Rheinmetall’s Lynx KF41 is kicking up dust during exercise “Brave Warrior 2020” in Hungary. Hungarian troops were invited on a first-hand experience of their future infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). General Ferenc Korom, Commander of the Hungarian Defence Forces, is testifying to the outstanding next-generation capabilities the HDF is going to receive under the recent joint venture contract with Rheinmetall. Hungary is the first NATO and EU member state to choose the Düsseldorf-based Group’s innovative new IFV. Lynx is also in the race for procurement efforts in the Czech Republic, Australia and the United States.
On 17 August, 2020 the Government of Hungary and Rheinmetall Group signed a contract to start manufacturing the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle family in Hungary. Few other details emerged at the time about the deal, which is part of Hungary’s Zrinyi 2026 rearmament programme launched in 2017. On 10 September, 2020 Rheinmetall and the Government of Hungary held a joint press conference in Budapest and among the details of the new joint manufacturing project they announced that the new factory, along with an almost three square kilometer-sized full-service vehicle test track called ZALA Zone, will be built near Zalaegerszeg, Hungary.
Rheinmetall’s press release of 10 September, 2020 confirmed that the Hungarian Ministry of Defence had awarded Rheinmetall an order to supply tracked armoured vehicles and related products and services with a total value of more than €2 billion. The contract covers 218 Lynx infantry fighting vehicles fitted with Rheinmetall’s manned 30mm Lance turret. The larger/heavier Lynx KF41 has been selected by Hungary. The award also includes nine Leopard 2 based Buffalo armoured recovery vehicles, plus additional products and services that include simulators, training and instruction, plus an initial supply of spare parts as well as maintenance support.
Rheinmetall’s Lynx KF41 will be built in Germany, but for the second production phase an additional 172 Lynx will built in Hungary. To this end, it was confirmed the Hungarian government and Rheinmetall had agreed in August 2020 to establish a joint venture responsible for creating a Lynx production facility in Hungary, to be financed by a local company.Lynx is an armoured fighting vehicle developed by Rheinmetall Landsysteme (part of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems division). 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.