Rheinmetall delivers Skyranger drone defence system to Ukraine

Defence Industry Rheinmetall Equips Ukraine with a Drone Defence System

2025-09-09 Source: dpa | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

Because Russia is tormenting Ukraine with massive drone attacks, calls for a new system from the German defence company Rheinmetall are growing louder ...

One shot ahead! Rheinmetall's mobile Skyranger drone defence system takes down flying robots with a 35-millimeter revolver gun (similar to Gatling) from Oerlikon. The projectiles disintegrate via a time fuse, sending up to 300 fragments toward the target.(Image: Rheinmetall) — One shot ahead! Rheinmetall's mobile Skyranger drone defence system takes down flying robots with a 35-millimeter revolver gun (similar to Gatling) from Oerlikon. The projectiles disintegrate via a time fuse, sending up to 300 fragments toward the target.
(Image: Rheinmetall)

The armaments company Rheinmetall plans to supply Ukraine with its new air defence system Skyranger for drone defence, as has now been announced. A corresponding contract will be signed on September 10 at the DSEI defence trade fair in London, CEO Armin Papperger informed the ZDF magazine Wiso. The first Skyrangers are set to be delivered later this year. According to the magazine, the deal amounts to a three-digit million figure. Skyranger is described as a mobile air defence system because it can operate from vehicles, such as the Boxer (pictured). This means Ukraine will receive the Skyranger before the German Armed Forces. The system uses either a 35-millimeter (approx. 1.4 inches) or a 30-millimeter (approx. 1.2 inches) revolver cannon from Oerlikon, capable of firing the so-called "AHEAD Air Burst" ammunition. The main projectile disintegrates after a certain time, creating a shotgun-like effect against the target. The range is 4,000 and 3,000 meters (approx. 1,300 and 9,800 miles), respectively.

Drone swarms overwhelm air defence

According to Rheinmetall, each of these systems can cover a sector of four by four kilometers to keep the area completely free of enemy drones. This is deemed necessary as Ukraine is currently experiencing the most severe air attacks since the beginning of the war. With hundreds of drones attacking simultaneously, they have repeatedly succeeded in overwhelming Ukraine's air defences. Skyranger is intended to at least restore balance. Germany has also awarded the Düsseldorf-based armaments company a major contract worth 595 million euros (approx. 699 million USD) for the delivery of a prototype and another 18 production vehicles. Delivery to the German Armed Forces was originally scheduled for the end of 2024. However, Papperger hinted that the Bundeswehr (German army) has not yet received these devices.

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