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| Description |
| The
Puma is an engineer tracked armoured vehicle based
to the chassis of the main battle tank Centurion.
Entering service in 1991 in the IDF (Israel Defense
Force) , the Puma was optimised from the start for
the combat engineers and replaced the makeshift
Nagmashot. The name Puma is actually an acronym
from the Hebrew term Poretz Mokshim Handasati, literally,
'breakthrough mine engineer vehicle'. The prime
function of the Puma is to clear routes through
minefields in heavily defended fire zones, giving
armoured formations freedom for manoeuvre.
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| Variants
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Puma
ARV: recovery version, a crane is mounted
at the rear side of the hull.
Puma Thor / Droid: vehicle equipped
with electronic warfare protection system Thor and
Droid
Puma RAM: armoured recovery vehicles
bases to the chassis of the Puma standard version
Puma second generation: the vehicle
is equipped with add-on armour, reactif armour mounted
to each side of the hull and wire cage against RPG
rocket.
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| Armament |
The
Puma is armed with three 7.62mm machine
guns are fitted. Two are mounted on simple
pintle mounts and the third on a Rafael
OWS. Three roof-mounted 60mm mortars are
carried for use against infantry. To supplement
his self-protection the Puma is equipped
with IMI CL-3030 smoke grenade launchers
mounted at the front of each sides of the
hull, each fitted with six smoke grenades.
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| Protection |
| The
Puma is based upon passive armour arrays
applied to the glacis and other vulnerable
points. Heavy special armour side skirts
are standard, these safeguard the running
gear. Additional protection is provided
by Toga-style, perforated steel mesh around
the storage panniers on the Puma's rear
flanks. Recently extra armour has been fitted
around the driver's station, on the right
side of the glacis. As for many moder armoured
vehicle, the Puma can be fitted with a wire
cage armor, to protcet the vehicle against
fring of anti-tank rocket.
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| Propulsion |
The
Puma is motorised with 750hp power pack
as the upgraded version of the Centurion
tank which was known as the Sho't. This
is the General Dynamics Land Systems AVDS-1790-2A
diesel engine and the Allison CD-850-6 transmission.
Later Pumas are fitted with the Merkava
l's power pack, incorporating an AVDS-1790-6A
engine generating 900hp and an upgraded
CD-850-6 transmission. Heavy-duty Merkava
tracks are being installed on later vehicles.
Puma engineeer armoured suspension either
side consists of six road wheeles with idler
at the front and drive sprocket at the rear.
The upper part of the suspension is covered
by armour plates.
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| Accessories
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| The
Puma is equipped to mount RKM mine rollers.
In addition dozer blades are frequently
attached to the front of Pumas. The RKM
mine roller is based upon the Russian KMT-5
device, but offers better performance. The
RKM system consists of twin track-width
rollers, each consisting of two banks suspended
from pusher bars. Pumas can now be fitted
with a more modern mine-clearing system
using fuel-air explosive. This device, known
as Carpet, can either be mounted on the
back of a Puma or towed. Carpet can fire
up to 20 rockets in a minute.
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| Specifications |
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Armament |
Three
machine guns of 7.62 mm
calibre, 1 mortar Soltam
60mm.
a
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Country
user |
Israel |
Country
Designer |
Israel |
Accessories |
Night
vision, NBC protection system
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Crew |
8
soldiers |
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Armor |
Protection
against 12.7 mm calibre
weapons at the front, 7.62
mm API for the sides and
shell splinters of the battlefield.
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Weight |
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Speed |
45
km/hr |
Range |
450
km |
Dimensions |
Lenght,
7.55 m; Width, 3.38 m; Height,
2.65 m |
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