system. The WAO therefore enables the gunner to detect and engage targets at great distances with the utmost precision.
