The first Lynx infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) to be built in Hungary has now rolled off the Rheinmetall assembly line established in Zalaegerszeg, in the west of the country, and is undergoing its commissioning process, Rheinmetall announced on 21 December 2023.
In mid-2024, following comprehensive function, performance and quality inspections in Zalaegerszeg, the first Hungarian-built Lynx will be transferred to the Hungarian armed forces.
“Rheinmetall is steadily expanding its production capacity in Europe in order to meet growing demand from our customers and to support European security,” Rheinmetall executive board chairman Armin Papperger, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “Opened in August of this year, our new plant in Hungary is [among] the most advanced production and testing facilities for armoured vehicles anywhere in the world.”
Paul Walf, managing director of Rheinmetall Hungary, added, “We’re proud of our team in Zalaegerszeg and of our colleagues in Germany, who reached this milestone in record time.”
The Hungarian Ministry of Defence awarded Rheinmetall a contract in September 2020 worth over EUR 2 Bn to supply Hungary with 209 Lynx IFVs and related products and services. In the first production phase Hungary is taking delivery of 46 Lynx IFVs made in Germany, with the first vehicle transferred to the Hungarian military in October 2022. Starting at the end of 2023, the remaining vehicles will be produced in Hungary by Rheinmetall Hungary: a joint venture co-owned by Rheinmetall (51%) and the Hungarian state (49%).
Opened in August 2023, Rheinmetall’s ultramodern facility in Zalaegerszeg will enable the development and production of state-of-the-art wheeled and tracked armoured fighting vehicles for the Hungarian armed forces. These include the Lynx KF41 family as well as the Evo version of the Panther KF51 main battle tank.
The Hungarian Lynx contract originally envisaged seven variants of the KF41 for the Hungarian military: the standard IFV; a command post vehicle; a reconnaissance vehicle; a forward artillery observer vehicle; a mortar carrier; a field ambulance; and a driver training vehicle. However, under a contract signed on 15 December 2023 Rheinmetall will now also develop a Lynx mobile air defence vehicle featuring a Skyranger 30 turret.
