US donates 24 Puma APC armored vehicles to support allied troops in Somalia.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jami Shawley, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), visited foreign partners in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Aug. 3, 2022, to hand over 24 Puma Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) at the ATMIS Headquarters. Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (Djibouti), reports.
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One of the 24 Puma M26-15 4x4 APCs donated by the U.S. to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) (Picture source: U.S. Army)

The donation from the U.S. will help increase ATMIS capabilities in the fight against terrorism and those who seek to undermine the security and stability of Somalia. “To support ATMIS Djiboutian contingency’s efforts in the fight against terrorism with our Somali partners, the United States is providing the 24 PUMA Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Harris Radio communication equipment to enable more frequent patrols, and transportation,” Shawley said. “The United States is also providing training in the effective usage of the APCs.”

Larry André, U.S. Ambassador to Somalia, said the delivery of the 24 APCs will enhance Somalia’s fight against violent extremists. “This equipment will increase the ability of the Djiboutian contingent of ATMIS to protect Somalis from Al-Shabaab violence and extortion,” André said. “This is in line with the plans of His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud and is keeping with the Somalia Transition Plan, which will see a steady increase in handover responsibilities to Somalia’s security forces.”

The U.S. is committed to supporting Somalia’s efforts to defeat Al-Shabaab and remains partnered with Djibouti to counter terrorist threats in the Horn of Africa. The APC’s will help protect military partners against rifle fire, anti-tank mines and homemade explosives.

“The expression of our support, amongst other ways, is the donation of these vehicles to help protect African Union forces, in this case, Djibouti’s military contingent, as they travel the roads of Somalia which too often will be trapped by dangerous explosive devices put there to harm those who only seek to help Somalia,” said André.

The U.S. aims to help Somalis defend themselves and reduce the threat posed by Somalia-based global terrorist networks.

“On behalf of the African Union, its membership, and all of the ATMIS Troop Contributing Countries, including Djibouti and all the others since ATMIS is a collective effort of solidarity and support to the Somalia people, I would like to thank the government and the people of the United States for the generosity and steadfastness in supporting our presence in Somalia,” said Fiona Lortan, Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, in a Garowe Online article.

Puma M26-15 4x4

The Puma M26-15 4x4 is an armored personnel carrier (APC) with mine and improvised explosive device (IED) protection. The main users are military, police and security companies during peacekeeping operations. The Puma M26 was designed by OTT Technologies, a South African firm linked to DynCorp International. It is manufactured in South Africa and Mozambique.

The main design parameter was to develop a lower-cost and robust mine-protected vehicle without compromising crew safety and quality, a vehicle that can be deployed successfully and safely in the harsh environments of Africa and other developing regions. The M26-15 with a crew complement of ten (driver and commander plus 8) is a Tata 715TC 4x4 driveline, making it a robust and easy-to-maintain mine-protected vehicle with a low life-cycle cost.

The eight-ton GVM M26-15 has a sustained road speed of 80 km/h, double-lane change capability of 70 km/h, a gradient of 60%, and a side-slope capability of more than 25°. Wide windows ensure a good situational awareness, while eleven shooting ports plus two roof hatches and a 360° cupola with a pintle mount for a light machine gun ensures quick and furious retaliation from the crew in case of an ambush.

Dynamic automotive tests were successfully completed at the internationally renowned Gerotek vehicle test track outside Pretoria.