Soldiers Visit the ”Citadel of the Hungarian Defense Industry”

A unique insight into the production of the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle was gained by the Defense Forces’ Kinizsi Pál 30th Armored Infantry Brigade during a visit to the Rheinmetall factory in Zalaegerszeg (western Hungary) on April 3, writes Honvedelem.hu.

One of the cornerstones of the success of the defense and military development program is the revitalization of the domestic defense industry, ensuring the continuity and sustainability of long-term force development, while providing modern equipment to meet challenges. Rheinmetall Hungary, based in Zalaegerszeg, is one of the main custodians and also the bastion of this process, and within three years of the groundbreaking inauguration ceremony, the first Hungarian-made Lynx KF41 armored infantry fighting vehicle rolled off the assembly line at the end of 2023.

As a result of the latest manufacturing and product technologies applied by Hungarian skilled personnel, the highest quality vehicles will be delivered to the Hungarian Defense Forces.

It is important to understand the complexity, modularity, and test procedures of the next generation vehicle types to get an idea of the performance and possible future improvements,” said Andreas Baumeier, chief operations officer of Rheinmetall Hungary.

The soldiers from Hódmezővásárhely (southeastern Hungary) were invited by Rheinmetall Hungary. In addition to the quality controls built into the manufacturing process, they were able to see how the latest welding, machining, internal logistics, and final assembly technologies are applied.

Another important part of the factory’s activities is post-production maintenance and training. This includes maintenance of delivered vehicles, repair of vehicles, equipment and parts, improvements based on user feedback, installation of new parts for future upgrades, and related training. The implementation of upgrades is possible due to the modular design of Lynx, ensuring decades of mechanical and electronic growth potential.

The production of the infantry fighting vehicles, labeled the “crown jewel of Hungarian force development,” is far from the only goal, as other versions of the vehicle will be produced in Hungary, taking advantage of the modular design of the vehicle family, including the rescue, reconnaissance, and command types, the first of which is expected to be delivered in 2025.

The third key element of the company’s profile, in addition to production and development, is testing.

The complex’s purpose-built test tracks are extremely varied, helping to detect any development or technical defects before delivery. In addition to the mobility test equipment, environmental chamber, EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) chamber, and underground life safety tunnel, tests are also performed at the Zalaegerszeg plant to guarantee the highest quality.

“It was good to hear that other military equipment is planned to be manufactured and developed here in the future. I believe that this can only be to the benefit of the Hungarian Defense Forces,” said soldier Csaba Walter, summing up his experience of the visit. He noted that his application for the Lynx pilot program was motivated primarily by the modernity of the fighting vehicle, so the fact that he was part of the future operating crew of the vehicle type produced in Zalaegerszeg added a lot to the experience of the factory visit.

Via honvedelem.hu; Featured image via Honvedelem.hu/Pintér Ákos