The Netherlands is strengthening its air defense by purchasing 22 Skyranger 30 mobile anti-drone systems. These installations will be used to protect the medium and heavy brigades of the Royal Netherlands Army, and the first complexes may enter service as early as 2028.
Rheinmetall's Skyranger 30 system is equipped with radars, cameras and lasers to detect and track air targets. The main armament is a 30 mm automatic cannon, which is capable of firing up to 1,250 rounds per minute. The complex also includes surface-to-air missiles to engage targets at longer distances.
The installations will be mounted on German-made ACSV armored combat vehicles. The Netherlands is already purchasing these vehicles as part of the modernization of its medium- and short-range air defense systems. The introduction of Skyranger 30 will allow them to be integrated into a multi-level air defense system that will combine various means of combating air threats.
The decision to purchase was made due to the growing role of drones in modern military conflicts, in particular against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the aggravation of the situation in the Middle East. The Dutch government also plans to increase the number of air defense personnel by 125 people to ensure the effective use of new systems.