Lynx (Rheinmetall armoured fighting vehicle)

Lynx
Place of origin Germany
Production history
Designer Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH
Designed 2015
Manufacturer Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH
Variants family (outline details for IFV available)
Specifications
Weight 30 to 40+ tonnes
Length 7.22 to 7.73 m (23 ft 8 in to 25 ft 4 in)
Width 3.6 m
Height 3.3 m (turret top on IFV)
Crew 3 + 6/8
Armour steel armour with various applique
Main
armament
 up to 35 mm cannon
Secondary
armament
 co-axial 7.62 mm light machine gun and smoke grenade launchers (ATGW option)
Engine Liebherr diesel engine (options available)
750hp (563kW)/1,050hp (800kW)
Payload capacity configuration and protection level dependent
Transmission fully automatic
Suspension swing arms with torsion bars and shock-absorbers
Speed 65-70 km/h

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.[1]

According to Rheinmetall, 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.[2]

Development

The Lynx family has been designed as a highly protected tracked armoured vehicle to fill a gap identified in the market by Rheinmetall.[3]

Rheinmetall has offered the Lynx to the Australian Defence Force for Phase 3 of the Land 400 program, following Rheinmetall's submission of the Boxer wheeled armoured vehicle for Land 400 Phase 2.[2] The company has also indicated that it will offer the Lynx to the Czech Army which is looking to replace a fleet of BVP-2 (bojové vozidlo pěchoty).

Design

The feature at the heart of the Lynx design concept is the separation and modularity of the vehicle into two primary parts: the basic vehicle and specialist mission and role equipment.[4]

Specific variants will be built around a common hull and common mobility assemblies and protection components, to which role and mission-specific equipment will be added on an as required basis.[4]

This design approach combines the functional, cost and through life advantages of a modular structure, and the weight, space and cost advantages of an integral hull design.

Mobility

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.[4]

Protection

The vehicle's ballistic armour is designed to protect the Lynx from anti-tank weapons, medium-calibre 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.[5][6]

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. Air ducts lead to the floor and to an air duct interface on the top end of the hull.[4]

Additional active protection can be provided for shaped charge warhead attack using Rheinmetall’s Active Protection System. A range of passive protection and defensive aids are also available, these being integrated into the Lance turret when fitted, and including the Rapid Obscuration System – Land, a laser warning system and an acoustic shot locator system.[4]

Armament

The vehicle as shown at Eurosatory 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 +45˚ and -10˚, and has an average rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute.[5]

The vehicle can also mount an optional anti-tank guided missile launcher.[6] The demonstrator vehicle at Eurosatory 2016 was outfitted with a twin-round launcher for the Spike-LR anti-tank guided missile.[4]

Variants

The Lynx family of tracked armoured vehicles can be configured for a variety of roles that include command and control, armoured reconnaissance, repair and recovery, or ambulance operations in addition to infantry fighting vehicle configuration.[7]

Kettenfahrzeug 31 (KF31)

This model, displayed at Eurosatory 2016, has a gross vehicle weight of 35 tonnes, is 7.22 meters long[4] and can carry a crew of three plus six passengers.[5][6] Powered by a 750 hp (563 kW) engine, the vehicle can reach a top speed of 65 km/h.[4]

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.[1][5][6] It will be powered by a larger 1,050 hp (800 kW) engine and have a top speed of 70 km/h (43 mph).[4] The KF41 is being offered to the Australian Army for the LAND 400 program.[2]

Operators

Potential operators

 Australia 
Rheinmetall has indicated that it will submit the Lynx for the Australian Defence Force's LAND 400 Phase 3 program.[2]
 Czech Republic 
Rheinmetall has indicated that it will submit the Lynx for the Czech Army's program to replace its current BVP-2 (bojové vozidlo pěchoty), a Czech produced version of BMP-2.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Rheinmetall Defence - News archive 2015 Rheinmetall’s new IFV, the Lynx". www.rheinmetall-defence.com (Press release). Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Rheinmetall's Lynx Infantry Vehicle Targets Australian Market". Defense News. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  3. ↑ "Lynx on the hunt [ES2016D3] | IHS Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Lynx Infantry Fighting Vehicle" (PDF). Defense Technology Review Magazine. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Rheinmetall undiscloses the Lynx Light Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle at Eurosatory 2016". www.armyrecognition.com. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Rheinmetall Defence - Lynx". Rheinmetall Defence.
  7. ↑ "Rheinmetall intros new Lynx infantry fighting vehicle". UPI. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  8. ↑ Eshel, Tamir (31 May 2017). "German Lynx AFVs Proposed to Replace Czech BMPs". Defense Update. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  9. ↑ "Lynx KF 31 - IDET". BVV Trade Fairs Brno. Brno. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
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