Team Lynx Offer for OMFV Central to Exhibit
At AUSA 2021 this week, Rheinmetall will be showing some of its most recent activities, achievements and innovations, aimed at providing the US Army with effective, next-generation solutions.
The new HX3 tactical truck stands out, due to improved crew protection, increased mobility, enhanced driving comfort and digital interface architecture. This results in greater operational flexibility, safety, survivability and operator enhancements as well as providing substantial capacity for future performance upgrades. The US Army is currently exploring a critical truck modernisation programme, the Common Tactical Truck (CTT), for which HX3 is a natural fit and ready now.
In July, American Rheinmetall Vehicles (ARV) and its ‘Team Lynx’ partners – Raytheon, L3 Harris, Textron Systems and Allison Transmission – received a contract award for the digital design phase of the Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) programme. A model at AUSA will offer visitors a first-hand view of some of the underlying design concepts. Using as its departure point the KF41 LYNX IFV, already in production with a NATO partner and undergoing extensive evaluation in Australia, the OMFV concept comprises a fully US-specific, next-generation, lethal, survivable and advanced mature platform.
The StrikeShield hard-kill active protection system (APS) offers modular protection with a reduced risk of detection. This hybrid design provides optimum performance while minimising system weight and power consumption, offering superior protection even when faced with multiple simultaneous threats from very close range. A low emissions signature reduces the threat of detection, making StrikeShield much safer for dismounts.
The Rheinmetall Rapid Obscuring System (ROSY) – a 40mm non-lethal grenade launcher that produces an instantaneous smokescreen for effective obscuration across the visual and IR spectrum – will be on view, as will the company’s improved MK93 heavy weapons mount – designed and produced by American Rheinmetall Systems – that not only reduces recoil and improves accuracy, but also enables the integration of Rheinmetall’s airburst munition and lethality capabilities. Rheinmetall is making critical contributions to the Army’s 40mm XM1176 and XM1166 airburst munitions, to produce lethal effects against personnel in open and defilade positions and defeat lighter vehicles. Under these programmes, the company is leveraging its extensive systems expertise, providing high-performance programmers that increase first-round hit probability.
The MISSION MASTER SP autonomous UGV (A-UGV) platform will be shown in the cargo variant. The vehicle showcases Rheinmetall’s advanced developments in autonomous combat vehicle operating capabilities, and features all-terrain and amphibious mobility, as well as silent drive mode. It can operate autonomously or semi-autonomously, features a flexible storage system (shouldering a half-ton payload burden) and can be fitted to suit both high- and low-profile operations. MISSION MASTER XT increases that payload capacity to a full ton and thrives in the most challenging conditions. Fully amphibious, with a continuous tyre inflation system, the XT comes integrated with Rheinmetall’s PATH autonomy kit, an industry-leading, AI-powered autonomous driving and navigation package. Although MISSION MASTER XT will not be onsite this year, team members will be available to discuss both SP and XT models.
American Rheinmetall Systems will unveil its broadened product portfolio at the exhibition. In addition to soldier lethality systems such as laser aiming, pointing and illuminating devices and fire control systems, the company now offers world-class vehicle electronic mission systems to the US market. On display will be an Intelligent 360° situational awareness system that enables vehicle crews to observe the local environment and detect, track and engage potential threats faster.
