As part of anti-aircraft defense exercises, the Ukrainian Air Force has confirmed the deployment of one of its new Skynex systems, manufactured by the German company Rheinmetall. Specifically, this is one of the two systems committed by the German government towards the end of 2022 in a military assistance package valued at 194 million euros, which included HX trucks for transportation.
This information comes from an official statement by the Ukrainian Air Force on social media, where a video of the Skynex system in operation was posted along with the following statement: “We are grateful to our allies for helping us enhance Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. More air defense for Ukraine = more innocent lives saved.”
It is important to note that the Skynex systems are Rheinmetall’s most advanced solution for short-range air defense, launched in 2021; the first unit delivered to Ukraine arrived in January of this year. The system consists of a 35mm Oerlikon Mk3 cannon, an Oerlikon Skymaster control node, and a modern Oerlikon X-TAR3D radar system that facilitates the detection of enemy targets.
As observed in the materials published by the Ukrainian Air Force, the Skynex activates automatically thanks to the integrated fire control processor, attacking its target with a high rate of fire that allows for rapid neutralization. In this sense, it is useful to mention that each unit can fire programmable Ahead 35mm munitions and can be used alongside other air defense systems such as Skyshield and Skyguard.
Finally, it is worth noting that the German government published a detailed list this month of the various military assistance packages delivered to Ukraine to resist the Russian invasion, totaling 28 billion euros. Specifically, of that amount, around 7.1 billion euros were invested during this year, which partly funded the training of over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers. In this regard, the German government states: “The German government has not suspended any specific measures for Ukraine regarding the development of security capacity. Rather, through early planning, the German government has ensured that Ukraine receives a continuous and predictable supply of material and munitions.”
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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