Rheinmetall’s Lynx IFV was unveiled at Eurosatory 2016 on 14 June. (IHS/Peter Felstead)
Rheinmetall publicly unveiled its new Lynx tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) for the first time at Eurosatory 2016 on 14 June. The concept for the vehicle, which was developed as a private venture, is to cover a wide variety of battlefield roles while “utilising proven technologies to deliver a compelling value proposition for our global customers”, according to the company.
The vehicle shown was an IFV fitted with a Rheinmetall Lance turret armed with a stabilised, airburst-capable 35 mm cannon plus a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and a dual anti-tank missile launcher, but Lynx is actually a modular family of tracked armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) that can also be configured as armoured personnel carriers (APCs), repair and recovery vehicles, ambulances, reconnaissance vehicles, and command-and-control vehicles (with the latter two variants also sporting the Lance turret).
“Lynx features a modular-based vehicle platform with exchangeable mission role installation kits,” said Ben Hudson, chief executive officer (CEO) of Rheinmetall Landsysteme and head of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems Division, at the unveiling ceremony. “That, as an example, allows an infantry fighting vehicle to be converted into an armoured personnel carrier and vice versa. This approach balances the benefits of modular vehicle platforms such as Boxer with the cost advantages of a traditional monocoque vehicle hull.”
The IFV, moreover, comes in two versions: the KF31, as shown at Eurosatory, which weighs up to 38 tonnes and can accommodate six soldiers as well as the crew of three; and the KF41, which is slightly larger, weighs around 44 tonnes and can carry eight soldiers as well as the crew. Both versions can be configured for alternative roles.
The powerpacks for the KF31 and KF41 Lynx variants are said by Rheinmetall to develop 563 kW and 700+ kW respectively, giving top speeds greater than 65 km/h and 70 km/h.
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