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Skyranger 35

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Skyranger 35
Rheinmetall displayed a Boxer fitted with the Oerlikon Skyranger 35 air defence system at Eurosatory 2018
TypeSPAAG / VSHORAD
Place of originSwitzerland / Germany
Production history
Designed2004[1]
ManufacturerRheinmetall Air Defence
Specifications
Massturret only: 4.5 t
Shell35×228mm
Elevation-5° / +85°
Traverse360°
Effective firing range4000 m

The Skyranger 35 is a short range air defence turret system developed by Rheinmetall Air Defence AG (formerly Oerlikon).

Design

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A mobile version of the Skyshield air defense system, it is based on a turret equipped with a 35 mm revolver cannon, based on the 35/1000 revolver gun. It can be elevated up to 85° with 360° rotation. The unmanned turret weighs 4.25 tonnes loaded and is controlled by two operators inside the vehicle. The gun is optimized to fire AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction) ammunition, an airburst round that releases a cloud of sub-projectiles just ahead of a target, enabling it to engage conventional as well as low, slow and small (LSS) air threats including UAVs and perform C-RAM duties.[2][3]

The cannon can fire single-shots, rapid single shots at 200 rounds per minute or at a maximum rate of 1,000 rounds per minute. It has an effective range of 4,000 m. Skyranger 35 vehicles have an integrated sensor suite, consisting of an X-band or Ku-band tracking radar with a range out to 30 km and an EO/IR camera with a laser rangefinder and automatic target tracking. The turret carries 252 rounds. It can be mounted on various wheeled and tracked vehicles. Prototypes were integrated on the Piranha IIIH, Piranha IV and Boxer 8×8 armored personnel carriers[4][5] and the Leopard 2 tank chassis.[6][7]

In 2021, the Skyranger 30 was unveiled, which is a lighter version equipped with a 30 mm cannon and short-range surface-to-air missiles.[1]

In September of 2023, a new version of the Skyranger 35 system was introduced with redesigned turret and Oerlikon AMMR active electronically scanned array search radar.[8] This S-band radar has a detection range of 5 km for small drones and 20 km for fighter-sized aircraft.[9]

Integration of the Skyranger 35 with the Leopard I platform for use by the Ukrainian armed forces is also planned.[10] This version was demonstrated in a live fire exercise on the 18th of September 2024.[11] 10 of these airdefence vehicles are planned to be shipped to Ukraine by the end of 2024.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Rheinmetall unveils Skyranger 30 air-defence system". Janes Information Services. 5 March 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021.
  2. ^ Skyranger 35 mm anti-aircraft gun system. Military-Today.com.
  3. ^ OERLIKON SKYRANGER® GUN MOBILE 35MM AIR DEFENCE GUN. Rheinmetall Air Defence.
  4. ^ Skyranger 35 mm anti-aircraft gun system. Military-Today.com.
  5. ^ OERLIKON SKYRANGER® GUN MOBILE 35MM AIR DEFENCE GUN. Rheinmetall Air Defence.
  6. ^ Could Rheinmetall's new hybrid vehicle replace the Gepard 1A2 anti-aircraft gun?. Army Recognition. 12 June 2024.
  7. ^ Rheinmetall's latest Skyranger 35 on Leopard 2 air defense system debuts at Eurosatory 2024. Army Recognition. 18 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Threat-adequate and highly mobile: Rheinmetall's Oerlikon Skyranger 35 on show at DSEI 2023" (PDF). www.rheinmetall.com.
  9. ^ "MSU S: increased short range air defence situational awareness from Rheinmetall".
  10. ^ "Rheinmetall repariert in der Ukraine: BILD im geheimen Panzer-Werk". bild.de (in German). 2024-06-16. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  11. ^ "esut.de - The Skyranger mobile anti-aircraft system in Action".
  12. ^ "https://turdef.com/article/germany-integrates-skyranger-35-ad-system-on-leopard-1-mbt". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
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