Germany's Lynx IFVs set to bolster Ukraine's defense in 2024
The CEO of the Rheinmetall corporation admitted that Ukraine will receive a batch of Lynx infantry fighting vehicles in 2024, with the possibility of acquiring more units in subsequent years. Here, we present the performance of one of the most advanced Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) in the world.
In an interview with WELT AM SONNTAG, Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger revealed that ten KF41 Lynx IFVs will be delivered to Ukraine later this year. He also emphasised that Ukraine's requirement for this type of vehicle amounts to 3,000 units, and it is unsurprising that the German giant aims to capture a portion of that market.
In earlier interviews, Armin Papperger noted that plans exist to construct a factory in Ukraine capable of producing the Lynx, among other things. Furthermore, acquiring more IFVs would be achievable with loans from G7 countries or interest from frozen Russian assets.
KF41 Lynx — Budget Puma
The KF41 Lynx was developed by the Rheinmetall corporation based on experiences from building SPz Puma as a significantly more affordable alternative to the unique masterpiece for the Bundeswehr developed in collaboration with the KMW corporation.
Rheinmetall focused on similar premises but relied on available technical solutions to reduce costs. The first result of the work was publicly shown at the Eurosatory 2016 fair as the KF31 Lynx, capable of transporting six paratroopers. In 2018, the extended variant KF41 Lynx debuted, capable of carrying eight paratroopers in addition to a three-person crew.
This is a modular IFV with a strong focus on crew protection, reflected in its weight of approximately 50 metric tonnes with additional armour. The exact level of protection is unknown, but due to its weight, which is even greater than that of tanks in the T-72/90 family, it is likely very high.
It is possible that its protection is even higher than in the new variants of the CV90, and even the side armour is capable of withstanding fire from 30 mm automatic cannons and PG-7VL grenades. Rheinmetall mentions only a reinforced top resistant to cumulative bomblets from cluster munitions. Additionally, the passive armour can also be supported by an active defence system that either disrupts the guidance of some missiles or physically destroys incoming objects.
Meanwhile, the armament currently includes a manned Lance turret with a 30 mm or 35 mm automatic cannon, with an effective range of approximately 3.2 kilometers, depending on the purchaser's preference, and a dual missile launcher for Spike-LR anti-tank guided missiles with a range of about 4 kilometers. These are modern "fire-and-forget" missiles, allowing the Lynx to immediately hide after firing, which is something the M2A2 Bradley with TOW-2B cannot do.
It is worth noting that thanks to the Lynx platform's modularity, in addition to the IFV variant, there is also an anti-aircraft variant dedicated to low-cost countermeasures against drones and cruise missiles.
