On January 29, 2025 the Netherlands announced its decision to acquire the Rheinmetall Air Defence Skyranger 30 to address its counter unmanned aerial systems (CUAS) requirements. This selection further reinforces Skyranger’s position as an effective and available solution to defending against the latest aerial threats.
The Dutch Ministry of Defence selection, for which a contact is expected shortly, joins that of Germany, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, and expectedly Lithuania which are currently fielding the system. Skyranger’s aggressive two-year development, launched as a company initiative by its former name Oerlikon, resulted in a 30mm concept demonstrator by 2020 and a successful live-fire public presentation in 2023. Drawing on the Skyranger 35, the Skyranger 30 being acquired is lighter allowing the four to four and one-half tonne unmanned turret to be integrated on to a wide range of wheeled and tracked mobile platforms. Currently these include the Boxer (Germany), the Pandur EVO 6X6 (Austria), the Lynx (Hungary), the Piranha 8X8 (Denmark), and the ACSV Gen 5 (Netherlands). In addition, the turret has been demonstrated on tactical trucks, as well as the Leopard 1 (being provided to Ukraine) and the Leopard 2 main battle tank chassis. This platform adaptability allows the system to be compatible with an army’s existing vehicle fleets which lessens the need for support and logistics.
The core of the Skyranger is a revolver automatic cannon which are the 30X173mm KCE-ABM with 3km range or the 35X228mm KDG with 4km range. Both employ AHEAD ammunition an advanced-proximity fused programmable projectile, packed with tungsten pellets that are released in a dense cloud in the path of the target assuring its destruction. The characteristics of AHEAD include lethality, the weapon’s accuracy and the up to 1000 round/minute rate of fire. These make Skyranger effective against Group 1 and 2 drones, cruise missiles, aircraft, ground targets, and even in C-RAM (counter-rocket/indirect delivered munitions) roles. The reliable destruction of multiple swarm drone attacks has also been demonstrated. The Skyranger employs radar for detection, target acquisition, and tracking. In the Skyranger 30 this includes Hensoldt’s SR30 Spexer 2000 X band AESA complemented by an independent electro-optic suite with high resolution day and thermal cameras and laser rangefinder. Further, the Skyranger can mount a dual launcher for very short-range air defence missiles including the Stinger, Mistral 3, and Chiron extends its effective reach to 6 to 9 km. The system has also been fit with Rheinmetall’s FIRST which is a panoramic thermal target detection system that is fully passive and immune to electronic jamming or signal riding homing missiles.
Currently, Rheinmetall has hard orders for around ninety-nine systems with options for an additional fifty-one of the Skyranger 30 on various platforms. Skyranger 30 can accurately engage multiple targets in rapid succession while moving or stationary. In addition, the Skyshield/Skynet, a ground-mounted system using the 35mm KDG turret intended for fixed site defence, has been fielded by Italy, Qatar, Indonesia, South Africa, and, in 2024, Ukraine. The Ukrainian’s have proven its effectiveness in downing even mass drone attacks on the battlefield in combat conditions. Considering the seriousness and immediacy of the threat presented to manoeuvre forces by unmanned aerial systems, having a demonstrably effective and available solution such as Skyranger that can be fielded in the near-term will undoubtably garner additional international interest.
by Stephen W. Miller
