Rheinmetall has received a contract to deliver Skyranger 30 short-range air defense turret systems for the Royal Danish Army.
The “low three-digit million euro range” order stipulates 16 units of the weapon and corresponding ammunition for the army’s artillery regiment.
The package includes additional equipment and integration services for the army’s preferred tactical 8×8 vehicles.
Rheinmetall will ship four Skyranger 30 prototypes in late 2026, followed by the serial production towers from 2027 to 2028.
“The signing of this contract is an important step toward establishing the brigade’s air defence, which is an essential part of making the brigade fully operational,” Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization Head Lt. Gen. Per Pugholm Olsen stated.
“The selection of the Skyranger turret and its machine cannon was made in close cooperation with our colleagues at the Defence Command.”
Flexible Capability for Army
Denmark first revealed its intent to employ a mobile short-range air defense weapon based on Rheinmetall’s Skyranger in May 2023.
According to the government, the option to include the platform in its brigade was based on the army and NATO’s existing requirements, as well as its effectiveness observed in Ukraine’s continuing defense against Russia’s invasion.
“We are grateful that Denmark, another major NATO customer, now trusts our Skyranger 30,” Rheinmetall Electronic Solutions CEO Oliver Duerr stated.
“We are pleased to be able to integrate Skyranger into another vehicle platform. This demonstrates the modularity and adaptability of our system.”
In parallel with Rheinmetall’s recent contract, Denmark also partnered with Aarhus-based company Terma to work on the forthcoming Skyrangers’ accompanying operations center, radar, and communication systems.
Rheinmetall’s Skyranger 30
The Skyranger 30 was first introduced in 2021 to offer air defense operability in a networked and autonomous approach.
It is equipped with a reconfigured Oerlikon 30-millimeter cannon fitted in Saab Viggen fighter jets, which is capable of firing 300 airburst rounds against targets at 3 kilometers (2 miles).
Moreover, the turret can deploy laser-guided surface-to-air missiles for threats at up to 9 kilometers (6 miles) and anti-drone missiles against small unmanned aerial systems at 6 kilometers (4 miles).
The Skyranger 30’s chassis is covered with NATO-standard armor that can withstand blasts, fragments, and explosive rounds.