The Lynx reconnaissance vehicle (manufacturer's name: M113½ Command and Reconnaissance Vehicle, abbr. M113 C&R) is a United States-built tracked reconnaissancearmoured 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 150 and 8 vehicles respectively.
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
Dutch M113 C&V of A Sqn, 105th Recce BattalionLynx 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.
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.
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
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.
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
"Lynx". The Bucket Shop. Archived from the original on 28 July 2006. Retrieved 27 June 2006.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) (site gone; )
"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. ISBN0-7106-0432-7.
