Lynx is a armoured fighting vehicle developed by Rheinmetall Landsysteme (part of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems division). The Lynx, configured as an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), was unveiled publicly at the Eurosatory defence exhibition on June 14, 2016. The Lynx family of tracked armoured vehicles is at the forefront of a new trend in IFV design toward armoured vehicles with lower unit and through-life costs and reduced complexity. One of the key principles of the Lynx concept is the integration of proven sub-systems with a high technology readiness level to reduce development time, cost and technical risk.
Final drives are mounted in the front and the idler sprockets with track tensioners are mounted at the rear. The running gear has six road wheel stations per side, which guide a lightweight steel or segmented rubber band-type track. The road wheels are mounted on a suspension system comprising swing arms with conventional torsion bars and damper systems, this set-up is proven to be reliable and cost-efficient. The driver is located to the left front side of the hull, with the rear crew compartment designed as a mission neutral space with the incorporation of C-rails and a pattern of universal fixing points on the walls and floor. This provides a flexible configuration for all mission specific equipment. A large rear ramp for rapid ingress/egress of dismounts is positioned between the cooling systems.]
The vehicle’s ballistic armour is designed to protect the Lynx from anti-tank weapons, medium-caliber ammunition, artillery shrapnel and bomblets. The interior is fitted with a spall liner to protect the crew, while the vehicle also mounts decoupled seats in addition to mine and IED protection packages. The heating, cooling and nuclear, biological and chemical filtration system is combined in an environmental control system stowed in the rear-located left sponson in front of the cooling system. Additional active protection can be provided for shaped charge warhead attack using Rheinmetall’s Active Protection System AMAP-ADS. A range of passive protection and defensive aids are also available. They include a rapid obscuration system (ROSY), laser warning system and acoustic shot locator system.
The vehicle is outfitted with a LANCE turret mounting a stabilized, externally powered, automatic cannon of 35mm caliber, with airburst munition support. This allows the Lynx to engage targets at ranges of up to 3,000 meters, both when static and when on the move. The vehicle’s main armament has an elevation of between +45Ëš and -10Ëš and has a controlled rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute. The vehicle can also mount an optional anti-tank guided missile launcher. The demonstrator vehicle at Eurosatory 2016 was outfitted with a twin-round launcher for the Spike-LR anti-tank guided missile.
The Lynx family of tracked armoured vehicles can be configured for a variety of roles that include command and control, armoured reconnaissance, surveillance, repair, recovery or ambulance operations in addition to infantry fighting vehicle configuration.
Kettenfahrzeug 31 (KF31)
This model, displayed at Eurosatory 2016, has a gross vehicle weight of 35 tonnes, is 7.22 meters long and can carry a crew of three plus six passengers. Powered by a 750 hp (563 kW) engine, the vehicle can reach a top speed of 65 km/h.
Kettenfahrzeug 41 (KF41)
The larger variant for which details have been outlined has a gross vehicle weight of 45 tonnes, is 7.73 meters long[4] and can carry a crew of three plus eight passengers. It will be powered by a larger 1,050 hp (800 kW) engine and have a top speed of 70 km/h (43 mph). The KF41 is being offered to the Australian Army for the LAND 400 program.