Rheinmetall has secured a major international order for its advanced Skynex air defence systems, marking a significant milestone for the technology. The contract, booked in the second quarter of 2026, represents a value in the region of several hundred million euros. This order is a first-time contract with this international customer. At the same time, this contract enables the company to expand its customer base for this state-of-the-art air defence system. The overall scope of the contract encompasses the delivery of four complete Skynex systems, with a total execution timeline of 39 months. Delivery of the first Skynex battery is scheduled to take place 21 months from the contract signature. The subsequent batteries will follow sequentially, with each delivery occurring six months after the completion of the previous one.
The contract includes trucks, ammunition, and a comprehensive Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) package. The ILS package, fully included in the total contract value, ensures operational readiness through specialized training, spare parts, special tools, and consumables provisions. Rheinmetall Italia is acting as the prime contractor for this project. Several key subsidiaries within the Rheinmetall Group are actively involved to deliver the systems: Rheinmetall Air Defence, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles, Rheinmetall Weapon and Munitions (Switzerland). This success underscores Rheinmetall’s leading role in next-generation short-range air defence technology.
The Skynex Air Defence System is a state-of-the-art, gun-based solution designed for very short-range defence by Rheinmetall Air Defence AG (formerly Oerlikon). It is highly capable of countering a wide array of modern threats, including Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) and Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) missions. The Skynex is an evolution of the Skyshield system, with the main differences being network centrism, an open network architecture, designed to use a range of weapons, and a faster addiction of new effectors to the system in comparison to the older versions of it. From the beginning of the creation of the system, Rheinmetall Air Defence planned to add future effectors, such as air defence missiles and air defence lasers. The system is also able to link with older Skyshield and Skyguard air defence systems.Among the effectors that are used with the system are:
- Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3 (this cannon is also used with the Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium Gun, Rheinmetall Oerlikon MANTIS, Rheinmetall Oerlikon Skyshield, Rheinmetall Air Defence Skyranger 35)
- Twin Gun GDF009 TREO
The Skynex air defense system is a highly integrated, modular platform built upon the Oerlikon Skymaster combat management system. For threat detection, it utilizes advanced sensors including the Oerlikon X-TAR3D tactical acquisition radar and the Oerlikon MSU, a multi-sensor unit equipped with 3D AESA radar, panoramic electro-optical (EO) sensors, and IFF sensor fusion. The system’s primary current effectors are the Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3 and the Twin Gun GDF009 TREO, both featuring autonomous tracking capabilities via integrated radars and EO sensors. Furthermore, Skynex offers future-proof adaptability through potential effectors, expanding its arsenal to include the Oerlikon High Energy Laser and specialized missile launchers, such as the HALCON SkyKnight and the LIG/Rheinmetall C-PGM/ESHORAD, which are specifically designed to counter complex threats like cruise missiles and glide bombs.
