Lynx KF41 anti-aircraft tank with Skyranger for Hungary
Rheinmetall is developing an anti-aircraft tank based on the Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle for the needs of the Hungarian armed forces. That is the aim of a development contract worth 30 million euros that Rheinmetall and the Hungarian authorities concluded on December 15th. As Rheinmetall has announced, the new Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft system is the core of the future anti-aircraft tank.
The adaptation development now underway will enable the use of the Skyranger turret on the Lynx and the integration of other weapons, thus taking into account the current threat situation and the needs of the Hungarian customer.
According to Rheinmetall, the Lynx Skyranger 30 will be a future-oriented anti-aircraft system based on the proven Lynx infantry fighting vehicle. By integrating the state-of-the-art Skyranger air defense system, an even more effective and versatile air defense capability will be achieved. The system offers an optimal combination of mobility, protection, flexibility and precision in order to meet the growing requirements for challenging threat scenarios in the close and immediate range. As a hybrid solution, its turret combines a powerful 30mm cannon, surface-to-air guided missiles and the necessary sensors on one platform. Depending on customer requirements, various modern guided missiles can be used, such as Mistral, Stinger or Chiron.
“With the Lynx Skyranger 30, Rheinmetall is making an important contribution to the security and defense capability of our customers,” said Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. The company remains committed to providing innovative solutions that address ever-changing threats.
According to Rheinmetall, the development project is part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), which is intended to significantly improve air defense in Europe in the coming years. ESSI aims to be able to protect European NATO states more effectively against attacks from the air in the coming years. In order to achieve this quickly, the ESSI member states want to jointly procure, use and maintain corresponding systems such as radar systems, guns, cannons and anti-aircraft missiles.
The German Bundeswehr intends to rebuild the air defense capability in the army (ESuTreported). The plan is to procure around twenty Skyranger 30s, in this case based on the 8×8 Boxer wheeled tank. The project is expected to be approved by the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag at the beginning of 2024. A development contract could not be signed until mid-February 2024 at the earliest.
The Kingdom of Denmark has also decided to procure around 15 mobile Skyranger 30 air defense systems based on an 8×8 wheeled tank, writes Rheinmetall. The system is to be integrated into an 8×8 Piranha V from GDELS (ESuTreported).
Editorial staff / gwh
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