Presently the protection of armoured fighting vehicles is based on traditional protection made of steel or composite materials. The level of protection has mainly been improved by providing thicker armour with the consequence of increasing weight. The requirement of the weight budget for the Puma Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle (AIFV) is very limited. Under such conditions, the level of protection cannot be achieved when using only passive armour.
It is only possible to improve the level of an Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle's protection within the given weight limitations by using an active protection system approach. Hits from hostile ATGM threats can be avoided by combining warning sensors, which detect the missile and laser threats, and activate the appropriate countermeasures.
