Rheinmetall to develop Skyranger 30 air defense variant of Lynx KF41 in Hungary.

The Düsseldorf-based tech enterprise Rheinmetall has scored a significant success in marketing its new Skyranger 30 air defence system as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative: Hungary, a NATO and EU member nation, has awarded Rheinmetall a contract for the conceptual development of the Skyranger 30 turret for the future Lynx KF41 Mobile Air Defence Vehicle. The contract was signed on 15th December 2023 in Budapest.
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The Lynx Skyranger 30 will be a pathbreaking air defence system based on the tried-and-tested Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle (Picture source: Rheinmetall )

For Rheinmetall, the development contract is worth close to €30 million. The customisation development of the Skyranger 30 turret for the Lynx KF41 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the integration of additional effectors responds to Hungary’s need to address the current threat situation, adding a new member to the Lynx family in the process.

The order highlights the Group’s role as the global leader in short-range air defence – an innovative force driving the ongoing development of cutting-edge air defence systems. Rheinmetall’s Skyranger 30 is the ideal solution for contemporary scenarios that involve countering drone attacks and other aerial threats.

The Lynx Skyranger 30 will be a pathbreaking air defence system based on the tried-and-tested Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle. Integrating the state-of-the-art Skyranger air defence system results in an even more effective and versatile air defence capability. The system offers an optimum combination of mobility, survivability, flexibility and precision, capable of thwarting highly challenging new threats in the short and very short domain. A hybrid solution, its turret combines a high-performance 30mm automatic cannon, surface-to-air missiles and the accompanying sensor suite, all on a single platform. Moreover, the system is compatible with a variety of modern guided missiles, such as the Mistral, Stinger and Chiron.

Armin Papperger, chairman of the Group’s executive board, points out that “with the Skyranger 30, Rheinmetall is making an important contribution to the security of our customers and their ability to defend themselves. We’re committed to offering solutions that will remain more than a match for steadily evolving threats. In this development contract, we’ll be setting the standard yet again in the world of air defence technology. The Lynx Skyranger 30 is a top performer, capable of countering a vast variety of threats including ballistic missiles and unmanned aircraft. We’re proud to be able to offer our customers worldwide an advanced solution that meets their security needs so superbly.”

A highly qualified team of Rheinmetall engineers and expert technicians from different Rheinmetall entities will carry out the development of the Lynx Skyranger 30. The Group has longstanding experience in developing and integrating air defence systems and is determined to widen its lead in this area. The development contract also means an increase in capabilities for Rheinmetall's subsidiaries in Hungary.

This development project forms part of the European Sky Shield Initiative, or ESSI, which seeks to significantly Europe’s air defence capabilities in the next few years. The ESSI aims to protect Europe’s NATO member states more effectively against aerial attacks. To achieve this quickly, ESSI member nations plan to jointly procure, deploy and maintain the relevant hardware, including radar systems, automatic cannon and surface-to-air guided missiles.

The Bundeswehr is eager to restore the German Army’s organic air defence capability. Procurement of around 20 Skyranger 30 systems is currently under consideration, to be mounted in this case on the Boxer 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle.

Earlier, Denmark had already announced its intention to buy around 15 Skyranger 30 systems, to be integrated into a different 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle.

Defense News December 2023