Skyranger 30

The Skyranger 30 is a short range air defense turret system developed 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]

Skyranger 30
A Skyranger 30 on a Boxer chassis
TypeVSHORAD
Production history
ManufacturerRheinmetall Air Defence AG
Specifications
Massturret only: 2–2.5 t
Lengthturret only: 5.175 mm
Widthturret only: 2.568 mm
Heightturret only: 1.444 mm
Crew3
Caliber30×173 mm
Maximum firing rangegun: 3000 m
missile: 5–8 km
ArmorSTANAG 4569 Level 2, upgradable to Level 4

Design
A cutaway photo of a 30 mm ABM round, showing the tungsten cylinders inside

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. 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][3]

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][3]

Additional features include two ROSY (Rapid Obscuring System) launchers each with nine multispectral 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-defense weapon.[1][2][3]

Due to the system’s reduced weight, the Skyranger 30 turret is able to integrate two short-range surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). Missiles guided by laser beam riding or infrared homing such as the FIM-92 Stinger or Mistral can be integrated, as well as the SkyKnight. Depending on the type, missiles extend range up to 8-9 km, while the gun covers the space under their minimum engagement range.[1][2][3]

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. For passive detection, the vehicle 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][4]

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.[5][6]

Operators
  •  Ukraine - Ukraine got unknown number of Skyrangers for testing in battlefield conditions.[7]

Future operators


A Pindad Badak chassis with a mockup turret of the Oerlikon Skyranger 30 was shown during 2022 Indonesian Defence Exposition & Forum.[11] Indonesia has not officially stated its plans to acquire the system.

See also

References
  1. Rheinmetall Air Defence unveils its Skyranger 30 (upgraded). European Defence Review. 3 March 2021.
  2. Countering RAM, drones and other flying objects with highly mobile assets, Rheinmetall’s solutions. European Defence Review. 1 July 2022.
  3. "Rheinmetall unveils Skyranger 30 air-defence system". Janes Information Services. 5 March 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021.
  4. MSU S: increased short range air defence situational awareness from Rheinmetall. European Defence Review. 7 July 2022.
  5. Skyranger 30 HEL adds laser weapon to mobile air defense arsenal. New Atlas. 7 February 2022.
  6. "Rheinmetall introduces Skyranger 30 with high-energy laser". Janes Information Services. 7 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022.
  7. "Neue Superwaffe im Ukraine-Krieg: Rheinmetall lässt Skyranger in Ukraine testen".
  8. "Forsvaret har valgt maskinkanon til Hærens nye luftværn" [The Defense Forces have chosen a machine gun for the Army's new air defense system]. fmi.dk (in Danish). 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  9. https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/bundeswehr-flugabwehr-drohnen-skyranger-1.5770122?reduced=true
  10. "Kiszivárgott: újfajta légvédelmi rendszerek beszerzését fontolgatja Magyarország".
  11. "Indo Defence 2022: Rheinmetall offers local production of Skyranger GBAD system for Indonesia". Janes Information Services. 7 November 2022. Archived from the original on 7 November 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.