Lynx reconnaissance vehicle

The Lynx reconnaissance vehicle (manufacturer's name: M113½ Command and Reconnaissance Vehicle, abbr. M113 C&R) is a United States-built tracked reconnaissance armoured fighting vehicle, which was employed by the armed forces of the Netherlands and Canada. Dutch vehicles were exported in the 1990s to Bahrain[1] and Chile, according to SIPRI 35 and 8 vehicles respectively.

Lynx
Canadian Lynx taking part in Bovington Tank Museum's 'Tanks In Action' display
Place of originUnited States
Service history
Used byCanada
Netherlands
Bahrain
Chile
Specifications
Mass8.77 tonnes
Length4.60 m
Width2.41 m
Height2.18 m
Crew3 (commander, driver, observer)
Armor31.8 mm
Main
armament
.50-caliber M2 Machine Gun
Secondary
armament
7.62mm GPMG C5/C5A1
Engine6-cyl. diesel GMC Detroit Diesel 6V-53
215 hp (160 kW)
Power/weight25 hp/tonne
Suspensiontorsion-bar
Operational
range
523 km
Maximum speed 71 km/h, 6 km/h swimming

The M113½ was developed in 1963 as a private venture by FMC Corp., the manufacturer of the M113. It competed with the M114 but the US Army chose the M114 for production. The design was then offered to foreign buyers and gained the name Lynx when purchased by Canada.

The Lynx was based on the M113, including its aluminum armor and many details of its construction. However, it is shorter in both length and height, and has four road wheels instead of five. This reduction in size led to a significant reduction in weight as well, dropping to about 8 tonne compared to over 12 for the original M113. The engine was moved to the rear and offered in gas and diesel versions.

The Lynx is amphibious, propelled in the water by its tracks. Before swimming, a trim vane is erected at front, bilge pumps started, and covers mounted on the air intake and exhaust. In practice, crews would close hatches and ford shallow streams at high speed.

Service history

The Royal Netherlands Army accepted 250 vehicles, beginning in 1966. The Dutch version of the Lynx has the driver front-left, radio operator/7.62mm machine gunner front-right, and a .50-calibre machine gun cupola centre. In the 1970s, the heavy machine gun was replaced by an Oerlikon-Bührle GBD-ADA turret mounting a 25mm KBA cannon. Dutch vehicles were later exported to Bahrain. The Dutch designated their vehicles the M113 C&V

Lynx of the Royal Canadian Hussars, installed in front of the Côte-des-Neiges Armoury, Montreal

The Canadian Forces accepted 174 vehicles from 1968. Lynx's were issued to the reconnaissance squadron of an armoured regiment (D Sqn), as well as to squadrons of the armoured regiment assigned to the reconnaissance role, one squadron retaining the Ferret scout car. The squadron consisted of three troops, each equipped with five Lynxes, two two-vehicle patrols plus the troop leader's vehicle, four troops per squadron for the reconnaissance regiment. (Militia [reserve] armoured reconnaissance units trained for the role with Jeeps or Iltis 4×4 trucks). In addition, nine Lynxes equipped the reconnaissance platoon of an infantry battalion's combat support company, as well as the reconnaissance sections of combat engineer field troops.

In the Canadian Lynx, the crew commander's cupola is located middle-right, and the observer's hatch was rear-left. The commander operates the manually traversed M26 heavy machine gun cupola from inside the vehicle, but reloads it with the hatch open. The rear-facing observer operates the radio and fires the pintle-mounted 7.62mm machine gun. Behind the commander, on the floor, was a drop-down escape hatch.

The Canadian Lynx was withdrawn from service in 1993, and replaced by 203 Coyote eight-wheeled reconnaissance vehicles by the end of 1996.

Operators

Survivors
Canadian Forces College

Existing Lynxes include several monuments and museum pieces, and a few running vehicles. This list only includes the M113 C&R prototypes and Lynx's. It does not include surviving Dutch M113 C&Vs.

British Columbia

  • J.R. Vicars Armoury, Kamloops, British Columbia
  • British Columbia Dragoons Regimental Headquarters, (B Squadron) Kelowna, British Columbia
  • Vernon Army Cadet Camp, Vernon, British Columbia (2 at this location, one in UN Colours)

Alberta

Saskatchewan

  • LCol D.V. Currie VC Armoury, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Dragoons), has two Lynxes, in camouflage and UN peacekeeping colours

Manitoba

  • McGregor Armoury, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Fort Garry Horse)
  • CFB Shilo, One monument at main gate, second Lynx awaiting restoration to operable condition in RCA Museum.

Ontario

  • Canadian Army 4th Division Training Center/Land Forces Central Area Training Center (LFCA TC) MEAFORD, Meaford, Ontario (Located at the main gate historic tank park)
  • Cornwall Armoury, Cornwall, Ontario
  • 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins), St. Thomas Armoury, St. Thomas, Ontario
  • CFB Petawawa, Worthington Barracks, Petawawa, Ontario
  • Base Borden Military Museum, Borden, Ontario
  • Canadian Forces College, Toronto, Ontario
  • Wolseley Barracks, London, Ontario
  • Denison Armoury, Toronto, Ontario. (in storage in training area next to DRDC)

Quebec

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

  • Fort Petrie Military Museum, New Victoria, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

Prince Edward Island

Newfoundland

  • Gallipoli Armory, Corner Brook, Newfoundland & Labrador
  • Royal Canadian Legion, Pasadena, Newfoundland

Europe

Running Lynxes

  • * CFB Borden Museum, Borden , Ontario maintains 1 operating Lynx that is used in Military funerals etc., it is on display in the museum)
  • The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own), Vancouver, BC, has one operational Lynx.
  • Ontario Regiment museum in Oshawa, Ontario, maintains four fully operational Lynxes in its collection. Two are painted CF o/d green, one UN white, the other in CF winter camouflage.
  • Lincoln & Welland Regimental Museum, St Catharines, Ontario, has one operational Lynx.
  • Bovington Tank Museum, Dorset, England, has shown an operating Lynx.
  • Lord Strathcona's Horse, Edmonton, Alberta, has a running Lynx in their Historical Vehicle Troop.
  • The Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario, has a running Lynx.
  • FAMAE, Fuerte baquedano, Chile, has a running Lynx
  • Private Collector, Northeast USA; a running Lynx that has been shown at various shows across the US
  • Private collector in the Calgary Alberta region

M113 C&R Prototypes

  • Panzer Fabrik,[2] Colorado, USA; an unrestored but running M113 C&R prototype formerly of the Littlefield Collection. The vehicle is missing its turret
  • American Armory Museum,[3] California, USA; a restored M113 C&R prototype SN #2 of 10 formally of the Littlefield Collection. The vehicle is unique in the way that the side hatch swings out from the side and not a "gull-wing" hatch of the production M113 C&V

References
  1. Focus on: The Royal Bahraini Army (3): The M113 Family, WordPress.
  2. Lynx reconnaissance vehicle, Colorado, USA.
  3. American Armory Museum, California, USA.

Bibliography
  • "Armored Command and Reconnaissance Carrier". American Fighting Vehicle Database. Retrieved 27 June 2006.
  • "Lynx". The Bucket Shop. Archived from the original on 28 July 2006. Retrieved 27 June 2006.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) (site gone; )
  • "M113 "Lynx" Command and Reconnaissance Vehicle". Oshawa Military and Industrial Museum (Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum), Oshawa, Ontario. Archived from the original on 17 February 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2006.
  • "Canadian Lynx Command & Recon". AFV News. Archived from the original on 15 June 2006. Retrieved 27 June 2006. – employment of the Lynx by the 8th Canadian Hussars in Cyprus, 1978–79
  • Foss, Christopher F. (1987). Jane's AFV Recognition Handbook, pp 154–55. London: Jane's. ISBN 0-7106-0432-7.
  • Sewards, Anthony (2007). "Lynx photo walk-around". Retrieved 24 September 2007.

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