Lynx (Rheinmetall armoured fighting vehicle)

Lynx
Lynx KF41 as unveiled at Eurosatory 2018.
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 44 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)/1,140hp (850kW)
Payload capacity configuration and protection level dependent
Transmission Allison X300 Series (KF31) or Renk (KF41) fully automatic
Suspension swing arms with torsion bars and shock-absorbers
Fuel capacity >700 litres (located in the rear sponsons with an additional large reserve fuel tank in the engine bay)
Speed 65-70 km/h

Lynx is an armoured fighting vehicle developed by Rheinmetall Landsysteme (part of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems division). The Lynx, configured as a KF31 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), was unveiled publicly at the Eurosatory defence exhibition on June 14, 2016.[1] The KF41 variant was unveiled publicly at the Eurosatory defence exhibition on June 12, 2018.[2]

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.[3]

Development

The Lynx family has been designed as a highly protected tracked armoured vehicle to fill a gap identified in the market by Rheinmetall.[4]

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

On June 4 2018 Rheinmetall issued a press release informing that the larger Lynx KF41 would debut twice in different configurations at the upcoming Eurosatory defence exhibition later that month. Following the unveiling in IFV configuration on 12 June the vehicle was reconfigured as a command variant, which was unveiled on 13 June. The First configuration would be as an infantry fighting vehicle with the new LANCE 2.0 turret, and then after refitting on site, configured as command variant.[5][2]

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.[6]

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.[6]

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

The power pack located at the front right consists of a Liebherr diesel coupled to either an Allison X300 series 6F/1R or Renk automatic transmission. The Liebherr diesel is of the common rail type and fitted with a two-stage turbocharger and two stage intercooler. The exhaust (right) and engine cooling (left) are routed to the rear of the vehicle to reduce its thermal and acoustic signature.[7]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 rubber-tyred 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.[7]

Mobility parameters include a gradeability of at least 60%, a sideslope traverse capability of at least 30%, the ability to climb (forwards) a 1 m vertiocal obstacle, the ability to cross a 2.5 m trench, and an unprepared foprding depth of 1.5 m.[7]

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 power-operated rear ramp for rapid ingress/egress of dismounts is positioned between the cooling systems.[6][7]

Protection

The vehicle's ballistic steel 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 features decoupled seats in addition to mine and IED protection packages that include a double floor.[8][9][7]

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.[6]

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. These are integrated in the Lance turret when it is fitted along with automatic target recognition and automatic target tracking.[6]

Armament

The vehicle as shown at Eurosatory 2016 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 a controlled rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute. Mounted coaxial to the right is the latest Rheinmetall Machine Gun (RMG) 7.62 mm, which can fire standard 7.62 × 51 mm NATO ammunition and has a maximum rate of fire of 800 rounds a minute. This 7.62 mm weapon is externally powered and features three barrels, which allows a barrel to be changed from under armour in less than five seconds. The turret has manual back-up in case of power failure.[8][7]

The vehicle can also mount an optional anti-tank guided missile launcher.[9] The demonstrator vehicle at Eurosatory 2016 was outfitted with a twin-round launcher for the Spike-LR anti-tank guided missile.[6]

The IFV variant of the KF41 variant shown at Eurosatory 2018 was fitted with the updated LANCE 2.0 turret, this having flexible mission pods fitted on the left and right sides so that a variety of subsystems can be installed to provide the turret with specialist capabilities.[2]

Variants

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.[10]

Kettenfahrzeug 31 (KF31)

This model, displayed at Eurosatory 2016, has a gross vehicle weight of 35 tonnes, is 7.22 meters long[6] and can carry a crew of three plus six passengers.[8][9] Powered by a 750 hp (563 kW) engine, the vehicle can reach a top speed of 65 km/h.[6]

Kettenfahrzeug 41 (KF41)

This model, displayed at Eurosatory 2018, has a gross vehicle weight of 44 tonnes. Original outline specifications suggested a gross vehicle weight of 45 tonnes.[6] The KF41 can carry a crew of three plus eight passengers.[1][8][9] It is powered by an 850 kW (1,140 hp) engine[9] and has a top speed of 70 km/h (43 mph).[6] The KF41 is being offered to the Australian Army for the LAND 400 program.[3][2]

Operators

Potential operators

 Australia 
Rheinmetall has submitted the Lynx for the Australian Defence Force's LAND 400 Phase 3 program, the Request for Tender (RfT) for which was released on 24 Ausgust 2018. Land 400 Phase 3 will replace the Australian Army’s M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) with up to 450 modern infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and 17 manoeuvre support vehicles.[3][11]
 Czech Republic 
Rheinmetall submitted the Lynx for the Army of the Czech Republic's (ACR's) program to replace its current BVP-2 (bojové vozidlo pěchoty), a Czech produced version of BMP-2. In November 2017 the Czech MoD completed field tests of four tracked AFV finalists and plans to select a winning platform by mid-2018, awarding a CZK50 billion contract for a mixed batch of 210 platforms with initial deliveries to begin in 2020. The ACR were reportedly very satisfied with the Lynx.[12]
 United States 
In October 2018, Rheinmetall teamed up with Raytheon to offer the Lynx 41 in anticipation for the U.S. Army's Next-Generation Combat Vehicle program, slated to replace the current inventory of Bradley Fighting Vehicles with an optionally manned vehicle.[13]

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 "Eurosatory 2018: Rheinmetall unveils Lynx KF41 IFV | IHS Jane's". www.janes.com. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Rheinmetall's Lynx Infantry Vehicle Targets Australian Market". Defense News. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  4. ↑ "Lynx on the hunt [ES2016D3] | IHS Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  5. ↑ "Rheinmetall at Eurosatory (2018)". www.forcastinternational.com. 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
  6. 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.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Lynx (Jan 2018)". www.janes.com. 2017-06-09. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  8. 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.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rheinmetall Defence - Lynx". Rheinmetall Defence.
  10. ↑ "Rheinmetall intros new Lynx infantry fighting vehicle". UPI. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  11. ↑ "Australia issues tender for Land 400 Phase 3". www.janes.com. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  12. ↑ "Key IFV decisions ahead for Czech MoD". www.janes.com. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  13. ↑ Judson, Jen (8 October 2018). "Raytheon, Rheinmetall partner to offer new Lynx fighting vehicle to US Army". Defense News. Washington. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
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