The Danish Ministry of Defence’s Material and Procurement Agency (FMI) and the Danish Defense Command have decided that the Army’s new mobile air defense system will be based on the modern and powerful Skyranger turret from Rheinmetall. The Skyranger turret is equipped with a powerful 30mm automatic cannon and anti-aircraft missiles, of a type that will be decided shortly. The acquisition is part of the current defense settlement. FMI in collaboration with the Defense Command (FKO), including the Army’s professional experts from the Danish Artillery Regiment, has chosen the German company Rheinmetall’s Skyranger turret for the Army’s new air defense system.
The turret’s 30mm automatic cannon is a high-velocity gun which, together with the missile system, can combat airplanes, helicopters and drones. The selection has thus been taken of the latest experiences from the war in Ukraine. Further analysis which will lead to the selection of anti-aircraft missiles to be mounted on the turret is continuing. The exact design of the Danish turrets has not yet been determined, which is why they may differ from existing models. The Danish Skyranger turrets will be mounted on the Army’s Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers, as this vehicle is standard in the Army and meets requirements for mobility and protection.
The overall air defense system will also include search radars, fire control centers and communication systems. The Danish company Terma is responsible for integrating all the mentioned elements into an integrated air defense system and delivering this to the Army. The choice of the new turret and the new automatic cannon was made on the basis of the Army’s operational requirements for an air defense capability. The Skyranger system consists of the cannon, a missile system and a fire control system. These three elements are integrated into an armored turret, which is mounted on the Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers. The market analysis carried out by FMI shows that the Skyranger with 30mm automatic cannon is the system that can best deliver a solution that meets FKO’s operational requirements and meets NATO’s requirements in the area.
The Skyranger is a mobile ground based air defence (GBAD) developed by the German Rheinmetall Defence. This artillery system can be deployed against air targets at short and very short range and against ground targets. The Skyranger is equipped with state-of-the-art search and tracking sensors which provide seamless 360° air and ground surveillance and accurate fire control data. The integrated 35 mm Oerlikon Revolver Gun provides ultimate firepower and precision. Combined with the Oerlikon Ahead Air Burst Technology an engagement against current and future air threats is highly effective. The Skyranger is optimized to fire the company’s proprietary 35-mm AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction) ammunition. The Skyranger gun system can be mounted on lightweight wheeled or tracked armored vehicles. First prototypes were integrated on MOWAG Piranha IIIH, Piranha IV and Boxer 8×8 armored personnel carriers.
