Missile Enhancement for German Skyranger 30

In Germany, the Budget Commission of the Bundestag, the German Federal Parliament, has approved a framework agreement that provides a fixed contract for the development, production, and delivery of the Small Anti-Drone Missile system intended for use by the Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft system.

The financial requirement for this fixed contract, which will last until 2032, will be funded by the special Bundeswehr fund, with 100 billion euros approved by the Bundestag in 2022, and with resources from the regular budget.

The Skyranger 30 will be able to engage small and micro drones using the Small Anti-Drone Missile in combination with the already equipped 30 millimeter gun.

Furthermore, the Skyranger 30/Small Anti-Drone Missile combination will be included in the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) as a possible purchase option.

The Small Anti-Drone Missile (SADM), also known as DefandAir, will be produced by MBDA; with this missile, Rheinmetall’s Skyranger 30 will be able to confront individual drones or UAS swarms within a range of 5-6 km, exponentially increasing its engagement capabilities.

The SADM is directly derived from the anti-tank and anti-bunker Enfocer missile by MBDA; it mainly differs in the adoption of a specific seeker for drone engagement and a booster that increases the useful range of the missile (the Enfocer has a useful range of 2.5 km).

The Skyranger 30 is an air defense system that combines mobility, protection, flexibility, and precision to address threats in close-range scenarios. It is equipped with the powerful 30×173 mm KCE revolver cannon, with surface-air missiles and the necessary sensors, millimeter wave radar, and electro-optic (EO/IR) suite for the detection, tracking, and pursuit of targets day and night.

Source: German Ministry of Defense

Photo credit: @Rheinmetall AG/MBDA