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Rheinmetall Lynx (KF)

History

The Lynx KF ("tracked vehicle") is part of the Modular Combat Vehicle (MCV) family that Rheinmetall is developing. Extensive work began around 2015, culminating in the publication of the "KF31" standard the following year.

The design has since evolved into the newer 'KF41' unveiled at Eurosatory 2018, an entry considered a viable candidate to succeed the US Army's venerable 'Bradley' Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) line.

Project Background

The Bradley IFV was launched in 1981, at a time when there was still a "Cold War" (1947-1991) between the West and the Soviet Union. The war, if it gets "hot", will be mainly in Europe and involve a massive influx of Soviet tanks onto the borders of several European powers. Therefore, the West is investing heavily in tracked and wheeled solutions to counter this real threat. The product of this period became the Bradley, which was essentially a part tank/part armored personnel carrier (APC) designed to play multiple roles on the modern battlefield of the time through a unique design.

This means not only bringing combat-ready troops to the mobile front line with relative protection, but also continuing to fight alongside those troops through the use of automatic cannons, anti-tank missiles (ATGMs) and machine guns.

While some modern militaries in Europe have recently abandoned heavy track and wheel designs, the United States and other major military powers continue to invest in such vehicles. As such, the aging Bradley Line is a candidate for modernization/replacement as the US Army looks to the near future where Russia and China are the main enemies and Europe or Asia will be the main theater of operations.

Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH led the design of their "Lynx KF" platform, which featured a traditional tracked wheel arrangement beneath an advanced hull design that featured an all-new turret, main armament. The project seeks to use a number of existing off-the-shelf components that are proven and readily available to keep production and procurement costs to a minimum.

This also helps with logistics and maintenance/repair, and the end result is a combat vehicle in the 30-45 ton range with great ballistic protection, reasonable performance, and great firepower.

Lynx Vehicle Tour

Like other vehicles in this class, the Lynx consists of a crew of three - a driver (sitting in the hull), a vehicle commander and a gunner (the last two sitting in a powered turret). The turret is centered on top of the fuselage for balance and access. The driver's position is forward left of the bow, with a sight block detailing his entry and exit hatch areas. This moves the power unit to the left, opening the middle/rear part of the fuselage to accommodate six to eight combat-ready infantry, depending on the model (KF31/KF41).

Oversized doors on the surface of the rear fuselage allow these soldiers to enter and exit the vehicle and provide some protection. Armor protection includes steel and decal add-on blocks/plates to counter the threat of modern projectiles and armored kill missiles.

The upper areas of the sides of the fuselage were protected by armored "skirt" panels. Glacis plates (above the bow area) are well sloped to ensure maximum protection from incoming ballistics. All these qualities are consistent with modern IFV/ICV design.

The current Lynx dimensions include a barrel length of 7.75m, a width of 3.6m and a spire height of 3.3m.

Drive and performance

Propulsion is provided by a Liebheer diesel engine up to 1,140 hp, which in combination with an Allison X300 or Renk series automatic transmission system (depending on model), allows the vehicle to reach a top speed of almost 70 km/h (assuming a Es range is around 500 miles). The sprocket arrangement consists of six twin tire wheels on one side of the fuselage, with the drive sprocket in front and the chain idler in the rear.

The track links are wide enough to provide good ground pressure, giving the vehicle inherent soft-terrain handling, while the Supashock suspension system provides the necessary qualities for rough terrain/off-road driving.

Gun Tower

The "Spear" turret is a state-of-the-art design that houses an automatic cannon capable of defeating light to medium armor at range. The turret is completed as an angular shell for two crew members, in which the main armament is also integrated under a faceted fairing extending from the front of the turret. A flat cupola can be seen behind the front turret face, offset to the left of the main gun.

As usual, the main gun is supported by a coaxially mounted (next to the main gun) 7.62mm machine gun, with smoke grenade launchers providing self-defense to the vehicle. The turret originally appeared in its "Lance 1.0" supporting either the 30mm Rheinmetall MK30-2/ABM automatic cannon or the 35mm Wotan 35 weapon system, and has since become standard on the "Lance 2.0" with a 35mm Rheinmetall/Wotan 35 automatic cannon, supporting optional installations "Spike" anti-tank missile (ATGM) launchers (or similar) on either side of the turret (via "mission pods".

KF31 in 2016

Introduced in 2016, the KF31 is equipped with an Allison X300 series automatic transmission and can accommodate six people in addition to a crew of three. Power comes from a 750 hp diesel engine, which can achieve a driving speed of up to 65 km/h.

The weapon is centered on the location of the Lance 1. 0 turret.

KF41 in 2018

The 44-ton KF41, which debuted in 2018, is larger than the KF31, has a Renk gearbox, and transports 8 combat readies at the same time. Power comes from a 1,140 hp unit that delivers road speeds of up to 70 km/h. Armament is a Lance 2.0 turret with multiple primary and secondary survival systems, and an electric 35mm autocannon firing 35x228mm projectiles.

Mission pods on either side of the turret can support ATGM launchers to increase the tactical value of the vehicle, especially against enemy tanks and other vehicle threats from a distance, and can also accommodate battlefield drones deployed in a kamikaze-like role. Gather information about enemy forces and positions, or actively interfere with enemy communications. Thanks to the digital control scheme, the airborne system enables automatic target identification and tracking even during launch.

The turret's field of view and natural range of motion is a full 360 degrees. The KF41 model has a payload of up to 6 tons for maximum versatility.

KF41 Modular

The KF41 marked the beginning of a whole new generation of combat vehicles, centered on a modular combat chassis, suitable for other required roles on the battlefield. These "mission kits" allow the ICV to make some modifications to the fuselage structure (and add the appropriate equipment - usually at the expense of the original IFV model turret accessories).

Rheinmetall claims their vehicles can be converted into new battlefield roles in as little as eight hours, and the cost, maintenance and logistical advantages of a shared chassis are obvious. The system architecture contained therein is also modular and can be adapted to customer requirements.

Likewise, protection levels are modular and can be organized according to mission requirements and the current combat environment.

KF41 Survivability

KF41 survivability focuses on ballistic, missile, mine and improvised explosive device (IED) protection. Likewise, the armor protection scheme is designed to be as modular as possible to support retrofitting of vehicles "in the field" and to address current battlefield threats. While other front-line combat vehicles reduce weight by thinning the upward-facing surface, the Lynx improves on this traditionally weak area by providing protection against reckless, cluster-based munitions attempting to cripple the vehicle from above.

The turret mounting system also provides active/passive missile protection, which is critical for survival against ATGM threats and the more unstable aspects of rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) weapons.

Lynx Outlook

The Lynx is likely to be the future of the infantry fighting vehicle (ICV) for many of the world's leading forces over the next decade as it demonstrates the required protection systems, propulsion and performance, and inherent firepower required for the modern battlefield - a battlefield, whose doctrine has been rewritten by recent fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.