This year, from 28 to 29 August, the Hungarian armed forces are hosting the International Air Show at Kecskemét air force base for the first time since 2013. It centres on the ongoing modernization of the Hungarian military. As one of Hungary’s most important partners, Rheinmetall will be on hand at the event to tell about its current projects and products. These include:

• The Lynx KF41 family of fighting vehicles: Hungary is the first NATO and EU member state to select Rheinmetall’s newly developed infantry fighting vehicle. A total of 218 Lynx systems have been ordered, most of which will be built in Hungary. The Lynx infantry fighting vehicle combines high mobility and lethality, modularity, survivability, networkability and future viability, making it a true standout.

• The StrikeShield active protection system. StrikeShield is the third and newest generation of Rheinmetall’s Active Defence System (ADS) technology, a special variant of a hard-kill APS system. The ADS is a distributed system in which the sensors and countermeasures are integrated into the contours and architecture of the entre vehicle. Among other advantages, the lowest emissions in the electromagnetic spectrum as well as the fastest, most secure and most reliable reaction times in ambush and multiple hit scenarios set the StrikeShield apart from the competition. The Hungarian military has selected StrikeShield for its fleet of Lynx IFVs.

• The HX 8×8 heavy load transporter: Made by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV), the HX 8×8 semi trailer tractor is powered by an eight-cylinder, 680 HP diesel engine. This gives the high-mobility, all-wheel-drive truck a top speed of 89 km/h and lets it handle gradients of 60 percent. The technically permissible gross train weight comes to around 130 tonnes. A military-off-the-shelf series of products, RMMV’s HX vehicle family is designed for maximum mobility even in the most difficult conditions. Over 15,000 of these vehicles are in service worldwide.

• Air defence: High-mobility ground-based air defence systems are gaining new importance now that NATO armed forces are once again focusing on national and alliance defence. Rheinmetall’s Skyranger systems, armed with 35mm or 30mm automatic cannon as well as other effectors, can be mounted on wheeled or tracked armoured vehicles like the Boxer or Lynx.

• The Mission Master family: Robotics is already changing the face of the modern battlefield. Designed to serve as a weapons platform, Rheinmetall’s unmanned Mission Master SP (Silent Partner) vehicle is already being evaluated by various armed forces around the globe. As recently as June 2021, Rheinmetall unveiled a new member of its Mission Master family – the Mission Master XT. Specially engineered to operate in extreme terrain and to carry heavy loads, the new AUGV will be on view for the first time at a tradeshow in Europe.

 In digitizing the modern military, Rheinmetall sets exceptionally high standards, drawing on its expertise as a maker of soldier systems, sensors, effectors as well as its networking and C4I system capabilities. Here, the Düsseldorf-based high-tech specialist for security and mobility continues to extend its lead in the soldier systems field with solutions like the Gladius 2.0.

In the training and simulation domain, too, Rheinmetall is a global leader, making a crucial contribution to enhancing the effectiveness and readiness of modern armed forces and law enforcement agencies.  Information on this as well as weapon and ammunition systems for scalable, threat-commensurate firepower and innovative, networkable sensors for applications on land, at sea and in the air round out the array of capabilities on display.  We look forward to seeing you at the Kecskemét International Air Show!