Hungary has awarded Rheinmetall a contract for the conceptual development of the Skyranger 30 turret for the future Lynx KF41 Mobile Air Defence Vehicle. The contract, which is worth close to EUR 30 M, was signed on 15 December 2023 in Budapest.
“The customisation development of the Skyranger 30 turret for the Lynx tracked armoured vehicle and the integration of additional effectors responds to Hungary’s need to address the current threat situation, adding a new member to the Lynx family in the process,” Rheinmetall stated in a 20 December press release.
“The system offers an optimum combination of mobility, survivability, flexibility and precision, capable of thwarting highly challenging new threats in the short- and very-short domain,” Rheinmetall stated. “A hybrid solution, its turret combines a high-performance 30 mm automatic cannon, surface-to-air missiles and the accompanying sensor suite, all on a single platform. Moreover, the system is compatible with a variety of modern guided missiles, such as the Mistral, Stinger and Chiron.”
A team of engineers and technicians from various Rheinmetall entities will carry out the development of the Lynx Skyranger 30, while the work also means an increase in capabilities for Rheinmetall’s subsidiaries in Hungary.
“With the Skyranger 30, Rheinmetall is making an important contribution to the security of our customers and their ability to defend themselves,” Armin Papperger, chairman of Rheinmetall’s executive board, was quoted as saying. “We’re committed to offering solutions that will remain more than a match for steadily evolving threats. In this development contract we’ll be setting the standard yet again in the world of air defence technology. The Lynx Skyranger 30 is a top performer, capable of countering a vast variety of threats, including ballistic missiles and unmanned aircraft. We’re proud to be able to offer our customers worldwide an advanced solution that meets their security needs so superbly.”
The Hungarian development project forms part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), which seeks to significantly augment Europe’s air defence capabilities in the next few years and protect Europe’s NATO member states more effectively against aerial attack. To achieve this quickly ESSI member nations plan to jointly procure, deploy and maintain the relevant hardware, including radar systems, automatic cannons and surface-to-air guided missiles.
The Bundeswehr is also eager to restore the German Army’s organic air defence capability; procurement of around 20 Skyranger 30 systems is currently under consideration, to be mounted on the Boxer 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicle.
Meanwhile, Denmark has already announced its intention to buy around 15 Skyranger 30 systems, to be integrated into a different 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicle.
