Eurosatory 2018: Rheinmetall from Germany new Oerlikon Skyranger Boxer.

At Eurosatory 2018, the International Defense and Security Exhibition in Paris (France), German Company Rheinmetall is proud to present its new Oerlikon Skyranger Boxer, a high-mobility, highly effective, future-proof wheeled armoured air defence vehicle based on the battle-tested Boxer, born and bred for network-enabled operations.

New Rheinmetall Oerlikon Skyranger Boxer at Eurosatory 2018 Defense and Security Exhibition in Paris, France. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The Oerlikon Skyranger Boxer is designed first and foremost for short- and very short-range mobile, ground-based air defence. It can shoot down incoming rockets as well as mortar rounds – but also unmanned aerial systems, including the low, slow and small kind, e.g. quadrocopter drones; it is also highly effective against low-flying aircraft.

The heart of the new Oerlikon Skyranger Boxer is the air defence module, equipped with an Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3 turret. The system features an integrated sensor unit with X-band tracking radar and electro-optical sensors as well as electronic warfare components. This enables swift, autonomous engagement of externally assigned targets.

The Skyranger can receive and process target data from both 2D and 3D search radars. Furthermore, the integrated search sensor technology and Oerlikon Skymaster battle management system give the Skyranger an autonomous sector-monitoring and target engagement capability. The tried-and-tested 35mm x 228 cal. Revolver Gun delivers massive firepower and excellent precision. Teamed with Rheinmetall’s proprietary Ahead airburst ammunition, the Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3 is extremely effective against low altitude aerial targets of virtually every type.

Known in German as the “Skyranger-FlaK-Radpanzer”, the new system is based on the combat-proven Boxer wheeled armoured vehicle. Thanks to its modular architecture, this highly mobile, superbly protected 8x8 vehicle combines extreme operational versatility with excellent future adaptability. Owing to its design, the Boxer mission module can carry a payload of up to 15 tons. Thus far, some 700 of these vehicles have been delivered to, or ordered by, three different NATO member nations: Germany, the Netherlands and Lithuania.