Skyranger mobile air defense systems are heading to Ukraine — here's what they can do
Rheinmetall will provide Ukraine with Skyranger mobile air defense systems designed to counter drones under a contract worth "hundreds of millions of euros," CEO Armin Papperger told German broadcaster ZDF on Sept. 8.
The system, which could be mounted on Leopard tanks, can secure a 4-by-4 kilometer area (2.5 by 2.5 miles), providing full protection against drone threats, the head of the German defense industry giant said.
The contract, set to be signed in London on Sept. 10, will see the first units delivered to Ukraine by the end of the year.
Russia has increasingly relied on drone strikes to attack Ukrainian cities, targeting infrastructure and terrorizing civilians. Ukraine has made countering Shahed-type attack drones a central priority in its 2025 defense strategy, as Moscow expands production.
Ukraine recorded 6,129 Shahed launches in July — a 14-fold increase compared to July 2024.
This poses a huge problem for Ukraine's air defenses — big ticket systems like NASAMs, IRIS-T and Patriot can easily shoot down drones but using them for this purpose has one major drawback – cost.
An Iranian-made Shahed drone, is, in terms of weaponry, cheap. Export versions cost around $193,000 and those made by Russia domestically, only about $10,000-$50,000.
One NASAM missile costs from $600,000 to $1 million. A Patriot missile is nearly $4 million. A relatively cheap IRIS-T missile is still around $450,000.
With over 800 drones launched in the latest mass attack on Ukraine, countering them with missile-based air defense systems is simply not possible.
Ukraine has relied on systems like the German-made Gepard and the more basic and not always effective tactic of shooting them down with large 50-caliber machine guns mounted on trucks, but these have not been enough to fully counter the ever-increasing drone swarms.
What is Skyranger?
If Skyranger looks a bit familiar, that's because it's from the same family of air defense systems as Skynex, of which Ukraine already has received at least two of from Germany.
Also made by Rheinmetall, Skynex is a modular "networked air defense" system that provides "a highly effective layered protection shield against a wide spectrum of air threats" and serves as "the necessary answer against saturation and swarm attacks in the future."
Skyranger is a more portable version of Skynex which can be mounted on Leopard tanks, of which Ukraine has already received hundreds of from Western allies.
A promotional video from Rheinmetall shows one of the systems engaging and destroying a mocked up Shahed-type drone.
The centerpiece is the cannon — either a 35 mm x 228 KDG revolver cannon with a range of 4,000 meters, or a 30 mm x 173 KCE revolver cannon with a range of 3,000 meters.
The system also combines advanced tracking sensors with rapid-response weapons for short-range and very short-range defense.
But it's the ammunition that is key – Skynex fires 35mm Oerlikon Ahead rounds. Instead of directly striking the target, they explode just before they reach it, releasing a cluster of tungsten sub-projectiles which increases the chances of successfully destroying the drone.
Crucially, it's also relatively cheap – taking out a target costs just over $4,000, significantly less than even the lowest price estimate of a Shahed.
Papperger earlier suggested that Skyranger platforms could serve as the foundation for a European air defense network modeled on Israel's Iron Dome, known as Sky Shield.
Rheinmetall, one of Europe's largest arms manufacturers, has become a key supplier for Ukraine under German contracts, delivering tanks, 155 mm artillery rounds, mortar shells, and surveillance drones.
The Skyrangers are expected to bolster Ukraine's ability to withstand Russia's escalating air campaign as peace talks remain stalled.
