Rheinmetall has officially confirmed the start of deliveries of the latest Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles to the Ukrainian Defense Forces, according to a statement on the company’s official website.
According to Rheinmetall, the first tranche of armored vehicles is scheduled to enter service in early 2026. The contract was signed in December 2025, with funding for the first phase fully provided by the German federal government. The value of the initial delivery, consisting of five vehicles, is estimated at tens of millions of euros.
In a statement, company CEO Armin Papperger said the agreement represents an important milestone in supporting Ukraine. According to the information, the delivered vehicles will be equipped with the two-seat LANCE turret as well as specialized systems developed based on the experience gained during combat operations on Ukrainian territory.
Rheinmetall also said that the Lynx KF41 had successfully completed a series of tests that confirmed a high level of protection and strong firepower. The next steps of the collaboration include not only the procurement of additional units, but also the possibility of localizing production of the Lynx directly at facilities in Ukraine.
Features of the Lynx KF41
The Lynx KF41, which was first publicly presented in 2018, is a heavy infantry fighting vehicle weighing around 44 tons. The main armament consists of a 30 or 35 mm automatic cannon in the LANCE turret, as well as a coaxial machine gun and an anti-tank missile launcher, which can be configured according to customer requirements.
The level of protection includes resistance to projectiles up to 30 mm in the front area and 14.5 mm on the sides, while the hull bottom offers protection against explosions with an explosive force of up to 10 kg of TNT. The vehicle is powered by a Liebherr D9612 engine with 1,470 hp, reaches a top speed of around 70 km/h and a range of around 500 km on the road.
The crew consists of three soldiers, with space for up to nine fully equipped infantrymen.
Production and financing
As part of the cooperation between Ukraine and Rheinmetall, an option to localize Lynx production in the country was agreed. According to Papperger, however, this step only becomes economically viable for larger orders, which are estimated at 200 to 300 vehicles.
The biggest challenge to expanding the program remains funding. While the first delivery was covered by the German federal government, the sources of funding for possible further procurements have not yet been determined and could amount to hundreds of millions or even billions of euros.
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Source and images: Militarnyi | Rheinmetall. This content was created using AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
