Skyranger
The Oerlikon Skyranger® is a mobile ground based air defence (GBAD) system which can be deployed against air targets at short and very short range and against ground targets. The Oerlikon Skyranger 30 turret was introduced by Rheinmetall in early 2021 and is designed for close-range air defense. The weapon system is integrated in an unmanned turret and, according to Rheinmetall, has a total weight of less than 2.5 tons. The Skyranger is equipped with state-of-the-art search and tracking sensors which provide seamless 360° air and ground surveillance and accurate fire control data. The integrated 35 mm Oerlikon Revolver Gun® provides ultimate firepower and precision. Combined with the Oerlikon Ahead® Air Burst Technology an engagement against current and future air threats is highly effective.
The Skyranger family offers mobile defence against all current and future battlefield air threats. The Skyranger combines superior firepower, active and passive sensors and the dynamics needed to engage the most demanding targets performing loiter, pop-up or dive attacks. The use of best-in-class cannon systems means that the Skyranger can stand its ground against swarming attacks and its mobility means that it can be deployed alongside ground forces or for stationary vital-asset protection. The Skyranger can independently generate its own local air picture whilst its command and control architecture (Skymaster), IFF and data link mean that it can be seamlessly integrated into the battle order and command structure.
As the (active) detection sensor for the first link in the combat chain, RAD has used an S-band AESA radar capable of detecting Class I UAVs. Five flat transmitter/receiver modules are distributed around the tower and provide the required 360° coverage. The radar, optimized for small targets, has a detection range of 20 km. Because an active sensor reveals one's own position, the Fast InfraRed Search and Track (FIRST) system is integrated as a passive sensor, which monitors the entire environment with high resolution and alerts when targets (pop-up targets) appear.
Depending on the tactical needs and the required target spectrum, the Skyranger can be equipped with a 35 mm x 228 KDG revolver cannon or a 30 mm x 173 KCE revolver cannon. Both cannons are characterised by a high rate of fire, excellent precision and airburst ammunition. The 35mm calibre offers C-RAM capability and an effective range of up to 4,000m. The 30 mm calibre has an effective range of up to 3,000m and the gun turret is designed to also mount short-range air defence missiles.
The highly modular design approach chosen allows customized active or passive sensor configurations. These include AESA radars, passive panoview systems and optronic packages. Advanced algorithms are used to fuse the sensor data together, classify the targets and support the operators in their decision making. As the threats evolve, so does the Skyranger. Integration of a high-energy laser or vertically launched C-PGM missiles is being explored.
Düsseldorf-based tech enterprise Rheinmetall’s Skyranger 30 is the ideal solution for contemporary scenarios that involve countering drone attacks and other aerial threats. The system highlights the Group’s role as the global leader in short-range air defence – an innovative force driving the ongoing development of cutting-edge air defence systems.
The Lynx Skyranger 30 is a pathbreaking air defence system based on the tried- and-tested Lynx infantry fighting vehicle. Integrating the state-of-the-art Skyranger air defence system results in an even more effective and versatile air defence capability. The system offers an optimum combination of mobility, survivability, flexibility and precision, capable of thwarting highly challenging new threats in the short- and very-short domain. A hybrid solution, its turret combines a high- performance 30mm automatic cannon, surface-to-air missiles and the accompanying sensor suite, all on a single platform. Moreover, the system is compatible with a variety of modern guided missiles, such as the Mistral, Stinger and Chiron.
Armin Papperger, chairman of the Group’s executive board, points out that “with the Skyranger 30, Rheinmetall is making an important contribution to the security of our customers and their ability to defend themselves. We’re committed to offering solutions that will remain more than a match for steadily evolving threats. In this development contract, we’ll be setting the standard yet again in the world of air defence technology. The Lynx Skyranger 30 is a top performer, capable of countering a vast variety of threats including ballistic missiles and unmanned aircraft. We’re proud to be able to offer our customers worldwide an advanced solution that meets their security needs so superbly.”
A highly qualified team of Rheinmetall engineers and expert technicians from different Rheinmetall entities carry out the development of the Lynx Skyranger 30. The Group has longstanding experience in developing and integrating air defence systems and is determined to widen still further its lead in this area.
This development project forms part of the European Sky Shield Initiative, or ESSI, which seeks to significantly Europe’s air defence capabilities in the next few years. The ESSI aims to protect Europe’s NATO member states more effectively against aerial attack. To achieve this quickly, ESSI member nations plan to jointly procure, deploy and maintain the relevant hardware, including radar systems, automatic cannon and surface-to-air guided missiles.
The Bundeswehr is eager to restore the German Army’s organic air defence capability. Procurement of around twenty Skyranger 30 systems is currently under consideration, to be mounted in this case on the Boxer 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle. Denmark had already announced its intention of buying around fifteen Skyranger 30 systems, to be integrated into a different 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle.
The Rheinmetall scored a significant success in marketing its new Skyranger 30 air defence system as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative, On 22 December 2023 Hungary, a NATO and EU member state, has awarded Rheinmetall a contract for the conceptual development of the Skyranger 30 turret for the future Lynx KF41 Mobile Air Defence Vehicle. The contract has been signed on 15th December 2023 in Budapest.
For Rheinmetall, the development contract is worth close to €30 million. The customisation development of the Skyranger 30 turret for the Lynx tracked armoured vehicle and the integration of additional effectors responds to Hungary’s need to address the current threat situation, adding a new member to the Lynx family in the process. The development contract also means an increase in capabilities for Rheinmetall's subsidiaries in Hungary.
Rheinmetall showed an anti-aircraft variant of the Ripsaw M5 UGV with an integrated 30 mm Skyranger turret at the 2023 Annual Meeting & Exposition of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) in Washington. According to Rheinmetall, the anti-aircraft variant of the Ripsaw was equipped with an active (3D AESA radar) and passive infrared sensors as well as the KCE-ABM revolver cannon in 30 mm x 173 caliber with a high rate of fire. In addition, unspecified surface-to-air missiles were integrated. “The modular system demonstrated at the show with Rheinmetall’s Path A kit provides world-class air defense in line with the U.S. Army’s air and missile defense modernization priorities,” Rheinmetall wrote in a statement sent on October 6, 2023. The system is intended to provide “superior, autonomous firepower to protect soldiers in the most difficult operational areas.”
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