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The German Bundeswehr, through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) under the UAS Partnership, has awarded AeroVironment, Inc. a purchase order valued at $30.9 million to provide next-generation Puma unmanned aircraft systems for the LARUS airborne reconnaissance program.
The contract represents one of the most significant European Puma procurements to date, providing Germany with a comprehensive portfolio of advanced Puma AE (All Environment) and Puma LE (Long Endurance) capabilities in a single, integrated package. Under the NSPA purchase order, AeroVironment will deliver a full suite of advanced payloads, ground control technologies, communications, and autonomy kits to support Germany’s small tactical unmanned aircraft systems requirements for LARUS. The order includes new equipment training and specialized payload training, with all deliveries required no later than late 2026.
“Germany has been a long-standing Puma operator, and this award represents a decisive step into the fully modernized Puma family,” said Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer at AV. “By acquiring the full spectrum of Puma capabilities at once, from advanced sensors and Signal Intelligence payloads to Vertical Take-off and Landing systems as well as autonomy kits, the Bundeswehr is effectively moving straight to a highly-integrated, multi-mission, all-domain reconnaissance solution built on a proven platform.”
The portfolio being delivered under this award incorporates nearly every major enhancement developed for the Puma family to date. These technical features include high-definition, laser designating electro-optical/infrared payloads via HD59 LD kits for the Puma LE, enabling true laser target designation capability for precision engagements. Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) payloads will be delivered for both Puma 3 AE and Puma LE configurations to support advanced signals collection and sensing missions.
Operations in constrained environments will be supported by Puma Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) kits. For control, the package includes next-generation Tomahawk Kinesis-enabled Ground Control Station (GCS) configurations, featuring controllers and ultralight/tactical GCS variants to support mobile, dismounted, and vehicle-based operations. Communications will be enhanced by Puma 3 AE and Puma LE Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) relay kits to provide extended, robust, and resilient beyond-line-of-sight connectivity. Furthermore, Autonomy Retrofit Kits (ARK) will enable advanced autonomous capabilities and the installation of the latest autonomy software across the hardware. A comprehensive support package consisting of field repair kits, bungee launch systems, smart battery assemblies, and mounting kits is included to ensure full operational readiness and sustainment.
“This is the first time a customer has taken essentially the entire Puma capability stack in a single program, which sends a strong signal to our global user community,” said Trace Stevenson, President of Autonomous Systems at AV. “It’s a powerful validation that our continuous investment in sensors, autonomy, communications, and ground control has transformed Puma from a legacy tactical UAS into a modern, networked reconnaissance node that can plug seamlessly into joint and allied operations.”
The LARUS program is managed by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) and focuses on procuring and deploying small, tactical unmanned systems for airborne reconnaissance. While Germany has previously fielded the Puma AE, this effort significantly expands both capacity and capability by layering the latest payloads, communications, and autonomy enhancements across the extended Puma family.
This award underscores AeroVironment’s expanding role as a global defense technology leader within Europe. Working closely with the LQ NSPA Programme, the company supports multiple allied nations with interoperable, NATO-compliant small unmanned aircraft systems solutions that can be deployed rapidly and sustained reliably across the continent.
“Europe is a critical growth market for AV, and our collaboration with NSPA and Germany on LARUS is a clear example of how we’re deepening our partnerships across the region,” said Chris Black, Senior Director of Business Development for AV Europe. “By delivering a fully modernized Puma fleet tailored for European missions and infrastructure, we’re not only supporting Germany’s operational needs, we’re also helping to strengthen allied interoperability and resilience across NATO’s eastern and central theaters.”
