Italy to pioneer NATO's adoption of advanced Skynex defence
The Italians have decided to order the Skynex point defence system from the German company Rheinmetall, which is also used in Ukraine to protect Kyiv. Here's what it can do.
According to Rheinmetall, Italy has decided to order one battery of the system for €73 million, with an option for three additional systems worth €204 million. The delivery of the first battery is expected by the second quarter of 2026, with the option for the additional three systems to be ordered in 2027. Besides the systems themselves, the signed agreement also includes ammunition, training and maintenance services, and spare parts.
The contract may be partially influenced by the successful performance of Skynex in Ukraine, as war serves as a strong advertisement and test of weapon readiness, rigorously identifying any errors. The Italians will be the first NATO country to operate the complete Skynex system, as Romania ordered a limited version using the older GDF-009 gun, while Italy will have the system with the Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3.
Skynex — A cost-effective solution for drones and cruise missiles
The Skynex system is an advancement of the German MANTIS system. It is developed around the Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3 automatic gun with a calibre of 35 mm, featuring a firing rate of up to 1,000 rounds per minute. It can be fed with sub-calibre armour-piercing ammunition or programmable AHEAD rounds (estimated to cost over €3,000 each).
The system's effective operational range is up to 5 kilometres, allowing it to combat various targets, from small drones to cruise missiles, artillery shells, and even hardened bombs.
The gun is guided to the target using data from radar or an optoelectronic head with a thermal sight and laser rangefinder. Typically, a series of four rounds eliminates a target, costing tens of thousands of euros. This cost is only a fraction of an anti-aircraft missile, which can cost hundreds of thousands of euros.
The armour-piercing round contains a projectile with a sub-calibre tungsten penetrator capable of piercing over 10 centimetres of armour steel. The programmable ammunition has 152 tungsten sub projectiles integrated with explosive material, and a fuse at the gun's muzzle sets the time to detonation. Sensors at the muzzle calculate the projectile's muzzle velocity, and radar data such as target speed or distance allows the precise timing of the AHEAD round's explosion.
Just before impact, a "wall" of tungsten fragments is created in the air right in front of the target, effectively shredding the bodies of mini-drones and missile or cruise projectile warheads.
The system turret weighs about 5,100 kilograms, including 252 rounds, which is enough to neutralize numerous targets when fired in four-round bursts. The system was initially known in a stationary version mounted on truck platforms, but its lighter version, the Skyranger 30 with a 30 mm gun, has gained more popularity. However, for Ukraine, a 35 mm variant mounted on the Leopard 1A5 tank chassis was developed, as reported by Wirtualna Polska journalist Łukasz Michalik.
