Following the end of the Cold War, most Western land forces divested their mobile air defense assets. This caused a gap to appear which would leave them vulnerable as air threats returned in the early 21st century, as demonstrated during conflicts such as the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. To address this, Rheinmetall Air Defence developed the Skyranger 30 concept demonstrator and publicly displayed it in March 2021.[1]
In December 2023, the Skyranger 30A1 development testbed was tested in live-fire exercises at the Ochsenboden proving ground in stationary and mobile modes. Total system qualification of the Skyranger 30A3 version is expected in mid-2024.[3]
Design
A cutaway photo of a 30 mm ABM round, showing the tungsten cylinders inside
The Skyranger 30 follows the same general configuration as the Skyranger 35, a remote turret with a 1.414 m-diameter turret ring, but with less weight of 2-2.5 tonnes enabling it to be installed on lighter 6×6 wheeled vehicles.[1][2][4] The system is designed to both be operated autonomously and in networked operations.[5][6]
Armaments
It is fitted with a modified version of the Oerlikon KCA 30 mm cannon used on the Saab 37 Viggen fighter jet named the KCE. While it has a shorter effective range than the Skyranger 35 at 3 km, it has a higher rate of fire of 1,200 rounds per minute. It maintains the ability to elevate 85° to combat terminal diving targets. 252 ready rounds are carried. The gun fires a 30 mm airburst munition based on the 35 mm AHEAD ammunition carrying 160 tungsten cylinders, each weighing 1.25 grams for a total payload of 200 grams, which is time-programmed upon leaving the muzzle to open up in front of a target to form a lethal cone.[1][2][4]
Due to the system’s reduced weight, the Skyranger 30 turret is able to integrate two short-range surface-to-air missiles which would be guided by laser beam riding or infrared homing such as the FIM-92 Stinger or Mistral, as well as the SkyKnight. Depending on the type, missiles extend range up to 9 km, while the gun covers the space under their minimum engagement range.[1][2][4] In August 2023, MBDA presented a four-missile launcher mockup for Mistral missiles for the Skyranger 30, double the capacity compared to the original concept.[7]
Sensors
To detect targets, the Skyranger 30 uses the S-bandAESA Multi-Mission Radar (AMMR) developed by Rheinmetall Italia. Five flat antennas integrated around the turret provide full 360° coverage. The AMMR has a detection range of over 20 km for a 1 m2RCS aircraft, 12 km against hovering helicopters, 10 km against missiles, and 5 km against RAM targets and micro-UAS.
A Ku-band tracking radar is available in option.[8]
For passive detection, it is installed with Rheinmetall’s FIRST (Fast InfraRed Search and Track), which is optimized to detect pop-up targets such as helicopters. Identification and tracking is handled by a compact target tracker that includes one HD cooled MWIR thermal camera, one full-HD TV camera, and two laser rangefinders, one devoted to air targets and the other for land targets.[1][9]
Protection
The turret features a central armored structure with basic Level 2 protection, which can be fitted with add-on armor to increase to Level 4.[1][2][4]
Additional features include two ROSY (Rapid Obscuring System) launchers each with nine multi-spectral smoke grenades, a hatch in the hull ceiling for the vehicle commander to view the battlefield from outside, and a coaxial machine gun fitted on the left of the main gun for use as a self-defence weapon.[1][2][4]
Platforms
For Germany, the Boxer is the platform that would be selected. Hungary is interested in a variant for its KF-41 Lynx, while Denmark is interested in installing it on its Piranha V.[5]
Additional add-ons are under consideration, including electronic warfare systems in the form of passive emitter locators to pick up UAV data link signals, as well as RF-jammers to jam such links to neutralize UAVs without using kinetic effectors.[1]
High-energy laser
In late 2021, Rheinmetall unveiled the Skyranger 30 high-energy laser (HEL), intended to increase the system's ability to neutralize small targets at greater range and lower cost. The initial power level is 20 kw, with an immediate goal to increase it to 50 kw and an ideal goal of 100 kw.[12][13]
Germany - The German Army plans to purchase 20-30 Systems on GTK Boxer vehicles [16] The planed order is closer to 20 systems according to Rheinmetall.[15]
Hungary - The government of Hungary signed a MoU in 2021 about developing a Lynx-based air defense vehicle, using the Skyranger 30 turrets with Mistral missiles.[2][17] Rheinmetall receives development order from Hungary for Skyranger 30 turret for the future Lynx KF41. Value of the order 30 million EUR and it covers the integration of the Mistral missiles as well. [15]Colonel-General Gábor Böröndi, Chief of the General Staff of the Hungarian Armed Forces, said in a late 2023 interview: "We are also planning to purchase the SkyRanger system, which is suitable for destroying aerial targets and drones. We are developing it together with the Germans and the Danes, it will be ready and adopted within a year or two."[18] This means that the Hungarian Armed Forces should receive their first Skyrangers in 2025 or 2026.
Potential operators
Austria - the Austrian armed forces are planning to purchase around 36 Skyrangers on Pandur 8×8 platform.[10]
