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Puma (AFV)
Encyclopedia
The Puma light wheeled armoured fighting vehicle
family consists of the Puma 6x6 and the Puma 4x4. The vehicles were developed and are produced by the Consorzio Iveco
Fiat
- Oto Melara
of Italy
for the Italian Army
. First prototypes completed in 1988, with a total of five testbed vehicles being completed by 1990.
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 4x4 vehicles. 250 Puma 6x6 vehicles are in service with the Italian Army Lagunari (Marine Infantry) Regiment “Serenissima”, the “Folgore” Parachutist
Brigade
and the Alpini
Regiments.
The 4x4 variant carries 6 troops plus driver, the 6x6 variant carries 8 troops plus driver.
In Italian service, the 4X4 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 6X6 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 6x6 configuration, and 330 4x4 vehicles. First vehicles were completed in mid-2003.
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.
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
family consists of the Puma 6x6 and the Puma 4x4. The vehicles were developed and are produced by the Consorzio Iveco
Iveco
Iveco, an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation, originally an alliance of European commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Fiat , Unic and Magirus. Iveco is now an Italian truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin...
Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
- Oto Melara
Oto Melara
Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
. First prototypes completed in 1988, with a total of five testbed vehicles being completed by 1990.
At first the Puma was intended to complement the Centauro wheeled tank destroyer in service with the Italian Army's Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
Regiments, but today most infantry regiments of the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
have also been equipped with Pumas. Eight cavalry regiments and two special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
regiments are equipped with a total of 330 Puma 4x4 vehicles. 250 Puma 6x6 vehicles are in service with the Italian Army Lagunari (Marine Infantry) Regiment “Serenissima”, the “Folgore” Parachutist
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
and the Alpini
Alpini
The Alpini, , are the elite mountain warfare soldiers of the Italian Army. They are currently organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinated to the Alpini Corps Command. The singular is Alpino ....
Regiments.
The 4x4 variant carries 6 troops plus driver, the 6x6 variant carries 8 troops plus driver.
In Italian service, the 4X4 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 6X6 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 6x6 configuration, and 330 4x4 vehicles. First vehicles were completed in mid-2003.
In 2007 the Italian Army ordered 19 Hitrole 12.7mm machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
remote controlled turrets from Oto Melara
Oto Melara
Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...
and is planning to add extra armor to the vehicle.
Operators
- Italian ArmyItalian ArmyThe Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
- Argentine ArmyArgentine ArmyThe Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
- 2 units to train Blue Helmets at Campo de MayoCampo de MayoCampo de Mayo is a military base located in Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina, northwest of Buenos Aires.Campo de Mayo covers an area of and is one of the most important military bases in Argentina, including Argentine Army's:...