First tanks from Ukraine to be ready in 2024
Rheinmetall plans to manufacture the first tanks in Ukraine within a few months of signing the contract. According to the CEO's plans, the first Fuchs armored personnel carriers should be ready by late summer. The Lynx infantry fighting vehicle is to follow.
The Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall Group wants to build the first tanks in Ukraine as early as 2024. As CEO Armin Papperger explained in an interview with "Wirtschaftswoche", he expects a corresponding contract with Ukraine for the construction of the Fuchs wheeled armored transport vehicle and the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle to be signed by the beginning of next year at the latest.
"Once the contract has been signed, we want to have the first wheeled vehicle ready in Ukraine after around 6 to 7 months - and the first Lynx after 12 to 13 months," said Papperger. Production of the Fuchs from Ukraine is therefore possible from late summer 2024 and the Puma competitor Lynx could follow in summer 2025.
However, Papperger wants to deliver newly built main battle tanks to Ukraine much earlier. "The first ten Lynx vehicles are already being manufactured in co-production between us and Ukraine here in Germany or in Hungary," said the manager. "After a ramp-up phase, we should then quickly be in a position to manufacture a significant number of these vehicles entirely in Ukraine." The German government has already signaled that it will grant the export permit required for production.
Papperger explained the unusually short lead time with the advanced stage of cooperation. Rheinmetall is already Ukraine's largest defense industry partner. The Group had received orders worth around 900 million euros in 2022, and in 2023 the order volume had risen to around 2.5 billion euros. "And that will certainly increase next year," says Papperger. Series production of the Lynx is already underway in Hungary. In addition, armored vehicles are being serviced in Ukraine, and skilled workers from Ukraine have been specially trained in Germany for this purpose.
Rheinmetall aims to start producing the first Ukrainian-built tanks by 2024, following the signing of the contract. The production of the first Lynx infantry fighting vehicles in Ukraine is anticipated to begin 12 to 13 months after the contract, potentially making them available in summer 2025.
Source: www.ntv.de
