Rheinmetall, the largest supplier of military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force has submitted the company’s Lynx Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) best and final offer for the Australian Department of Defence Land 400 Phase 3 Mounted Close Combat Capability tender. Rheinmetall is one of two competing companies involved in the tender for this procurement project.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia Managing Director, Gary Stewart said the Lynx is a next generation tracked, digitised and highly protected Infantry Fighting Vehicle and offers a step-change in Army’s capabilities. “Lynx sets the new standard and offers unmatched levels of survivability, mobility, lethality, knowledge and growth. Importantly, Lynx is ready to protect Australians in the field and defeat any adversary. Lynx is fitted with the Rheinmetall Lance turret for precise and lethal effects and offers an integrated battle management system. Designed for close combat operations, the extensive family of Lynx vehicles is modular. Lynx can be easily configured and reconfigured, to all 10 roles required by the Army.”
Rheinmetall has developed the Lynx with a growth path to meet continually evolving military needs throughout its anticipated 40 year life. Submitting the best and final offer represents the final deliverable of the two year Risk Management Activity (RMA) undertaken by the Department of Defence. Involving 12 months of rigorous testing by Army, Rheinmetall has been impressed with the professional and flexible approach taken by Defence in response to COVID.
“The fact that Army and Defence’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group has completed perhaps the most comprehensive testing in the world of these IFVs is outstanding,” said Stewart. “The testing and associated working group discussions have mitigated a number of risks, confirmed vehicle and company performance, and improved the access for more Australian companies to be involved in this program.”
Stewart said that the company’s offer also included a “special project” that was sure to pique the interest of not only the Australian Defence Force, but international export markets as well. “Incorporating a great deal of engineering design and innovation, I am very much looking forward to unveiling the Rheinmetall special project”, he added.
Stewart said that Rheinmetall’s demonstrated commitment to Australian Industry Capability (AIC) through the Land 121 and Land 400 Phase 2 programs will continue to expand for the Lynx program. “The Australian Army will benefit from the Lynx IFV that will be designed, built and supported from Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence, with an expanded Australia-wide military vehicle industry network. In addition to the engineering of the system design Rheinmetall undertook in Australia with our key Australian partners, we are continuing to identify more Australian companies to supply technologies into Lynx, as part of our ongoing ‘design to manufacture in Australia’ activities.
“Today, we have well in excess of 100 small to medium enterprises that are manufacturing parts for Lynx, thereby providing employment and economic growth opportunities across regional and capital cities in Australia,” Stewart added. “Rheinmetall’s bid will see the Lynx sustained and enhanced locally throughout its service life, building on Rheinmetall’s existing employment base which supports hundreds of high-technology design and manufacturing jobs in fields as diverse as electro-optics, weapon systems, vehicle and turret manufacturing, armour systems and simulation. The Lynx’s Lance turret; already in manufacture for the Australian Boxer CRV program and an export customer, provides high degrees of commonality and interoperability for the soldier. Allowing rapid transition across platforms, a common L turret would simplify Army’s training system and reduce in-service support costs, providing the customer with tangible benefits from day one. “Manufactured at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Redbank, Queensland, the company will provide whole of fleet management, training and through-life support of Lynx.”
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