Germany-based defense and technology group Rheinmetall has handed over the first KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) produced at the Zalaegerszeg site in Hungary to the Hungarian armed forces, the company said in a press release Friday, dubbing the development a milestone.
The press release said the vehicle was officially handed over with a ceremony held on July 24 with the participation of Hungarian Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.
Björn Bernhard, head of Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Europe and Paul Walf, CEO of Rheinmetall Hungary, meanwhile, welcomed the guests on behalf of Rheinmetall.
The first Lynx from Hungarian production was already completed in Dec. 2023, the statement said, and following extensive functional inspections as well as performance and quality acceptances, “it has now been officially handed over to the Hungarian armed forces.”
In Zalaegerszeg, Rheinmetall Group operates the world's most modern competence center for the production of tracked armored vehicles, in particular the highly innovative Lynx, the statement added. The factory was opened in Aug. 2023.
Szalay-Bobrovniczky, during the ceremony, said: “I often say that peace requires strength, which means a lot of kinds of strength, and in this regard, we have gained real and serious strength with Rheinmetall and in this alliance, which significantly enriches Hungary.”
“This is a kind of strategic partnership that is more than strategy or partnership – this is a real alliance, and within this framework, we hope to win the future for Hungarians, and we’re building something that will remain for the next generations, and we’re strengthening Hungary,” he noted.
Rheinmetall’s Bernhard, for his art, said: “We are grateful to be able to support the Hungarian armed forces as an industrial partner in the Lynx lighthouse project. We have now reached an important milestone within the project. With the production of the Lynx, we are seriously proving our commitment in creating local added value in Hungary and transferring technology to the country. This model is also transferable to other countries which might also be interested in similar partnerships.”
In Aug. 2020, the Hungarian Ministry of Defense awarded Rheinmetall Group a contract valued at over €2 billion to deliver combat vehicles and related services under the “Zrínyi 2026” program. The contract includes the provision of 209 Lynx KF41 vehicles in seven different configurations: IFV, command post vehicle, armored reconnaissance vehicle, fire control vehicle, mortar carrier, medical vehicle, and driving school vehicle. Additionally, a Lynx air defense tank equipped with a Skyranger 30 turret is being developed under a separate contract awarded in Dec. 2023.
In the first production phase, Hungary is set to receive 46 German-made Lynx IFVs by the end of 2025. The first vehicle from this series was handed over in Oct. 2022. Production of the remaining vehicles began at the end of 2023 as part of the Rheinmetall Hungary Zrt. joint venture between Rheinmetall (51%) and the Hungarian government (49%) in Zalaegerszeg.
The state-of-the-art Zalaegerszeg site includes an extensively equipped test center with a firing tunnel.
In addition to strengthening the local economy, the factory also contributes to promoting innovation and, above all, creates around 300 highly qualified jobs.
Rheinmetall plans additional investments in the site in the coming years in order to further increase production capacity.
The establishment of the IFV and other variants will also strengthen the development of the Hungarian economy and defense industry.
Thanks to its modular design, the Lynx KF41 is characterized by maximum adaptability. This means that the Hungarian customer's specific national requirements can be precisely fulfilled.
