Skynex Anti-Aircraft Systems Were Used to Shoot Down Shaheds

The Ukrainian Air Force used German Skynex anti-aircraft artillery systems to shoot down Russian strike drones.

A video of the system in action was published by the Ukrainian Air Force.

“The Rheinmetall Skynex anti-aircraft artillery system in service with the Air Force is showing flawless results in destroying enemy strike UAVs,” a representative stated.

Judging by the video, AHEAD-type programmable detonation shells are used to intercept the Shaheds. These shells are programmed at the moment of departure from the barrel and detonate at a predetermined time near the target. This creates a cloud of ready-to-fire warheads that effectively destroy the target.

The effectiveness of the shells is clearly demonstrated in the video, where a short burst is enough to destroy each strike drone.

The Skynex system was developed by the German company Rheinmetall Air Defense AG and is in service with the Ukrainian Air Force.

Since the gun mounts are not self-propelled, their main task is point air defense: protecting airfields, critical infrastructure, etc.

The Skynex battery consists of four 35 mm gun mounts, a control station, and a radar station that performs initial target detection and gun guidance.

The core of the system is the 35 mm Oerlikon Mk3 cannon, which has an effective range of 4,000 meters and a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute.

The gun mounts also have their own radar station, which is linked to an optical-electronic station. They ensure target acquisition and accurate guidance even against small targets.

Back in 2022, Rheinmetall announced that it would manufacture two Skynex anti-aircraft artillery batteries for an unnamed European country and requested funding from the German government. It later became known that they would be intended for Ukraine.

Ukraine received the first two systems in early 2024, with the total cost of the two systems reaching €182 million. Two more systems are planned for delivery.

In addition, in May 2024, it was reported that an unnamed European country had ordered hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition for the Skynex air defense system.