Hungary’s Lynx infantry fighting vehicle project has reached another milestone with the start of construction of the vehicle in the country.
Low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the vehicles began in Hungary after it received first examples of the Lynx from Rheinmetall in October last year. The company will deliver a total of 46 Lynx IFVs and command & control vehicles as well as nine Bergepanzer 3 Büffel armored recovery vehicles from its German plant.
The remaining units will be built locally, with full-rate production set to kick off in Hungary by the summer.
Pre-series production is an important milestone, one which also encompasses fabrication of the Lance medium-caliber turret as well as additional variants of the Lynx, Rheinmetall said.
The Hungarian ministry of defense contracted Rheinmetall in September 2020 to supply combat vehicles and related services worth over €2 billion. A joint venture in Hungary will be responsible for producing 172 Lynx IFVs and combat support vehicles. The first of these vehicles are to be delivered in 2024. In addition to the armored fighting vehicles, the scope of supply includes ammunition and logistic services as well as 16 trucks.
Hungary is the first NATO and EU member nation to receive Rheinmetall’s newly developed Lynx modular medium weight combat system. The Lynx KF41 for the HDF is delivered in seven variants including standard infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), command post, reconnaissance, joint fire observer, mortar carrier, field ambulance vehicles and driver training vehicles.
The Lynx IFV is equipped with a manned 30mm Lance turret, as well as the integrated active protection system StrikeShield, both developed by Rheinmetall.
