Horstman wins major suspension production order for the new PUMA infantry fighting vehicle.

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Horstman Defence Systems Limited have signed a contract for the supply the mass production of suspension units for the new German Army Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

The order for hydropneumatic suspension units from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann is a significant supply package for the new PUMA infantry fighting vehicle for the German Army.

Horstman received the order following extensive component testing and vehicle trials at WTD41 in Germany.  Ian Pain, Managing Director of Horstman added, “This is an important contract for Horstman which helps secure our future well into the next decade.  Horstman were competitively selected for the programme because we had the most technologically advanced solution that met the Customer requirement together with the best price.”

The Hydrostrut® for the new Puma IFV is one of the most advanced hydro pneumatic suspension unit Horstman has ever developed.  The unit incorporates an innovative arrangement of twin nitrogen gas springs and multiple damping elements that provide a high performance suspension solution in a compact externally mounted package.  Static ride height control is achieved automatically without external control. The user further benefits from the ability of the Hydrostrut® to accommodate changes in weight and mass distribution by simple adjustment of the nitrogen gas pressure. The combination of spring and damping characteristic allows the Puma vehicle to achieve high mobility over a variety of harsh terrain.

Horstman is the world leading designer and developer of military vehicle suspension systems and one of the key suppliers of subsystems and components to the defence industry. Horstman also supplies the running gear system on the M777 Towed Gun, the AMV 8x8, the K9/K10 Field Artillery System and the Paladin PIM in addition to upgrades and retrofits worldwide for a wide range of military vehicles.