Next-generation combat vehicles to be manufactured in Hungary − VIDEO

Hungary signed an agreement with Rheinmetall, Europe’s leading provider of army equipment, to establish a joint venture and production facility to manufacture the most modern Lynx infantry fighting vehicle.

As Hungary’s Secretariat of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology and the Commissioner for Defence Development announced, Hungary has started one of its most significant programs to help develop and modernise the country’s military capabilities. The agreement – that is worth over two billion euros – was signed on the 17th of August in Unterlüss, Germany, Infostart reported. As part of the cooperation,

Rheinmetall, the European defence industry company and the Hungarian government will establish a joint venture and build a production plant in Hungary which will manufacture the state-of-the-art Lynx infantry combat vehicles.

Hungary is the first NATO and EU member state who decided to order the newly developed combat vehicle of the Düsseldorf-based company. Currently, the Lynx is only an innovative prototype. Still, its capabilities are already known, and countries like the U.S., Australia and the Czech Republic are among the potential future buyers of the vehicle.

The deal constitutes a central part of the Hungarian military and defence force development program. This program aims to make the Hungarian military a world-class force and one that contributes to addressing the security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic region. In a joint statement, László Palkovics, the Minister of Innovation and Technology and Gáspár Maróth, the Commissioner for Defence Development emphasised that Hungary is aiming to restore the heavy weaponry of its ground forces as part of its commitments to NATO.

“After the tanks and artillery, it is now the turn of the infantry combat vehicles, which are the backbone of the capability package” – they also added that – “in its category, the Lynx proved to be the most appropriate choice to serve this pivotal role in the Army’s capabilities spectrum for decades to come.”

They also noted that

this cooperation extends beyond military technology modernisation; it is a partnership with a leading European company that can help the recovery of the Hungarian military industry, and it expands the Hungarian industrial portfolio as well.

As Armin Papperger, the chairman of the executive board of Rheinmetall AG said in his announcement: “We are proud to make a significant contribution to expanding Hungary’s defence technology capabilities in cooperation with the local industry. We are looking forward to working with our Hungarian friends and partners and we will do everything for the long-term success of our agreement.”

• Germany started to assemble the new Hungarian tanks

Read alsoThe first Hungarian Leopard tanks are ready

Source: infostart.hu