Greece can boost its military industry with the German KF41 IFV

Greece has a real opportunity to strain the capacity of its military industry. The Greek army is in the process of modernization. According to sources in Greece, at least 250 infantry fighting vehicles are within the scope of a future purchase by the defense ministry. Thus, the German “favorite” Lynx KF41 appears “on the scene”.

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According to an announcement from Rheinmetall, the company is ready to offer a very close industrial partnership with the local Greek military industry. The DEFEA military exhibition is currently taking place in Athens and Rheinmetall has already sent the Lynx KF41 to be displayed.

Rheinmetall did not specify what the close industrial cooperation would look like if Athens chooses their product. But the company gives Hungary as an example. We remind you that in Hungary Rheinmetall opened a new production capacity for KF41. At the moment, Hungarian production is at a low speed, but in the coming years, it will start working at a high speed. In this connection, Rheinmetall announced that they are looking for workers to be trained in German production standards in Hungary.

A hint of Hungary could open doors for Greek industry to provide a greater workload. It is not known whether Rheinmetall plans to produce in Greece. But with the desire to acquire 250 vehicles for the infantry, Greece can get it. A supply hub in the Balkans would be of interest to the German company.

We remind you that Bulgaria is also in the process of choosing similar vehicles. Although the project is sitting in some ministerial office in Sofia, it will always return to the current market map. The opportunity for Sofia to receive infantry fighting vehicles from a neighboring country means a lot. For example a significant reduction in delivery and future maintenance costs.

North Macedonia, Albania, and Romania are also in the region. The first two countries will do exactly the same “exercise” as Bulgaria in the coming years. As newer members of the North Atlantic Alliance, they are due to have their armament replaced. A close production link with Greece would provide Rheinmetall with access to the Balkans and Greece with a busy production base.

Athens will not be familiar with the Lynx KF41 for the first time. Last year, at the height of summer, this infantry fighting vehicle arrived in Greece to be tested by the Greek Army. At the same time, earlier this year, according to Greek sources, the Ministry of Defense had already decided to acquire the KF41. It is rumored that Greece may spend billions of USD on the modernization of its Leopard 2A4 tanks and the purchase of the KF41.

In fact, the modernization of Greek tanks has already begun. Just days ago we reported that the Greek Leopards had already received factory-made and fitted Explosive Reactive Armor [ERA]. In this way, the Greek Leopards became the first in the world to receive a serially produced and factory-fitted ERA for the tank’s protection. Greece has 180 Leopard 2A4 tanks.

So, it is quite understandable that Rheinmetall is considered the favorite to win the race to equip the Greek army with new infantry fighting vehicles. The KF41 will give the Greek army a lot of mobility. In recent decades, there has been an increasing emphasis on modularity in such combat vehicles. The KF41 does not exclude such, and the modularity of the vehicle will allow Greece to modify it. For example as an infantry fighting vehicle or an air defense system. Greece can transform it as a command vehicle, or a medical vehicle, too.

Today, the life and cost rate of the entire life cycle of a military platform is calculated more and more often. The modularity of the KF41 certainly reduces maintenance costs throughout its lifetime.

As for combat capability, the KF41 will meet the Greek requirements – a 30 mm gun that works with modern programmable ammunition. Also integrated into the Lance 2 turret is the advanced Spike LR2 anti-tank missile system.

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