Rheinmetall has received another major order for mobile air defence systems. The Dutch Ministry of Defence has commissioned Rheinmetall Air Defence to supply a two-digit number of Skyranger air defence systems for the Dutch armed forces. The order value is in the high triple-digit million euro range. The first Skyranger weapon platforms are to be delivered at the end of 2028, with final delivery scheduled before the end of 2029. A large part of the value added will be generated locally in the Netherlands.
The Skyranger weapon platform consists of a standard Skyranger 30 air defence turret and a lower mount, which allows the system to be used mobile on a customer’s armoured combat support vehicle or to be operated stationary from the ground. In addition to the Skyranger weapon platforms, the customer has ordered tactical level control nodes and hooklift transport platforms for purely stationary deployment. The scope of delivery also includes integration into the existing Dutch air defence architecture, classroom simulators, and a comprehensive integrated logistics support package.
The Skyranger 30 provides the ideal balance of mobility, protection, flexibility, and precision, meeting the increasing demands of challenging threat scenarios at close and very close range. Designed as a modular hybrid solution, the turret houses a powerful 30mm x 173 KCE revolver cannon, necessary sensors including a tracking radar, and can also be equipped with additional effectors such as surface-to-air guided missiles in the future. Its well-considered design, high dynamics, large elevation range, and state-of-the-art sensors enable autonomous and networked operations. The system’s airburst ammunition, which has a programmable airburst point of detonation, is particularly effective against drones.
The Dutch order follows a growing trend among European nations to enhance short-range air defence capabilities. The proliferation of drones on modern battlefields has exposed vulnerabilities in traditional air defence systems, which were often designed to counter larger, faster aircraft. The Skyranger 30 addresses this gap with its ability to engage small, manoeuvrable unmanned aerial systems using cost-effective 30mm airburst munitions.
The system’s unique configuration for the Dutch armed forces – enabling both highly mobile operations on armoured vehicles and stationary use without a carrier vehicle – is a first for the Skyranger 30. This dual-mode capability allows the Dutch military to deploy the system flexibly, protecting both convoy movements and fixed installations such as airbases or command centres.
“We are grateful for the Dutch armed forces’ confidence in our capabilities,” said Oliver Dürr, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Air Defence. “This latest order consolidates Rheinmetall’s position as the global market leader in the field of gun-based air defence. It also continues the success of the Skyranger 30. The configuration for the Dutch armed forces, which enables both highly mobile operations and stationary use without a carrier vehicle, is unique to date. Another NATO country has already expressed interest in this configuration.”
The contract includes local value generation in the Netherlands, aligning with Dutch defence industrial participation policies. Rheinmetall will work with Dutch suppliers and integrate the systems into the Netherlands’ existing command and control networks, ensuring seamless interoperability with allied NATO forces.
