The Lynx KF41 is a German armored fighting vehicle developed by Rheinmetall and unveiled publicly at the Eurosatory defence exhibition in 2018.
The Lynx family of tracked armored vehicles is at the forefront of a new trend in IFV design toward armored vehicles with lower unit and through-life costs and reduced complexity.
One of the key principles of the Lynx platform is the integration of proven sub-systems with a high-technology readiness level to reduce development time, cost and technical risk.
One such integration was officially announced on 26 October 2022, in the form of a new Anti-Tank Guided Missile Launcher.
Using advanced engineering capabilities, Supashock Defence Technologies developed the retractable Missile Launcher Pod Subsystem (MLPS) for Rheinmetall’s Lynx Kettenfahrzeug 41 (KF41) Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
Mounted atop of the Lance 2.0 turret, the Supashock MLPS is a completely self-contained unit with an outer tub constructed from advanced composites to reduce the mass of the pod, enhancing the mobility and lethality of the Lynx IFV.
The missile launcher unit is weight-optimised and extremely compact, yet is able to house dual Rafael Spike LR2 ATGMs.
The Supashock missile launcher features optimised kinematic profiles for both speed and smoothness, and provides vibration attenuation and shock impact resistance to the missile payload equipment via a dampening mechanism.
The Supashock missile launcher is capable of deploying in under 2 seconds, greatly enhancing the lethality of the Lynx and enabling the vehicle to rapidly engage heavily armored threats.
In addition to the vibration and shock isolation features of the Supashock missile launcher that protect the payload, the pod subsystem is an integrated part of the ballistic protection structure of the turret.
Supashock’s missile launcher is equipped with two Spike LR or LR2 Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, and the dampening mechanism is disengaged prior to firing, providing a rigid platform for precision missile launches.
The Spike LR2 is a new generation of the original Spike-LR. Weighing in at 12.7 kilograms, and with a range of 5.5km when fired from the ground, the Spike missile uses fiber-optic communication to and from the IFV during flight.
The missile seeker includes an uncooled IR sensor with a smart target tracker with artificial intelligence features, and the ability to fire on grid-target coordinates using an inertial measurement unit for third party-target allocation.
Reported armor penetration capability is more than 900 millimeters (36.4 inches) in Rolled Homogenous Armor (RHA).
Spike missile warhead options are the Tandem HEAT Warhead, or Multipurpose Blast Warhead with selectable impact or penetration detonation fusing.
The missile is designed with a counter-active protection system (CAPS) capability, being able to hit targets at higher impact angles of up to 70 degrees.
The Lynx demonstrates pinpoint accuracy by engaging a distant target with the integrated Spike ATGM.
The Supashock missile launcher also features a mechanical override for electrical systems, enabling the pod to stow or deploy without the use of electronics in the case of an EMP attack.
Integration of this hit capability testifies to the maturity and effectiveness of the Lynx KF41, the most modern tracked infantry fighting vehicle in the world. Looking at a long history of systems integration, Rheinmetall is prepared to equip their platforms with the latest ATGM technologies as they become available.
The Supashock MLPS platform is a modular design that can be adapted to other applications in both land and maritime systems.
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