Ukraine has reached an agreement with the defense manufacturer Rheinmetall for the joint production of Lynx infantry fighting vehicles. The first vehicle is expected this year, according to the Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin.
Kamyshin made the corresponding statement at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin.
“We will produce the first Lynx this year,” he said.
Neither Kamyshin nor the head of the Rheinmetall defense group disclosed further information about the location of the production, citing security concerns.
Ukraine and Rheinmetall have already established several joint ventures. Recently, a facility was launched to repair equipment damaged during combat, which will expedite the return of vehicles to the battlefield.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have various military equipment from Rheinmetall in their arsenal, including Marder IFVs, Wiesel vehicles, Puma and Lynx IFVs, Skynex air defense systems, and Leopard tanks of different modifications.
Additionally, the Franco-German company KNDS recently agreed to establish a subsidiary company in Ukraine. During a meeting with representatives of the complex, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement for the licensed production of ammunition by KNDS.
As later explained by the government, the agreement is extremely important as it represents Ukraine's first license for the production of 155mm NATO-standard shells.