German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has announced an additional order of its Skynex air defense system from an unnamed European buyer, which is also adding purchases of associated Rheinmetall trucks as with the initial procurement. The company did not specify the new order’s value but noted that it ranges in the lower three-digit million euros, with deliveries scheduled in 2025.
Skynex is designed for defense against aerial threats, with its automatic cannon made for short-range battle scenarios that make guided missiles ineffective. The system uses Rheinmetall’s programmable 35 mm Ahead ammunition, which costs less than comparable guided missile-based defense setups.
Firing the Skynex ammunition is also much less prone to enemy electronic jamming, according to Rheinmetall. It said the capability has been demonstrated in the self-propelled German-made Flakpanzer Gepard anti-aircraft system that the Ukrainian army uses against drones and cruise missiles.
In January, two Skynex air defense systems were delivered as additional German support to the Ukrainian army, the European Security & Defence reported based on a post on social media by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Austria is among Rheinmetall’s recent European customers, with a $570 million contract it signed in December to modernize the country’s Skyguard tactical units, a part of the Skynex air defense. Vienna also signed a contract in December for the delivery of up to 300 trucks from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles under a 48-month timeline.
