Rheinmetall has announced an export order in excess of $150 million dollars from Australia to the Hungarian Armed Forces to supply Lance turrets, which will be designed and manufactured at the company’s new Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in South East Queensland, Australian Defence Magazine reports.
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Lance turret (Picture source: Rheinmetall)
Hungary’s Lynx infantry fighting vehicle program includes the Lance turret to enable the crew to access sensor systems, advanced automatic tracking and targeting capabilities and weapon- integrated battle management all in one connected and enabled platform.
At least 30 of the first 46 digital Lance turrets will be supplied from Australia during Phase 1. “We welcome this major export contract, and we look forward to the follow on turret and kit orders to be awarded by other European customers,” Gary Stewart, Chief Executive of Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Asia Pacific and Managing Director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia, said. The Hungarian export program will reportedly be expanded in the coming months to include a further 127 Lance turret kits from Rheinmetall Defence Australia.
Turret systems such as Lance or its remotely controlled brother Lance RC from Rheinmetall Defence are masterpieces of innovative engineering ingenuity. Furthermore, with their enormous potential for enhancement, these modern turrets are already prepared for the challenges of coming decades.
“The Lance turret system underlines the goal of Rheinmetall to supply armed forces with a comprehensive range of modular systems,” explains Andreas Riedel, Head of the turret systems product unit at Rheinmetall Landsysteme. « At a time of unforeseeable challenges for military deployments, the greatest possible flexibility in the combination of technology means maximum freedom of action for military decision-makers.”
In fact, the technical variability of Lance is almost limitless. The turret and its weapon can be integrated in almost any armored wheeled or tracked vehicle and is thus highly mobile. As Riedel says, “This means that not only soldiers deployed in their armored vehicles are protected against ballistic threats, mines and explosive traps, but they can also engage the enemy with precise firepower at the same time.”
The main weapon is the MK30-2 / ABM automatic cannon, developed and built by Rheinmetall. The use of this cannon brings a host of advantages for the vehicle crew. The turret has a reserve of 200 rounds of two different ammunition types for the main weapon. This means that the weapon can be resupplied with ammunition without the soldiers having to leave the protected vehicle interior. The turret also enables moving targets to be engaged accurately and effectively even when the vehicle itself is moving. Naturally, other weapons of various calibers or from other suppliers can also be integrated in the Lance turret. Full flexibility is ensured in this respect as well.
The Lance is equipped with a state-of-the-art, fully digital fire control system. Two electro-optical sights – each equipped with a high-resolution camera, a thermal imaging camera and a laser rangefinder – are also provided. One of the sights enables 360-degree visibility, irrespective of the movement of the turret. Of particular benefit is the fact that each system can be operated both by the commanding officer and by the gunner. With Lance RC, the modular design also allows the turret system to be remotely controlled.
As well as the base version, a range of additional equipment can be integrated. A Situational Awareness System (SAS), an independent weapons station, C4I systems for network-enabled operations and an additional sight for the commanding officer are just a few examples of the virtually endless expansion possibilities. All of this means that the LANCE turret is ready for the future today.
