Weaponsmith
Rheinmetall receives anti-aircraft defense contract from Rome
Whether rockets or drones: threats of this kind should be rendered harmless with anti-aircraft guns. Rheinmetall has developed a new system – and reports a sale.
Rheinmetall has sold its new Skynex air defense system completely to a NATO state for the first time. Germany’s largest arms company announced in Düsseldorf that they had received an order from Italy initially worth 73 million euros.
It’s a system with a sensor unit for airspace surveillance, an operations center and four 35-millimeter guns that can reportedly fire up to 1,000 rounds per minute. The contract includes the option for three additional systems – in total, Rheinmetall could receive almost 280 million euros. Delivery of the first pilot system is expected to be completed by mid-2026.
Rheinmetall has already sold a slimmed-down version of Skynex to Romania, without cannons – Romania continues to use its existing anti-aircraft cannons, but is modernizing its systems with Rheinmetall components. Skynex is also already in use in Ukraine.
The order from Italy plays a special role because reference customers are important in the defense industry. The treaty with Rome could therefore prove to be a door opener for air defense deals with other NATO states.
dpa
Source: Stern
