Skyranger 30 | |
---|---|
![]() A Skyranger 30 on a Boxer chassis | |
Type | VSHORAD |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Rheinmetall Air Defence AG |
Specifications | |
Mass | turret only: 2–2.5 t |
Length | turret only: 5.175 mm |
Width | turret only: 2.568 mm |
Height | turret only: 1.444 mm |
Crew | 3 |
Caliber | 30×173 mm |
Rate of fire | 1,200 rds/min (nominal rate) 200 rds/min (single shots) |
Maximum firing range | gun: 3000 m (effective range) missile: 5–8 km |
Armor | STANAG 4569 Level 2, upgradable to Level 4 |
The Skyranger 30 is a short range air defense turret system developed by Rheinmetall Air Defence AG (formerly Oerlikon) and first revealed in March 2021. Its role is to provide ground units with a mobile system capable of engaging fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, Group I and II unmanned aerial systems (UAS), loitering munitions and cruise missiles.[1][2]
Following the end of the Cold War, most Western land forces divested their mobile air defense assets. This caused a gap to appear which would leave them vulnerable as air threats returned in the early 21st century, as demonstrated during conflicts such as the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. To address this, Rheinmetall Air Defence developed the Skyranger 30 concept demonstrator and publicly displayed it in March 2021.[1]
In December 2023, the Skyranger 30A1 development testbed was tested in live-fire exercises at the Ochsenboden proving ground in stationary and mobile modes. Total system qualification of the Skyranger 30A3 version is expected in mid-2024.[3]
The Skyranger 30 follows the same general configuration as the Skyranger 35, a remote turret with a 1.414 m-diameter turret ring, but with less weight of 2-2.5 tonnes enabling it to be installed on lighter 6×6 wheeled vehicles.[1][2][4] The system is designed to both be operated autonomously and in networked operations.[5][6]
It is fitted with a modified version of the Oerlikon KCA 30 mm cannon used on the Saab 37 Viggen fighter jet named the KCE. While it has a shorter effective range than the Skyranger 35 at 3 km, it has a higher rate of fire of 1,200 rounds per minute. It maintains the ability to elevate 85° to combat terminal diving targets. 252 ready rounds are carried. The gun fires a 30 mm airburst munition based on the 35 mm AHEAD ammunition carrying 160 tungsten cylinders, each weighing 1.25 grams for a total payload of 200 grams, which is time-programmed upon leaving the muzzle to open up in front of a target to form a lethal cone.[1][2][4]
Due to the system’s reduced weight, the Skyranger 30 turret is able to integrate very short range missiles. Several options exist:
To detect targets, the Skyranger 30 uses the S-band AESA Multi-Mission Radar (AMMR) developed by Rheinmetall Italia. Five flat antennas integrated around the turret provide full 360° coverage. The AMMR has a detection range of over 20 km for a 1 m2 RCS aircraft, 12 km against hovering helicopters, 10 km against missiles, and 5 km against RAM targets and micro-UAS.[1][11]
A Ku-band tracking radar is available in option.[6]
For passive detection, it is installed with Rheinmetall’s FIRST (Fast InfraRed Search and Track), which is optimized to detect pop-up targets such as helicopters. Identification and tracking is handled by a compact target tracker that includes one HD cooled MWIR thermal camera, one full-HD TV camera, and two laser rangefinders, one devoted to air targets and the other for land targets.[1][11]
The turret features a central armored structure with basic Level 2 protection, which can be fitted with add-on armor to increase to Level 4.[1][2][4]
Additional features include two ROSY (Rapid Obscuring System) launchers each with nine multi-spectral smoke grenades, a hatch in the hull ceiling for the vehicle commander to view the battlefield from outside, and a coaxial machine gun fitted on the left of the main gun for use as a self-defence weapon.[1][2][4]
For Germany, the Boxer is the platform that would be selected. Hungary is interested in a variant for its KF-41 Lynx, while Denmark is interested in installing it on its Piranha V.[5] Austria chose to have it on its Pandur 6×6.[12] The Pindad Badak was shown with a mockup of the turret during 2022 Indonesian Defence Exposition & Forum.[13]
Additional add-ons are under consideration, including electronic warfare systems in the form of passive emitter locators to pick up UAV data link signals, as well as RF-jammers to jam such links to neutralize UAVs without using kinetic effectors.[1]
In late 2021, Rheinmetall unveiled the Skyranger 30 high-energy laser (HEL), intended to increase the system's ability to neutralize small targets at greater range and lower cost. The initial power level is 20 kw, with an immediate goal to increase it to 50 kw and an ideal goal of 100 kw.[14][15]