LandEuro 2025: Germany's Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 Offers Hybrid Weapon System Against Drones and Loitering Munitions.

Showcased at LandEuro 2025, a defense exhibition held in Wiesbaden, Germany, Rheinmetall, a German defense manufacturer of modern military equipment and combat vehicles, presented the Skyranger 30, its latest mobile air defense turret, designed to meet the rapidly evolving challenges of the modern battlefield. This hybrid system integrates a 30mm automatic cannon, surface-to-air guided missiles, and advanced sensor technology into a compact turret capable of mounting on both wheeled and tracked combat vehicles. Rheinmetall aims to deliver a versatile and scalable solution to counter the rising threat of drones, loitering munitions, and low-flying aerial platforms, combining firepower and high mobility for frontline defense forces.
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German Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 mobile air defense system showcased at LandEuro 2025, designed to counter drones and loitering munitions with a hybrid gun-missile solution. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

The growing prominence of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), first-person-view (FPV) drones, and loitering munitions has reshaped tactical air defense priorities, as demonstrated in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The conflict has highlighted significant vulnerabilities in traditional air defense architectures when faced with low-cost, high-agility drone swarms and precision-guided threats operating at low altitudes. Ukrainian and Russian forces have both exploited this domain extensively, with FPV drones becoming critical tools for reconnaissance and strike missions. The need for rapidly deployable, mobile solutions capable of autonomously identifying and neutralizing such threats has become a central focus for NATO and EU defense planners.

The Skyranger 30 air defense system is Rheinmetall’s answer to this operational gap. Combining precision, flexibility, and protection, the turret is equipped with the 30mm x 173 KCE revolver cannon capable of firing AHEAD programmable airburst munitions specifically optimized for intercepting drones. It also integrates ground-to-air guided missiles and high-performance sensors to enable both autonomous and networked engagement modes. Initially, the system will use Stinger missiles in the German configuration, with plans to transition to a newly developed missile tailored for drone defense applications.

Designed for rapid reaction and tactical maneuverability, the Skyranger 30 turret can be mounted on a wide range of wheeled and tracked armored vehicles, allowing armed forces to deploy it across different platforms according to mission needs. This modularity enables seamless integration into existing vehicle fleets, enhancing mobility and battlefield adaptability. Its high elevation range and targeting agility make it particularly suited for protecting maneuvering units, logistics convoys, and key installations from aerial threats at short and very short ranges.

One of the system’s most potent features is its use of AHEAD programmable airburst ammunition. Developed to counter small, fast, and hard-to-detect airborne targets, AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction) rounds contain a payload of pre-fragmented tungsten sub-projectiles. Upon firing, the cannon’s fire control system programs the projectile to detonate at a precise point in space near the target. This creates a dense cloud of high-velocity fragments designed to destroy or disable the drone’s vital components, ensuring a high probability of kill even against small or evasive aerial threats. The use of airburst munitions dramatically increases engagement effectiveness, especially when facing drone swarms or multiple simultaneous threats.

As part of the European Sky Shield initiative, the Skyranger 30 is gaining traction among NATO and EU member states. Hungary took a key step in December 2023 by contracting Rheinmetall to develop a conceptual version of the Skyranger 30 turret for integration onto the Lynx KF41 tracked IFV. Austria and Denmark have since placed orders for their respective platforms. Interest continues to grow, with the Netherlands announcing in January 2025 its intention to procure 22 Skyranger 30 units, with contract finalization expected before the end of the year. Several other allied nations are also evaluating the system for near-term acquisition as they seek to modernize their short-range air defense capabilities in response to current and emerging threats.

The German-made Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 represents a significant advancement in mobile short-range air defense, offering a highly adaptable and lethal countermeasure against modern aerial threats. With its modular turret design, advanced sensors, hybrid weapon integration, and specialized drone-killing ammunition, the system aligns with the evolving operational needs of European and NATO armed forces. Rheinmetall’s offering stands as a critical asset in the collective effort to strengthen air defense resilience across the continent.