Ukraine Will Receive Skyranger 35 Air Defense Systems on Leopard 1 Chassis at Expense of Russian Assets

Ukraine will be armed with the latest German Skyranger 35 anti-aircraft systems on the Leopard 1 tank chassis at the expense of frozen Russian assets in the Occident.

The contract was announced on the Rheinmetall website.

The company noted that the value of the deal is estimated at hundreds of millions of euros.

The procurement of these air defense systems will be financed by an EU member state at the expense of funds received from frozen Russian assets.

“We are grateful for the trust that Ukraine has placed in us,” said Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. “We also thank the EU government for its support, which underlines our ongoing efforts to support Ukraine.”

Rheinmetall’s CEO announced the deal back in September. However, it was not known then who would finance the purchase.

The German defense giant noted that Rheinmetall Italia S.p.A in Italy will manufacture and integrate the systems. Skyranger 35, based on the Leopard 1 tank chassis, combines the mobility and protection of a proven tracked vehicle with the effectiveness of an air defense gun system.

Skyranger 35

The system uses a combat module with a 35 mm GDM-008 automatic gun with a rate of fire of 1000 rounds per minute. The ammunition package includes a wide range of ammunition, including radio-fuzed shells. The machine’s ammunition consists of 252 rounds.

Skyranger 35 uses a multi-purpose AMMR radar operating in the S-band to detect small airborne targets. In total, the vehicle has five antennas that provide 360-degree coverage.

Additionally, it is equipped with the Rheinmetall FIRST passive target detection system, which is better at detecting small targets.

One of the main tasks of the complex in the scope of modern threats should be reconnaissance and attack drones, which should be ideally suited for intercepting programmable 35 mm shells.

The range of the artillery system’s air targets is 4000 meters, as stated by the developer. In addition, if necessary, the system can effectively engage ground targets.