Army receives prototype that could eventually replace Bradley Fighting Vehicle

The Army’s decades-long effort to replace the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle notched its latest success with the arrival of a prototype from one of the companies vying for the lucrative contract.

American Rheinmetall’s first of eight Lynx XM30 vehicles has been delivered, and the remaining ones are slated to arrive later this year, the company said Tuesday in a statement.

Once that happens, the Lynxes will be put through rigorous field tests after clearing safety checks, according to the company, which is based in Auburn Hills, Mich.

American Rheinmetall is in contention with General Dynamics Land Systems to be the manufacturer of the Army’s next mechanized infantry combat vehicle.

In 2023, the service awarded a combined $1.6 billion deal for production of prototypes that would replace its aging fleet of Bradleys, a tracked combat vehicle that has been in service since 1981.

The M2 has been updated numerous times and is widely considered to have reached its capacity to accommodate new electronics, armor and defensive systems, according to a congressional report updated in April.

U.S. soldiers prepare a Bradley Fighting Vehicle for movement during a training exercise at Fort Irwin, Calif., on July 22, 2026. The Army has received its first prototype of the Lynx XM30 mechanized infantry combat vehicle, which is competing with a General Dynamics prototype to replace the Bradley. (Rebecca Watkins/U.S. Army)

A soldier climbs onto a Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, on July 21, 2026. The Army in 2023 awarded American Rheinmetall and General Dynamics Land Systems a combined $1.6 billion to prepare prototypes that would replace its aging fleet of Bradleys, which have been in service since 1981. (Emilie Lenglain/U.S. Army)

Vendors were told to build into their prototype an array of features, among them a two-person crew with capacity for up to six more soldiers. Other requirements included a 50 mm cannon and remote turret as well as anti-tank guided missiles.

The Army is expected to make a final decision on the winning design and begin low-rate production by the end of 2027, according to American Rheinmetall.