Rheinmetall to equip Austria's Pandur Evo with Skyranger air defense systems.

Rheinmetall has been selected for a contract as part of the Austrian Armed Forces' expansion plan. The company will supply advanced Skyranger air defense systems in a deal worth several hundred million euros. Deliveries are set to begin in 2026, marking a step in modernizing Austria's air defense capabilities. We previously discussed Austria's purchase of the Pandur Evo on Army Recognition on February 19, 2024.
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6x6 GDELS Pandur EVO and Skyrange air defense system. (Picture source: Rheinmetall)

In this project, Rheinmetall will act as a subcontractor to the vehicle manufacturer General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS), which has been tasked with modernizing the Austrian fleet of Pandur vehicles as part of the armed forces' mobility initiative. The Skyranger represents a versatile air defense turret solution that can be mounted on various suitable vehicle platforms, in this case, the 6x6 GDELS Pandur EVO.

A total of 36 Austrian Pandur vehicles will be equipped with the Skyranger turret, enhancing their mobile air defense capabilities. The Skyranger combines state-of-the-art sensors, a powerful 30mm cannon, and Mistral-guided missiles.

This contract follows a development order won by Rheinmetall for the Skyranger in Hungary in December 2023, marking the system's definitive entry into the market. The success in Austria signals the beginning of a widespread introduction of the Skyranger 30 across Europe, with imminent orders expected from Germany and Denmark, as well as Hungary, following the successful completion of the development contract in that country.

Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in the company by Austria. He highlighted the contribution of the Skyranger system, developed in Switzerland by Rheinmetall, to enhancing air defense capabilities initially in Austria and soon in other countries.

The Austrian Armed Forces' decision to prioritize the complete renewal of its air defense was based on a thorough and internationally recognized situation analysis. The modernization and upgrading of existing stationary 35mm systems to Skyguard Next Generation (NG), decided in December 2023, marked the first step. The introduction of the Skyranger 30 now addresses the gap in mobile air defense.

The simultaneous introduction of a quickly deployable 35mm solution, combined with the highly mobile 30mm Skyranger, demonstrates the Austrian Armed Forces' strategic approach to air defense. This includes integrating the systems into existing and higher-level networks.

The expertise of decision-makers, in close collaboration with Rheinmetall specialists, led to the design of a particularly lightweight variant of the Skyranger 30, aiming for seamless integration into the GDELS Pandur. This system is designed to effectively counter current and emerging aerial threats, allowing ground forces to focus on their primary tasks.