At a ceremony on 24 July 2024, Rheinmetall handed over the first KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) produced at the Zalaegerszeg site in Hungary to the Hungarian armed forces. On behalf of the Hungarian government, Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky attended the handover. Dr Björn Bernhard (Head of Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Europe) and Paul Walf (CEO Rheinmetall Hungary) welcomed the guests on behalf of Rheinmetall. The first Lynx from Hungarian production was already completed in December 2023. Following extensive functional inspections as well as performance and quality acceptances, it has now been officially handed over to the Hungarian armed forces. In Zalaegerszeg, Rheinmetall Group operates the world’s most modern competence centre for the production of tracked armoured vehicles, in particular the highly innovative Lynx. The factory was opened in August 2023.
Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Defence Minister of Hungary: “I often say that peace requires strength, which means a lot of kinds of strength, and in this regard, we have gained real and serious strength with Rheinmetall and in this alliance, which significantly enriches Hungary. This is a kind of strategic partnership that is more than strategy or partnership – this is a real alliance, and within this framework, we hope to win the future for Hungarians, and we’re building something that will remain for the next generations, and we’re strengthening Hungary.”
Dr Björn Bernhard, Head of Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Europe: “We are grateful to be able to support the Hungarian armed forces as an industrial partner in the Lynx lighthouse project. We have now reached an important milestone within the project. With the production of the Lynx, we are seriously proving our commitment in creating local added value in Hungary and transferring technology to the country. This model is also transferable to other countries which might also be interested in similar partnerships.”
In August 2020, the Hungarian Ministry of Defence commissioned the Rheinmetall Group to supply combat vehicles and associated services worth over €2bn as part of its “Zrínyi 2026” initiative. A total of 209 Lynx KF41s are to be supplied to the Hungarian armed forces in seven variants: IFV, command post vehicle, armoured reconnaissance vehicle, fire control vehicle, mortar carrier, medical vehicle and driving school vehicle. A Lynx air defence tank with a Skyranger 30 turret is also in progress as part of another development contract, placed in December 2023. In the first production phase, Hungary will receive 46 German-made Lynx infantry fighting vehicles by the end of 2025. The first vehicle from this series was handed over in October 2022. Production of the remaining vehicles began at the end of 2023 as part of the Rheinmetall Hungary Zrt. joint venture between Rheinmetall (51%) and the Hungarian government (49%) in Zalaegerszeg.
The state-of-the-art development and manufacturing site in Zalaegerszeg was opened on an area of approximately 33 hectares as part of the industrial complex ZALAZone in August 2023. The site also includes an extensively equipped test centre with a firing tunnel. In addition to strengthening the local economy, the factory also contributes to promoting innovation and, above all, creates around 300 highly qualified jobs. Rheinmetall plans additional investments in the site in the coming years in order to further increase production capacity. The establishment of the IFV and other variants will also strengthen the development of the Hungarian economy and defence industry. Thanks to its modular design, the Lynx KF41 is characterised by maximum adaptability. This means that the Hungarian customer’s specific national requirements can be precisely fulfilled. The state-of-the-art infantry fighting vehicle impresses with its scalable armament, various layers of protection, upgradeable systems and the ability to take on new roles in just a few hours after being fully converted.
