Rheinmetall announced 20 December that it has secured a contract for €30m ($32m) from Hungary for the conceptual development of the Skyranger 30 turret.
This turret is intended for use in the Lynx KF41 Mobile Air Defence Vehicle, to address contemporary air defence challenges, including drone attacks and other aerial threats.
The integration of the Skyranger system into the Lynx KF41 will result in the production of the future Lynx KF41 Mobile Air Defence Vehicle, based on the Lynx Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
The Lynx Skyranger 30 aims to combine a 30mm automatic cannon, surface-to-air missiles, and a sensor suite on a single platform to create an effective air defence system compatible with various modern guided missiles, including Mistral, Stinger, and Chiron.
Hungary purchased 218 Lynx IFV’s from Rheinmetall in September 2020 in a deal worth €2bn, with the first delivery occurring in October 2018. In August 2023, Rheinmetall opened a Lynx IFV factory in Hungary, for supporting Hungary’s rearmament and modernisation programme.
The Skyranger 30 is intended to provide air-defence in the short and very-short domain, with the inference that the system is intended to provide protection from the increasing threat of drone attacks.
Armin Papperger, chairman of Rheinmetall's executive board, stated that the Skyranger 30 contributes significantly to the defence capabilities of their clients, addressing evolving threats, including ballistic missiles and unmanned aircraft.
This project is part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), aiming to enhance Europe's air defence capabilities, particularly for Nato member states. The initiative focuses on joint procurement, deployment, and maintenance of air defence hardware, including radar systems, automatic cannons, and guided missiles.
The German Army, under the Bundeswehr, is considering the procurement of approximately 20 Skyranger 30 systems to mount on the Boxer 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle, and Denmark has expressed interest in acquiring about 15 Skyranger 30 systems for integration into a different 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle.
The 30mm Skyranger turret has been displayed by Rheinmetall in a demonstration of the PATH Autonomous Kit at the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition. The PATH A-Kit empowered vehicles to operate autonomously, and was installed into the M5 Ripsaw RCV, but is intended for various vehicle platforms.
