Slovakia will produce Rheinmetall’s KF41 Lynx armored fighting vehicles
BRATISLAVA, ($1=0.92 Euros) — Slovakia is buying 152 Rheinmetall’s KF41 Lynx armored fighting vehicles, investing $ 1.7 billion from the country’s military budget, BulgarianMilitary.com has learned, citing a press release from the German company Rheinmetall.
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Rheinmetall guarantees that more than half of the amount will be reinvested in a new production plant in Slovakia, with 80% of the order being executed in the new production facilities. The investment is large-scale for both the company and the Slovak government. Rheinmetall envisages the new plant as part of Rheinmetall’s global production and supply chain.
Slovakia is replacing its entire obsolete fleet of armored fighting vehicles, which consists of BVP-2, a Soviet-era land-based combat vehicle.
The investment
The small Slovak town of Moldava nad Bodvou with 12,000 inhabitants will be the center of German investment. 150 people will be hired, trained and will start working in the new plant, which is expected to happen in the next two years.
12,000 square meters of production lines and a 15,000 square meter test area are the basis of Rheinmetall’s investment in Slovak city. The plant will produce chassis and towers for IFV Lynx, will integrate various systems, testing, and painting. The plant will be equipped and built in a way that not only fulfills the order of the Slovak government but also takes on export orders.
Industrial cooperation
Rheinmetall’s investment in Slovakia opens the door to expanding the potential of the Slovak military-industrial complex. According to a press release from the German company, already 70 local companies working in the field of production and development of defense products or dual-use products have been identified as potential partners.
Several prominent organizations are already integrated into Rheinmetall’s supply chain, the company said, citing the most important ones. Among them are companies for engines, transmissions, cables, laser cutting, electronic components, the production of simulators, communication systems, and more.
The smart Rheinmetall’s weapon system
The German concern Reinmetal [RHM] presented a modern and smart weapon system, an integrated combination of a 30mm automatic cannon, guided missiles, and a high-energy laser. Skyranger 30 HEL is a hybrid capable of identifying and destroying any air threat, said in a press release RHM.
The Skyranger 30 HEL laser system, or HEL effect for short, consists of three main parts – a laser source, a laser guidance system, and a laser weapon station. The laser weapon station has integrated sensors. With their help, HEL monitors the movement of enemy aircraft and decides at what point it is most appropriate to fire a laser beam at it, burning its electronics.
Rheinmetall has set in the characteristics a laser power of 100kW, although in tests so far they have managed to 20 kW. Laser powers up to 20-50 kW are planned for the first phase of implementation. The laser beam can be aimed at the target with high accuracy, thanks to the subcomponents in the laser system, whose interaction leads to high power and beam quality.
The system of integrated cruise missile launchers provides greater flexibility to the combat vehicle, ensuring the downing of enemy aircraft at a greater distance. In this way, the operational capacity of the mobile station is significantly increased.
Rheinmetall says the 30mmx173 KCE is the world’s most effective weapon of its caliber. The cannon can fire up to 1,200 shots per minute. Interestingly, there is a delayed firing system through the use of programmable ammunition. They are capable of hitting significantly smaller air targets than normally expected.
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