German company RENK has announced its intention to expand an operational footprint into Australia should Rheinmetall’s Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) be selected for the Land 400 Phase 3 program.
The company says that should the Lynx IFV be selected, it will establish a new subsidiary in Brisbane to assemble and test transmission systems and final drives for the Lynx and potentially other military vehicles in service across the region.
RENK produces fully automatic transmissions for medium and heavy tracked military vehicles. According to a company statement, RENK transmissions are used in 40 different types of military vehicles and in service with more than 30 armed forces worldwide. Additionally, RENK offers suspension system technology via their subsidiary Horstman Defence Systems.
“We are fully committed to our partner Rheinmetall Defence Australia and to the Australian Defence Forces to deliver the best solution for the Land 400 Phase 3 program," Susanne Wiegand, Chairwoman of RENK Group, said. "RENK is very proud to be the partner of choice for the transmission system of the Lynx KF41 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and will deliver a significant contribution to the Australian Industry Capability program if the contract is awarded.”
Currently, three Lynx vehicles are taking part in the test and evaluation trials as part of the Risk Mitigation Activity (RMA) to be conducted around Australia over a 12 month timeframe. The extensive testing regime is putting vehicles through a range of trials including lethality, mobility and blast tests.
If selected for Land 400 Phase 3, the Lynx fleet will be manufactured in QLD at Rheinmetall’s new Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) at Redbank south-west of Brisbane.