AeroVironment Awarded $30 Million Contract to Deliver Puma UAS Systems for Germany’s LARUS Program

AeroVironment, Inc. has announced that the German Bundeswehr, through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency under the UAS Partnership, has selected the company’s next-generation Puma family of unmanned aircraft systems for the Luftgestützte Aufklärung mit Unbemannten Systemen airborne reconnaissance program.

The purchase order is valued at $30.9 million and includes Puma AE All Environment and Puma LE Long Endurance capabilities in a single integrated package. According to AV, the order marks one of the most significant European Puma procurements to date.

“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.”

Under the NSPA purchase order, AV will provide advanced payloads, ground control technologies, communications and autonomy kits to support Germany’s small tactical UAS requirements for LARUS. The order also includes new equipment training and specialized payload training, with deliveries required no later than late 2026.

The Puma UAS portfolio being delivered includes high-definition laser designating electro-optical/infrared payloads, SIGINT payloads for Puma 3 AE and Puma LE configurations, Puma VTOL systems for constrained environments, and next-generation Tomahawk Kinesis-enabled Ground Control Station configurations.

The order also includes Puma 3 AE and Puma LE MANET relay kits for extended and resilient communications, including beyond-line-of-sight connectivity, as well as Autonomy Retrofit Kits designed to enable AV’s latest autonomy software across applicable Puma hardware.

Additional support equipment includes field repair kits, bungee launch systems, smart battery assemblies, mounting and retrofit kits, and formal training to support 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 and is focused on procuring and deploying small tactical unmanned systems for airborne reconnaissance.

Germany has previously fielded Puma AE. AV said this effort expands both capacity and capability by adding the latest payloads, communications and autonomy enhancements across the extended Puma family.

The award also reflects AV’s growing presence in Europe. Working with the LQ NSPA Programme, AV is supporting allied nations with interoperable, NATO-compliant small UAS solutions designed for rapid deployment and reliable sustainment 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.”

AeroVironment is a defense technology company delivering integrated capabilities across air, land, sea, space and cyber. The company develops and deploys autonomous systems, loitering munitions, counter-UAS technologies, space-based platforms, directed energy systems, and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities.