Lynx IFV and Boxer RCV in Australia

Judging by the flat roof it must be CRV (Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle), is just missing it’s turret. The vehicle just arrived in Australia, so this is the sixth boxer in service of Australian Army.

Also in Australia arrived the Rheinmetall Lynx KF41 IFV, Vehicle is equipped with Iron Fist Active protection System.

The vehicle will most likely take part in the Australian Army LAND-400 Phase-3 program.

Photo credit Gregory Knowles

About the LAND 400 Phase 3 - Mounted Close Combat Capability:

The Mounted Close Combat Capability (LAND 400 Phase 3) project was scoped to acquire and support up to 450 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) and a Manoeuvre Support Vehicle capability comprising up to 17 vehicles. But the finaly requirement was framed around the acquisition of 383 IFVs and 17 Manoeuvre Support Vehicles (MSV). 

The IFVs will replace the current M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers that have been in service since the mid 1960's. When delivered, the IFV will allow Army to successfully sustain mounted close combat operations against emerging and future threats as part of a joint force.

The LAND 400 Phase 3 Request for Tender was released to industry on 24 August 2018 and closed on 1 March 2019.

Originally, four contenders had responded to the Request for Tenders (RfT) for LAND 400 Phase 3. These were BAE Systems with the CV90 Mk 4, GDLS with the AJAX, Hanwha Defence Australia with the AS21 REDBACK and Rheinmetall with the KF41 LYNX.

 The Australian government has selected Hanwha and Rheinmetall to participate in the next phase of its A$15 billion (U.S. $10.3 billion) infantry fighting vehicle program, being delivered under Project Land 400 Phase 3.

Hanwha’s AS21 Redback IFV, a variant of the South Korean Army’s K21 vehicle, and Rheinmetall’s Lynx KF41 will now progress to a 12-month risk mitigation activity program later this year, which will test the vehicles under operational conditions.

Land 400 Phase 3 (Mounted Close Combat Capability) will acquire up to 400 tracked IFVs to replace the Australian Army’s ageing M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers. A decision on which tenderer will progress to the acquisition phase of the program will be presented to government for consideration in 2022.

“The two companies have been assessed as offering vehicles that are best able to meet the requirements of the Army while offering value for money for defense,” Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said at the Sept. 16 announcement.

Phase 3 of the overarching Land 400 program follows on from the A$5.2 billion (U.S. $3.6 billion) Phase 2, under which Rheinmetall is delivering 211 Boxer wheeled 8x8 combat reconnaissance vehicles to replace the Australian Army’s light armored vehicles.

Rheinmetall is assembling all but the first 25 Boxers at its recently established Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence at Ipswich, west of Brisbane. Local industry participation will be a key requirement for Land 400 Phase 3.

“Australian industry involvement and Australian workers are vital to this project,” Price said. “Phase 3 is another important opportunity for Australian industry to deliver leading edge technology for the ADF.”

Rheinmetall has indicated it will assemble the Lynx in its Ipswich facility and Hanwha announced on May 23 that it had teamed with EOS Group and Elbit Systems to develop the AS21 and build it in Geelong, south of Melbourne.

Hanwha and Rheinmetall are also the prime contenders for the Australian Army’s recently revitalized Land 8116 program, which will acquire 30 self-propelled howitzers, together with support vehicles and systems.

Hanwha is proposing a local version of its K9 Thunder 155mm SPH, dubbed Aussie Thunder, which the company said in May would be assembled in Geelong irrespective of the Land 400 Phase 3 outcome. Rheinmetall is expected to offer a solution based on its PzH 2000 vehicle.