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Rheinmetall intros new Lynx infantry fighting vehicle

Rheinmetall displays a new tracked infantry fighting vehicle at Eurosatory 2016.

By Richard Tomkins
Rheinmetall's new Lynx infantry fighting vehicle. Photo courtesy Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall's new Lynx infantry fighting vehicle. Photo courtesy Rheinmetall

PARIS, June 14 (UPI) -- Rheinmetall unveiled its new Lynx infantry fighting vehicle on Tuesday at the Eurosatory 2016 exhibition in the French capital.

The Lynx comes in two tracked variants, which can be configured for command and control, armored reconnaissance, repair and recovery, and ambulance operations.

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The first is the Lynx KF31 that can seat six soldiers in addition to its three-person crew. The other is the KF41, which can carry eight passengers.

"Lynx is an advanced new modular family of vehicles that offers our customers the highest levels of survivability, mobility, lethality and capacity while utilizing proven technologies to deliver a compelling value proposition for our global customers," Ben Hudson, Head of Rheinmetall's Vehicle Systems Division. "Lynx delivers the capabilities that will allow our customers to fight, survive and win on the battlefields of today and tomorrow."

The Lynx features a Rheinmetall LANCE turret armed with a stabilized, externally powered, airburst-capable automatic cannon -- in either 30mm or 35mm -- for engaging targets as much as 3,280 yards distant. The vehicles can also be armed with an anti-tank guided missile launcher and a secondary weapon station linked to the main optics.

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With the diesel engine mounted in the forward section and a modular armor concept, the vehicle architecture offers a high degree of protection.

The commander and gunner have access to a stabilized electro-optical sight system, a digital TV-IR optical system with an integrated laser range finder and fire control computer.

Rheinmetall said the Lynx can handle gradients of up to 60 degrees and lateral inclines of more than 30 degrees.

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