AeroVironment (AV), a global defence technology company, has been awarded a $30.9 million purchase order to provide Germany with an expanded portfolio of Puma unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for the Bundeswehr’s Luftgestützte Aufklärung mit Unbemannten Systemen (LARUS) airborne reconnaissance programme.
The procurement is being conducted through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) under the UAS Partnership. It will provide Germany with an integrated package covering AV’s Puma AE (All Environment) and Puma LE (Long Endurance) systems, representing a significant European procurement of the Puma family.
Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AV, said the contract represents an important step in Germany’s transition to the company’s modernised Puma family. The procurement brings together multiple capabilities, including advanced sensors, signals intelligence payloads, vertical take-off and landing systems and autonomy kits, within a common reconnaissance architecture.
Under the NSPA purchase order, AV will supply payloads, ground control technologies, communications equipment and autonomy kits to support Germany’s small tactical UAS requirements under LARUS. The contract also includes new equipment training and specialised payload training, with deliveries scheduled for completion by late 2026.
Expanded Puma Capability Package
The procurement includes a broad range of technologies developed for the Puma family. Among them are high-definition electro-optical/infrared systems with laser designation capability for Puma LE, supporting precision target designation missions.
The package also includes signals intelligence payloads for Puma 3 AE and Puma LE configurations. These systems are intended to provide additional signals collection and sensing capabilities for reconnaissance missions.
Puma vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) kits are another component of the procurement. The VTOL capability allows the aircraft to operate in environments where conventional launch and recovery arrangements may be difficult to establish.
Germany will also receive next-generation ground control station configurations enabled by AV’s Tomahawk Kinesis technology. These configurations include controllers and lightweight tactical ground control systems designed for mobile, dismounted and vehicle-based operations.
Resilient Communications and Autonomy
The procurement includes Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) communications relay kits for Puma 3 AE and Puma LE. These systems are designed to extend communications coverage and provide resilient connectivity, including beyond-line-of-sight communications.
Autonomy Retrofit Kits (ARK) will also be supplied. These kits allow compatible Puma platforms to incorporate AV’s latest autonomy software and advanced autonomous capabilities.
The wider support package includes field repair equipment, bungee launch systems, smart battery assemblies, mounting and retrofit kits and formal training. Together, these elements are intended to support operational readiness and sustainment of the systems.
Trace Stevenson, President of Autonomous Systems at AV, said the procurement represents the first time a customer has acquired what the company describes as essentially the complete Puma capability stack through a single programme. According to AV, the procurement demonstrates the evolution of Puma from a tactical UAS into a networked reconnaissance platform integrating sensors, communications, autonomy and ground-control technologies.
Germany Expands Its Puma Capability
Germany has previously operated Puma AE systems. Through the LARUS programme, the Bundeswehr is expanding both the scale and capability of its small tactical UAS fleet by introducing additional payloads, communications technologies and autonomy capabilities across the Puma family.
The LARUS programme is managed by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) and focuses on the procurement and deployment of small tactical unmanned systems for airborne reconnaissance.
The programme also forms part of Germany’s wider efforts to strengthen its reconnaissance capabilities through modern unmanned systems and networked technologies.
Growing European Presence for AeroVironment
The contract further expands AeroVironment’s presence in the European defence market. Through cooperation with NSPA programmes, the company is supporting allied requirements for interoperable small UAS technologies designed for deployment and sustainment across European operating environments.
Chris Black, Senior Director of Business Development for AV Europe, described Europe as a key growth market for the company and highlighted the cooperation with NSPA and Germany through LARUS as part of its broader regional engagement.
The Puma procurement demonstrates the growing emphasis on combining small tactical UAS platforms with advanced sensing, resilient communications, autonomous capabilities and flexible ground-control systems. For European defence forces, such integrated capabilities are increasingly becoming part of modern airborne reconnaissance and networked operations.
