Raytheon and Rheinmetall joint venture to offer Lynx infantry fighting vehicle to US Army

Raytheon and Rheinmetall Defence said on Friday, September 27 their joint venture will submit the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle to the U.S. Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) competition.

The joint venture, dubbed Raytheon Rheinmetall Land Systems, LLC, will be based in the U.S. and is the result of a 2018 agreement between the two companies. The partnership will submit its bid to the OMFV competition no later than October 1, the companies said in a press release.

First unveiled in 2016, Rheinmetall’s 37-55 ton Lynx is highly modular tracked armored vehicle typically outfitted with a 30mm or 35mm main cannon, but can also carry a 50mm cannon, one of the objective requirements for the OMFV program.

The OMFV is set to replace the Bradley fighting vehicle by 2026.

Raytheon is earmarked to provide the TOW missile for the joint venture’s Lynx, as well as a Coyote UAV system, Active Protection System which defends against guided anti-tank missiles, third-generation sights and cyber protection, according to the release.

“Lynx will be built in America by American workers,” said Ben Hudson, global head of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems division.

The U.S. Army’s Next Generation Fighting Vehicle team, under the new Army Futures Command, invited proposals for the optionally-manned next generation fighting vehicle in March.

BAE Systems, which manufactures the Bradley, said in June it will not participate in the competition.

Rheinmetall and BAE launch UK-based military vehicle joint venture