On July 20, 2023, Rheinmetall confirmed that it will deliver two short-range Skynex air defense systems to Ukraine in the second half of 2023. These systems will be mounted on the Rheinmetall MAN HX 8x8 chassis and will include programmable 35mm Ahead ammunition.
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Skynex air defense system mounted on a MAN HX 8x8 chassis (Picture source: Rheinmetall )
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal revealed that some of these systems are already in service in the country. Earlier, it was reported that Rheinmetall had received an order from an international customer, which turned out to be Ukraine. The German company has developed a truck-mounted version of its Skynex air defense system, designed to counter swarm drone attacks and short-range cruise missiles. The system utilizes the Oerlikon Skymaster battle management system as a control node, allowing modular integration of various sensors and effectors based on mission requirements.
The Skynex air defense system employs the Oerlikon Mk3 35mm cannon with an effective range of 4,000 meters and a firing rate of 1,000 rounds per minute. The basic version of Skynex can engage aircraft, cruise missiles, tactical drones of varying sizes, air-to-ground missiles, mortars, and artillery rockets up to a distance of 4 km, making it an ideal solution for protecting stationary assets like military bases, airports, and critical infrastructure.
A notable advantage of the Skynex system is its affordability, attributed to the use of Rheinmetall's programmable Ahead ammunition, which proves to be much cheaper than guided missile-based air defense systems. The company estimates that it costs about 4,000 euros to destroy a typical aerial target with the Skynex system, which is nearly a hundred times less than systems like the IRIS-T, for example.
The Skynex system's control node houses the Skymaster battle management system, allowing operators to control weapons and sensors for targeting and firing. The medium-range Oerlikon X-TAR3D search radar provides a three-dimensional aerial picture of the Skynex control node with a detection range of 20 to 50 km.
The provision of anti-aircraft systems is crucial for Ukraine, as drones play a significant role in the conflict. The issue is that often the cost of shooting down small drones far exceeds the manufacturing cost of the drones themselves. It is, therefore, essential for Ukraine to develop its capability to counter UAVs with equipment that incurs lower operating expenses, such as the German Gepard or the Skynex system from Rheinmetall.
