Rheinmetall to supply Leopard 1-based Skyranger 35 air defence systems to Ukraine

Rheinmetall has been contracted to supply Ukraine with more Skyranger 35 air defence systems based on the Leopard 1 main battle tank (MBT) platform, the company announced on 10 October 2025.

The number of systems to be supplied was not specified, but the order, according to Rheinmetall, is worth a “three-digit-million Euro figure”, with the systems being financed by an unnamed EU country as part of the EU’s Windfall Profit Mechanism initiative, which generates revenues from frozen assets belonging to the Central Bank of Russia.

Ukraine has already received a number of Skyranger 35 systems, but these were mounted on a truck chassis.

The production and integration of the systems will be carried out by Rheinmetall Italia SpA at its headquarters in Rome.

The Leopard 1 Skyranger 35 “combines the mobility and protection of the proven tracked vehicle with the outstanding effectiveness of a cannon-based air defence system”, according to Rheinmetall. This combination was first presented by Rheinmetall at its Ochsenboden range in Switzerland on 18 September 2024.

The Skyranger 35 is equipped with a KDG 35/1000 revolver cannon in 35 mm × 228 calibre that features a firing rate of 1,000 rounds per minute. It has an effective range of up to 4,000 m and a high degree of commonality with the Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk 3.

The Skyranger 35 is airburst capable through the use of Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction (AHEAD) ammunition, which makes it a much more cost-effective counter to Russian Shahad-type drones than using missiles.

That said, Rheinmetall stated that in future it will also be possible to equip the Skyranger 35 system with missiles.

“We are grateful for the trust that Ukraine has placed in us,” Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “We would also like to thank the EU country for the support, which underlines our continued efforts to support Ukraine.”