Ukraine’s Testing of Rheinmetall’s Lynx Infantry Fighting Vehicle Delayed as CEO Hints at Future Production

After months of silence, Armin Papperger, the CEO of Rheinmetall, has confirmed that the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) continues to undergo testing in Ukraine, with trials still in progress as of July 15.

While initial reports had suggested a decision was imminent, Ukraine has yet to make a final call on whether to adopt the Lynx. The vehicle, which has already been chosen by Hungary and Italy, is still in the evaluation phase.

In a report published by BILD on July 13, Papperger disclosed that the Lynx is currently undergoing tests in Ukraine, though these tests are being conducted away from the front lines.

This indicates that the vehicle has been under assessment for at least six to seven months, as Papperger had mentioned in January that the first Lynx would be delivered by the end of 2024 from the Unterlüß factory.

However, no additional vehicles have been sent to Ukraine since that statement. Back in October 2024, Papperger had said that ten units were to be delivered for testing, but there has been no further update on additional deliveries.

The reasons behind this delay remain unclear.

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There could be issues related to the performance of the vehicle, challenges in production, or even a lack of funding. Alternatively, Ukrainian officials may have decided that additional vehicles are no longer necessary for testing purposes.

Papperger did not disclose how far along the Lynx testing has progressed in Ukraine, but he did note that the vehicle had already undergone rigorous trials in Hungary. He suggested that this prior experience could benefit the ongoing trials in Ukraine. Despite some progress, there is still no public timeline for the next steps in the process.

Rheinmetall CEO is keen to wrap up the current testing phase as soon as possible. If the company doesn’t meet its goal to begin production of the Lynx IFV in Ukraine by 2027, this would mark the second time Rheinmetall has had to push back previously set timelines for the vehicle.

Before production can begin, Rheinmetall still needs to finalize negotiations with the German government over funding for these IFVs. These talks have been ongoing for over a year, and it appears that the German government is waiting for a formal request from the Ukrainian government to move forward with the purchase.

If the deal proceeds, it could be worth billions of euros for Rheinmetall. Papperger has estimated that Ukraine’s military will eventually require 3,000 Lynx IFVs. However, he has acknowledged that the budget for such a large order does not currently exist.

If things proceed smoothly, this could lead to the production and delivery of hundreds of Lynx vehicles to Ukraine over the next decade.

Earlier, Germany had delivered its first batch of wheeled 155mm howitzers to Ukraine to enhance their artillery capabilities.

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