SHAH ALAM: Australian Lynx unveiled. Rheinmetall has unveiled the first of three Lynx KF41 Infantry Fighting Vehicles designed, developed and manufactured for the Commonwealth of Australia’s $AUD18.1 billion (RM54 billion ) Land 400 Phase 3 programme.
Lynx is a next generation tracked, digitised and highly protected Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) built to meet the stringent military requirements of Land 400 Phase 3. The Australian Army needs a new IFV for close combat to close in and defeat an enemy in the most dangerous and lethal environments for Australian soldiers.
Rheinmetall is delivering each of the Lynx vehicles to compete in the test and evaluation trials as part of the Risk Mitigation Activity (RMA) to be conducted around Australia over a 12 month timeframe from November 2020.
If successful, the Lynx fleet will be manufactured in Queensland at Rheinmetall’s new Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) at Redbank south-west of Brisbane.The RMA trials will incorporate a range of tests including lethality, mobility and protection. The vehicle unveiled will be the focus of blast testing at a dedicated Commonwealth facility in coming months.
Lynx was unveiled at a closed ceremony with selected Australian industry partners at the MILVEHCOE. Each of the Lynx vehicles delivered into the RMA trials will incorporate a significant level of Australian industry content and local partners to the Rheinmetall offer for Land 400 Phase 3 will be announced in coming weeks.
“Rheinmetall looks forward to demonstrating the capability of this next generation infantry fighting vehicle,” said Rheinmetall Defence Australia Managing Director Gary Stewart. “We believe Lynx is the best vehicle in its class and sets a new standard in protection and the lethality needed to survive and defeat any adversary. “Lynx has been developed so it is positioned at an ideal level of maturity when Australia needs it to enter service – and it will have a growth path to extend these capabilities through its 40-year life.”
Lynx has been selected by the Hungarian Armed Forces for the delivery of more than 200 vehicles in the first launch order for the vehicle globally. Rheinmetall Defence Australia will export turrets to the value of $150 million manufactured by Australians – and will soon announce further export orders into the Hungarian program including orders for Australian SMEs.
Rheinmetall is delivering 211 8×8 Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV) to the Australian Army after the vehicle was selected by the Commonwealth after 12 months of RMA trials by Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel in 2016-2017. The company is establishing a local industrial capability in Australia for the design, development and manufacture of military vehicles that creates high technology enduring jobs for hundreds of Australians by localising design and manufacturing expertise in electro-optics, weapon systems, fire control and sensor systems, turret manufacturing, variant design and manufacture, integration, armour systems, simulation, training and fleet sustainment.
“Design, development and manufacture of the Lynx in Australia for the ADF will build on the advanced manufacturing jobs at our new MILVEHCOE, as well as a strong industrial network of SMEs across Australia,” Mr Stewart said.
Both the Boxer and Lynx are modular. That means the vehicle can be split in two, with a mission module sitting on a common drive module. This allows for swap out of mission modules for operational needs, reducing through-life cost for the introduction of new technology, and ongoing fleet management.
“Rheinmetall has taken all of the significant benefits of the Boxer and ensured they are part of the Lynx KF41 package,” Mr Stewart said.“Our partnership with Army and the Commonwealth to deliver the Boxer for Land 400 Phase 2 presents the opportunity to deliver develop a complete armoured vehicle fighting force for the ADF.”
The Lynx is one of the two contenders for the Land 400 Phase 3, the other one is the Hanwha Defense AS21 Redback. A decision on the winning vehicle is expected in 2022.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (21)
Australia now slowly replacing their M113 and ASLAV with newer vehicle. It is good if Malaysia can get some of this M113 and ASLAV as an interim assets and placed it in Sabah.
Australia and singapore are 2 countries near us that is recapitalising their tracked IFV vehicles.
So what about malaysia?
IMO we still have plenty of life left in our MIFV/Adnan. But due to its design, it cannot be upgraded to the level of protection and armament of brand new IFVs.
Moving forward, so what can we do?
IMO we should just reset and maintain our MIFV/Adnan to the best condition possible, with just minimal upgrades. As is, our MIFV/Adnan is equipped with good systems, BMS, laser warning, extra smoke grenades, compared to other M113/AIFVs. This should be good to 2035. A replacement of around 250 units should be good for 3 mechanised battalions plus some for 11KAD to be used as recce for the PT-91M. I would prefer a tracked IFV that would be amphibious. That would be the HSW Borsuk, Hanwha K21 or the FNSS Kaplan-20.
I am thinking of converting the 3rd division into a fully armoured one. With
1st brigade to be fully tracked with 1x PT-91 regiment and 3x MIFV/Adnan battalions, later with next gen tracked IFV post 2035.
4th brigade to be the gempita brigade. with mostly gempitas + JLTVs.
7th brigade on KIA KLTV APCs.
All 4 cavalry regiments (1,3,4 & 5) to be on gempitas + JLTVs. 2 KAD to be the KAD PARA regiment with JLTV replacing the KAD PARA squadron.
2 infantry battalion each in the other 3 divisions (1,2 & 5) to also be equipped with KIA KLTV APCs.
Lipanbaras transferred to Polis PGA.
So in total around
50+ PT-91M
360+ MIFV/Adnan - later 250+ NG IFV
450+ Gempita
200+ JLTV
600-700 KLTV APC
@A
That's not the best thing to do, nor It's any good for Malaysia to buy some of those used M113s. 👌
Mosy probably the Lynx will win due to Rheinmetal have their foot planted in th Australian defence industry and the interchangeable modules between the boxer and lynx.
I wonder would the TDM order more Gempita 8x8 in rmk12 or only opted for new 6x6 or both. Im intrigued in the price of a single 2nd batch Gempita due to the high individual cost for the 1st batch.
A,
We don't need that for interim
Their M113s & ASLAVs are no longer suited for frontline usage. If we need rear echalon, somewhat armoured, vehicles for troop transport at the rear, we have plenty of Condors for this job. We just need to do simple relifeing to get them back into running conditions. No need fancy turrets or complex electronics other than comms & navigation gear.
@ Luqman
" I wonder would the TDM order more Gempita 8×8 in rmk12 or only opted for new 6×6 or both. Im intrigued in the price of a single 2nd batch Gempita due to the high individual cost for the 1st batch "
I believe quietly all of the 257 Gempitas have been delivered to TDM. Yes the costs of the 1st batch is high, but it includes R&D, 30mm turrets and missiles. A 2nd batch not needing any R&D, ToT costs etc should be much more lower. IMO we can benchmark the recent costs of the Omani Pars III orders as the probable costs for a 2nd batch of gempitas. That is about USD500 million for 172 PARS III including R&D.
http://www.defaiya.com/news/Regional%20News/Oman/2017/08/01/fnss-delivered-first-8x8-pars-iii-apc-to-oman
I would prefer TDM to go for gempita batch 2 in RMK12 2021-2025 instead of having to R&D yet another IFV variant in the shape of the 6x6 IFV. We could convert 4th Briged Mekanize into an all gempita brigade, and transfer all Adnan/MIFV into 1st Briged to create a tracked armoured brigade. This can be completed before 2025.
The condor replacement in KAD cavalry regiments could be fulfilled by off the shelf JLTVs, no need R&D, costs less than even a condor upgrade or even the lipanbara.
Tracked or wheeled will always be the topic regarding IFV.
Its good enough that we have both, and also ours is still up to date.
Wow,must we follow what the aussie doing,buy new IFV...?
The best thing that ATM suppose to do long time ago is not to hold on to sentimental value vehicles...simbas,condor comando 150 no doubt they have more than 200++ but these vehicles need to be scraped.
MIFV/KIFV are still considered new gen IFV.these vehicles can be absorbed into rhe ATM reserved units in stages whilst the active units is being given a new type of IFV in stages as well.
As for rhe 4x4 vehicles what ever weaponery attached to it buy turkish....it can be in the form of kaya ll or any other vehicles from turkey.
These 4x4 vehicles in the form of many varieties that suits the task can be absorbed into polis hutan..polis..army etc or border regiments.
@ZekMR
In ADF case, they see the need to have both in sufficient numbers.