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Rheinmetall has partnered with Frontline Manufacturing to develop hulls for the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle, destined for export to the United States as part of the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program.
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The announcement comes as Frontline Manufacturing invested in a steel folding machine having received support via the Commonwealth’s sovereign defence industry grant. In collaboration with Australian company Bisalloy Steel, the new folding machine enables the company to bend and craft the Lynx hull and engage with the IFV export market.
Gary Stewart, managing director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia, explained that more Australian companies have begun gaining the necessary requirements to build and export defence vehicles with Rheinmetall expecting to undertake manufacturing of the Lynx alongside Australian industrial capability via their Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Queensland.
“Frontline Manufacturing is an Australian success story. Established in 1996, the company worked hard to establish a knowledge-based metal component manufacturing business. In recent years, Frontline Manufacturing has increased its capabilities with the support of companies like Rheinmetall, to offer services including cutting and folding of military vehicle hulls,” Stewart said.
“Employing local workers in specialised trades and working on programs such as the Lynx IFV ensures critical skills are retained in Australia.”
“The Lynx vehicle export order will be delivered to Rheinmetall in the United States supporting the business’ worldwide activities underway in the OMFV competition for the USA’s Bradley fighting vehicle replacement program.
“Lynx is a next-generation fighting vehicle with unmatched protection and lethality. Rheinmetall has developed a next-generation electronic architecture to ensure on-board sensors, systems and effectors are able to be networked into the USA’s Department of Defense’s broader network architecture,” Stewart concluded.
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