A prototype Boxer Skyranger 30 has been handed over to the Bundeswehr. Such a powerful armored personnel carrier would be useful to us at the front, since it can shoot down both missiles and drones.
One of the German army units has received the first Boxer with the Skyranger 30 air defense system. The machine in this version was developed and manufactured by Rheinmetall. The manufacturer reported this on its website.
The first air defense gun vehicle – a prototype. Its implementation requires approval from the Bundeswehr. The defense ministry has ordered the plant to develop and deliver one test model and 18 production vehicles of the Skyranger 30 air defense gun tank on the Boxer chassis.
Testing will begin this spring. Serial deliveries are planned to begin in 2027 or early 2028. During the testing of this batch, the Bundeswehr must determine the suitability and contractual compliance of the system for integration into the army fleet.
After the future user approves the Skyranger 30 model, the defense ministry plans to place an order for such armored vehicles for the entire Bundeswehr.
Rheinmetall developers assure that the Skyranger 30 air defense system eliminates an acute gap in the capabilities of mobile air defense. It offers the optimal combination of mobility, protection, flexibility and accuracy to meet the evolving demands of complex threat scenarios at close and very close range.
The Skyranger 30 system combines two types of weapons in its turret. In the first case, it is a powerful Oerlikon 30 mm x 173 KCE anti-aircraft gun with a rate of fire of 1250 rounds per minute, and in the second – a launcher for guided surface-to-air missiles.
The Skyranger 30 is part of the European Sky Shield initiative: EU countries want to join the procurement or have already started it. Hungary was the first to sign a contract with Rheinmetall for the conceptual development of the Skyranger 30 turret for the future air defense variant of the Lynx KF41 tracked vehicle. Austria and Denmark have also ordered the Skyranger 30 on various transport platforms.
The United Kingdom and Switzerland have also expressed interest. By the way, in the fall, demonstration firings of the Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft system took place in Switzerland (see video below) on two platforms – wheeled Boxer and Leopard 1.
The latest data came at the end of January 2025: the Netherlands announced the purchase of 22 Skyranger 30 systems. It is not reported on which chassis this will be done, but it is stated that the contract should be completed by the end of 2025.
Ukraine is still considering this option, but there is no official confirmation of placing an order for such an air defense system yet. Experience with Skynex has shown that it is a full-fledged short-range air defense tool. And Skyranger comes from this family and is even more modern and effective in combating air targets. However, the 30 mm Oerlikon cannon also hits enemy ground positions and equipment.
In addition to the anti-aircraft cannon, the Skyranger 30 for the Bundeswehr will initially be equipped with the Stinger anti-aircraft weapon, and later it should be replaced with a newly developed special missile against all types of drones.
The two-stage sensor suite consists of a Spexer 2000M 3D MkIII X-band radar from Hensoldt with three antennas and an electro-optical system and daylight and infrared cameras, as well as two laser rangefinders (with a wide and narrow field of view) for target identification, classification and tracking.